i remember when this issue about a clear process came up in 2000, and some talking heads explained that if you were to tell somebody like karl rove how to steal the election, they would. they presented the ambiguity as a feature, not a bug. and, it's stuck with me because i think it's right - if you put every step in perfect order, you're just giving would-be fraudsters an instruction manual. leaving space open to react and adjust makes it harder to steal elections, not easier.

and, i understand why he picked colin powell, but that's actually probably the singular worst person on the planet for that kind of role.