Gore notebook: Democrats optimistic about voter turnout

NASHVILLE, Tenn. -- The Gore campaign has seen no rest in the past 24 hours, but, today, Democrat Al Gore will be relaxing with his family here in his home state, anxiously awaiting election returns. Gore, who began the day at three in the morning in Tampa, Fl., arrived in Nashville five hours later and headed to his home community of Elmwood where he cast his vote for president. He had lunch with his mother, Pauline, in Carthage and arrived at his hotel shortly after. While Gore can now do little to affect the outcome of this closest election in decades, his campaign is confident they will be successful in turning out the most voters. "Early indications [show] that Democratic turnout is strong," Gore spokesman Doug Hattaway said. In crucial states such as Iowa and Oregon, absentee ballots have been sent in by Democrats at greater numbers than Republicans. Democrats have sent in 290,000 absentee ballots in Oregon, versus the 260,000 Republicans have completed. "These are people who are the best in politics," Democratic National Committee press secretary Jennifer Backus said of the strategists the Democrats have in key states. "They are telling me they are extremely encouraged. Early reports that we're getting are very optimistic." Hattaway points to increased turnout of Democrats in Florida as signs of success. While voters are free to vote for any candidate, chances are those Democrats who have shown up at the polls thus far have voted for Gore. And in the key Democratic counties of Palm Beach and Miami-Dade, experts are predicting record turnout, well over 70 percent. "I think the story of the day thus far is Al Gore's lead in Florida," Hattaway said. Actor/director Rob Reiner, famous for such films as When Harry Met Sally, was also optimistic about Gore's chances in this final day. "This is the first time we've been up in the national polls in a month," Reiner, who has been stumping for Gore from early on in the campaign, said. "That's good." Despite the optimism, however, the Gore campaign is not ready to declare victory. "This is a very close election," Backus said. Jim Frush, a friend of Gore's who guided him in a climb up Mt. Rainier in Washington state last year, was, despite the apprehension in these final hours, quite stoic. "Now, when [Gore] can finally stop working, he can have the satisfaction of knowing he's done what he could." -- Joshua Runyan