The New "Long Count"

This is an OpEd piece written by New York Times writer William Safire. Safire is a self-described "libertarian conservative" and I think his point of view in this article is interesting. His examination of the media's role is prudent - if the networks hadn't called the election so early, Gore's actions may have been different. What's most critical, though, is how he describes the actions of the loser. The difference between gracious loss and going down kicking and screaming is relevant in today's political climate as well and can be urged across partisan lines.

http://query.nytimes.com/gst/fullpage.html?res=9902E2DE1638F93AA35752C1A9669C8B63