Some Notions Die Hard

I've been amazed by the number of people I've spoken to recently who still think Bush somehow stole the 2000 election. I thought that had been settled years ago, but at least among Democrats of my acquaintance, it seems to be an article of faith. It doesn't help when the Legacy Media can't get it right, either:

"Vote early. Take people with you to the polls," the former vice president said at a rally in Coconut Creek. Gore's 2000 campaign foundered in Florida after ballot problems led to a long legal standoff. The Supreme Court ultimately determined that Bush had won the presidency with a 537-vote margin in Florida.

As Patterico points out, the Supreme Court did nothing of the sort:

But that’s not what happened. Katherine Harris, Florida’s Secretary of State, is the person who certified George W. Bush as the winner, and the margin of victory at 537 votes.

The Supreme Court did no such thing. In its per curiam opinion, the U.S. Supreme Court reversed an order of the Florida Supreme Court ordering a recount to proceed. The Court held that the standardless manual recounts in Florida violated the Equal Protection Clause.

It is true that the Court’s actions in halting the recount were a critical factor in the process. But the Supreme Court made no determination as to who had won the presidency. That was Katherine Harris.

And, as noted above, subsequent recounts have supported her decision. Now, if you listen to the pundits, there are two likely outcomes to this year's election: Obama in a landslide or Obama wins, but the margin is smaller than anticipated. I would like to add a third possibility: McCain in an upset squeaker.

For anyone who cares, that's my prediction.

Anyway, should that upset (however unlikely) occur, what will be the reaction among Obama supporters who feel that their man's victory is a fait accompli? Will there be a new Civil War?