It’s been over sixteen years since the Supreme Court’s decision in Bush v. Gore ended the seemingly endless Florida recount and effectively sealed the 2000 presidential election for George W. Bush. However, the hosts of MSNBC’s inauguration day coverage on Friday revealed that they still aren’t ready to let Bush’s controversial victory go.
As the cameras showed the various dignitaries arriving for the inauguration ceremonies, former President George W. Bush was seen embracing all eight current Supreme Court justices. That’s when the group of chortling MSNBC hosts decided to once again cast doubt on the legitimacy of the 2000 election.
MSNBC’s Chris Matthews, who has repeatedly declared his affection for former President Obama on air, said to liberal MSNBC commentator Rachel Maddow, “You know, Rachel, the warm embrace that W. gave to the Supreme Court justices, especially the Republican ones, I realized why he embraced them.”
At this point, Matthews and Maddow both burst out into laughter, as though a funny joke had been told.
“They put him in office!” Matthews roared, to chuckles from Maddow and another voice who could not be identified. Another host, who could not be seen on screen, chimed in, “That was gratitude!” Another host, most likely the disgraced fabulist Brian Williams, chimed in with, “Their warm embrace for him was called Bush v. Gore.”
Of the nine justices who were on the Supreme Court at the time of Bush v. Gore, only four are still serving. Former Justices John Paul Stevens, Sandra Day O’Connor and David Souter retired, and former Justices William Rehnquist and Antonin Scalia died in office.
Of the five justices who voted in Bush’s favor in Bush v. Gore, only two — Justice Clarence Thomas and Justice Anthony Kennedy — remain on the court. The other six justices who were embraced by Bush either voted against him or were placed on the court after the Bush v. Gore decision.
