And So It Begins

And in more Florida news, the court battles over the election there are already in full swing. The Miami Herald reports:

The Florida Supreme Court snatched the ball Wednesday from the partisan players fighting over Ralph Nader’s status on Florida’s presidential ballot, ordering elections officials not to send out absentee ballots until the justices rule on the case.

The ruling put an end to an extraordinary day of head-spinning decisions: Circuit Judge Kevin Davey stripped Nader from the ballot for the second time in a week. And Secretary of State Glenda Hood — whose decision earlier this week to contradict Davey clearly antagonized the judge — sought to appeal his ruling for a second time.

The Supreme Court’s decision also sets the stage for a high-stakes showdown on Friday, in which the seven justices will hear the first case involving a presidential contest since the infamous recount debate of 2000.

Kash