Contributors

Thursday, December 14, 2000

Committed to coverage to the finish

Special section recaps election recount story

It has been 38 days and more than 14,300 inches of news stories in the Caller-Times. In this eight-page special supplement, we wanted to bring the historic events of the past six weeks together in one place.
   Throughout the section are snapshots of 34 front pages from the Caller-Times. The snapshots start with three front pages from election night. If you recall, Gore conceded a few hours after midnight on Nov. 8. We then published the headline "Bush whups Gore" before replating our press to reflect the lack of clear results in Florida and Gore's retraction of that concession.
   I sometimes am asked how we decide the size of our headlines. Most election headlines on the front pages during the recount were more than 100 points, reflecting the weight of the events. Our normal main headline is 72 points, which means it's about an inch high. With stories of greater importance, headlines get larger. The headline "Cliffhanger," for example, was 149 points.
   Page C2 contains short stories from the recount that have a particularly human or unusual angle. Page C3 is a collection of quotes and excerpts from legal battles and decisions.
   Pages C4 and C5 of this section contain a timeline of the recount.
   On Pages C6 and C7, we compiled profiles of people whose names have become familiar during this story - some of whom were thrust unwillingly into the national spotlight.
   Finally, on Page C8, we look at our next president and what's ahead for his administration.
   Tremendous resources have been devoted by news organizations across the United States in covering this long event.
   We devoted at least a full open page inside the A section nearly every day to election stories, and most days, much more space.
   By the numbers, here's what the Caller-Times published, through today: