So hand recounts conducted only in counties Gore won will undoubtedly swell his votes.

The Democrats contended that the hand recounts were the fairest way to get an accurate count of all votes cast in the presidential election.

In Atlanta, a federal appeals court denied a Bush campaign request to block further hand recounts.

Legal challenges and hand recounts continue.

But it was a very fluid status quo, because the court also expressly allowed counting of the absentee ballots and the hand recounts to continue.

Mr. Bush may have previously endorsed hand recounts, but apparently he meant only in other people's elections.

Mr. Gore may lose the vote in Florida, even after the hand recounts.

The Gore campaign has already requested hand recounts in 4 of the state's 67 counties.

Others argued that hand recounts were inherently suspect.

The Florida Supreme Court has said the hand recounts can continue.