>As I understand it, the immediate effect
>of the Federal SC decision 'vacating' the Florida
>SC ruling was to overturn it. Even though
>the Federal SC didn't actually overturn it,
>it is now null and void.
>It's actually a clever trick. For practical purposes,
>the Federal SC has helped Bush, but they've got a smoke
>screen of impartiality.
As importantly for some of the conservative judges, they get the result without establishing SC precedents for liberal judges to interfere in voting rights violations in local elections in the future. It's one more clever, bizarre move in a totally bizarre election.
-- nathan