Recount

Synopsis: In this dramatization of the 2000 presidential election, Al Gore concedes the presidency to George W. Bush, but recants when he learns of irregularities in the Florida vote count. Democratic strategists Ronald Klain and Michael Whouley race to Florida to uncover the truth, as do Republicans under James Baker III. Between faulty voting equipment and the vagaries of Florida's Secretary of State Katherine Harris, a 36-day stalemate ensues.
Genre: Drama, History
Director(s): Jay Roach
Production: HBO Films
  Won 1 Golden Globe. Another 9 wins & 31 nominations.
 
IMDB:
7.5
Rotten Tomatoes:
77%
TV-MA
Year:
2008
116 min
Website
1,321 Views


Those are absolutely meaningless.

Who's looking at the polls? I haven't

read a poll in at least 15 minutes.

I'm telling you, it's looking good,

but we've got to keep hammering

at the undecideds.

Between phone calls I'm praying.

We need to satellite Lieberman

to Nevada and Arizona.

We can have it set up by 11:00

if we can talk him into it.

He's walking in right now. Hold on.

Fournier is waiting for you on line two.

Yeah, Fournier, what can I do for you?

Looks like voter turnout's gonna be

at an all-time low. Any response?

As I keep saying

and I'll continue to say,

the foundation of a democracy

is based on its citizens' right to vote.

A.B.C. on three... winning electoral,

losing popular.

- Hang on a sec. Yes.

- Hi, Ron. A number of the polls

show that Gore will lose the popular

vote, but win the electoral college.

What would the Gore response be

if this occurred?

The Gore response would be

that Governor Bush

is gonna have to respect the electoral

process no matter what the outcome.

Fournier,

the foundation of our democracy

is based upon

the citizens' right to vote.

It is our duty as Americans

to fulfill that responsibility.

- C.N.N. on one... the same.

- Hang on. Yes.

Looks like you're gonna lose

the popular vote...

I know the question.

Here's the answer...

Governor Bush is gonna have

to respect the electoral process

no matter what the outcome. Fournier...

"It is our duty as Americans

to fulfill that responsibility

"because we must never forget

that every vote counts."

You're the only liaison I know

that actually sounds sincere

when you spew that sh*t.

- Background?

- Yeah, go ahead.

Are you going to join

the new administration?

That would depend

on the position he offers,

but I don't think so{\he's going

.

He's barely spoken to me

since I got back to campaign.

- But if he does?

- No comment.

- Talk to you later.

- Ron Klain's office.

I have a Lester Hyman on two.

Hey Lester,

what can I do for you this morning?

If the 32nd precinct opens

even one minute late, I swear to god,

I will fly down there with a crowbar

and open the goddamn door myself.

Whouley?

Ron, you look like a f***in' bolshevik.

I just got off the phone

with Lester Hyman.

We may have a problem

in Palm Beach County.

A bunch of older voters think

they accidentally voted

for Pat Buchanan by mistake...

and not just a few of 'em, a lot.

- Jeremy... Where is it again?

- Palm Beach.

Get me what's-her-name,

Theresa Lepore on the phone, please.

We wouldn't be having this problem

if you were still running this show.

But since you're not, how about

gettin' me a coffee and f***in' Danish?

- But before I do that...

- Yes?

- Are we going to win this thing?

- No.

Yes, but it's gonna be a squeaker.

You always said

it would come down to Florida.

Yes, I did. Jeremy, Theresa Lepore.

- It's busy. I'm trying.

- Well, try harder, please.

- Thanks, man.

- No problem.

- Hey, Morehouse.

- Hey, Ron.

What happened to your leg?

Twisted my knee

getting off air force two.

Did they upgrade you

or are you still flying in luggage?

Put some ice on it.

Hey, Ron.

Hold on a sec.

Ron Klain.

- I'm sorry about this.

- Hey, no worries.

- Thanks.

- That's good.

- Complete this part right here.

- Yes, sir.

I'll get it to the Vice President

right away.

Good.

Okay.

Look, Ron, I don't want to bullshit you,

so let me get right to it.

Roy Neel is putting out feelers

for the transition team and

he told me al really wants you onboard.

The Vice President

wants to offer you the lead

in reviewing candidates

for jobs beneath the cabinet.

Bill, that's the same job

I had eight years ago.

I know it's not ideal,

but Al really wants you to do this.

And I don't think he's going

to understand why you wouldn't.

Maybe it has something to do

with the fact

that he didn't exactly back me when

Coelho pushed me out of the campaign.

We all know Coelho was a big mistake.

That's why he's gone and you're back.

Right, working under the people

that used to work for me.

Everyone appreciates you coming back.

It's the first thing I did

when I took over this campaign.

And I did it because I hate

what happened to you. It was bullshit.

But this is a good opportunity

for you to get back on the inside.

Tell the Vice President

I have been delighted

to write press releases for the last

three months and work on rapid response,

but I will not be able to accept his

eight-year demotion at the current time.

Ron, would...

Would you think about it?

I'll keep you up to date on exit polls.

The Vice President and his wife

voted this morning

at Forks River Elementary in Elmwood.

Chris called earlier.

He said if Gore wins,

you can have the week off.

If he loses, he wants you

in the office by noon tomorrow.

They don't call Warren Christopher

the great negotiator for nothing.

So I take it you're not gonna be

joining the Gore administration.

I understand

what you're saying to me,

but I haven't heard anything about that.

The Governor promised

to go to California,

and that's why the Governor

went to California.

And he always keeps his promises.

Absolutely.

I'm finally in the Governor's mansion,

and it is pretty imposing.

Now we're all seated at dinner

and everybody bows their heads

for prayer.

And I am sitting there thinking

"What's a nice jewish boy

from Pennsylvania doing here

"praying with the Governor of Texas?"

And the Governor leans over

and he whispers in my ear,

"It's about time we got

some methodist blood in you."

And I got relaxed very very quickly.

It was a lovely lovely moment.

Are we gonna win, Mr. Ginsberg?

By tomorrow morning

the stains of Bill Clinton

will be washed away

and honor and dignity will finally

be restored to the White House.

Hey, Ben,

did you hear about Palm Beach County?

Revote! The ballot is unfair!

It should be clearer

where you're punching.

I understand.

I want to talk to somebody.

Revote!

Is this what all the fuss is about?

Judge Burton, I've had three friends

call me in a panic

because they think they voted

for Pat Buchanan.

They're very upset.

Theresa, why did you list the candidates

on both sides of the ballot?

to get all the candidates

on one side was very small

and I was worried that the older voters

would have trouble reading them.

We're going to need a lawyer.

The presidential race

is crackling like a hickory fire here.

This promises to be one of the closest

races in American presidential history.

The big prize, the brass ring

for this evening... The state of Florida

A big call to make... CNN announces

that we call Florida

in the Al Gore column.

Al Gore wins the state of Florida.

Florida was supposed

to be George W. Bush country.

And you can bet that Governor Bush

will be madder than a rained-on rooster

that his brother, the Governor,

wasn't able to carry this state for him.

Stand by. Stand by.

What the networks giveth,

the networks taketh away.

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Danny Strong

Daniel W. Strong (born June 6, 1974) is an American actor, film and television writer, director, and producer. As an actor, Strong is best known for his roles as Jonathan Levinson in Buffy the Vampire Slayer and Doyle McMaster in Gilmore Girls. more…

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Submitted on August 05, 2018

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