Since Bacon is grinchy this morning I’ll take another tack — this is what cheers me: the orderly, gentle and reasonable way the McDonnell-Deeds recount was conducted and concluded. Hundreds of Virginians took time out of a holiday week to take part, the vast majority of course for no or little pay (the legal meters were running.) Perhaps things got testy in some of the count rooms, and of course Creigh’s many friends and supporters are disappointed, but even on the partisan blogs it was clear both sides were treating each other and the effort with respect. The winner was the election process itself. Deeds’ concession showed real class (as Brad Marrs’ had the day before when the recount went against him.)
To everyone who took any part at all on either side or in the middle, thank you.
I am confident that if any glaring errors had surfaced, the court would have taken proper notice. No human election process will ever be perfect, whether manual or electronic. Doubt will always linger with a result that razor thin. Sadly, the biggest winner on Nov. 8 is unchanged –none of the above — since most people didn’t vote at all. Those are the people I don’t get. (Inappropriate comment removed by author in spirit of the season.)
