Saturday November 18 8:57 PM ET Republicans: Democrat Smoked Chads

FORT LAUDERDALE, Fla. (AP) - Just when it seemed the discussion of chad could get no stranger a Republican observer is accusing a Democrat of smoking some of the tiny pieces of ballot paper.

Jim Rowland, a Republican observing the Broward County recount, said about 10 chads were piled on a table after counters had finished a batch of ballots.

``The Democratic floor manager looked at the pile and asked 'What are these?''' Rowland said.

He said he told the coordinating observer that they were waiting to put the chads into an envelope, and then it happened.

``He took out a small pipe and stuffed the chads into it. I said, 'Sir! No! Don't do that!' But he put a Bic lighter to it and then he swept the rest up and dumped it into the bowl,'' Rowland said.

Rowland did not get the name of the Democratic observer and said he did not report the incident to the canvassing board. He said the observer told him, ``Well, they're not the property of the Republican party.''

State Rep. Debbie Wasserman Schultz denied any Democrats were chad-smokers and suggested Republicans are making up tales out of frustration.

``They're losing in court, obviously getting desperate,'' she said. ``They're turning this into a circus.''

-- Manny Republican (up@in.smoke), November 19, 2000

Answers

DON'T DO ANY OF THE BROWN CHAD!!!

-- capnfun (capnfun1@excite.com), November 19, 2000.

"It reminds me of smoking wild hickory nuts!" --- Euell Gibbons

-- dinosaur (dinosaur@williams-net.com), November 19, 2000.

The Hawaiian chad is the most awesome. Just one small bong load will put you in orbit all day.

-- Cheech and Chong (primo@chad.bud), November 19, 2000.

I have never had the pleasure of running across the elusive Kona Chad : )

-- capnfun (capnfun1@excite.com), November 19, 2000.

That fact that youse peoples can keep your senses of humor after what feels like forty days and nights of this election crap puts a big, fat smile on my mush.

Of course, so would toking a big, fat chad-filled spliff (if what the rumors say is true).

-- Bingo1 (howe9@shentel.net), November 19, 2000.

I never exhaled.

-- (joke@here.now), November 19, 2000.