The presidency of the United States hinged on perhaps as few as 200 Florida votes early this morning, as the most tumultuous election in at least 40 years left the nation in sustained suspense.

At 4 a.m this morning, Bill Daley, campaign chair for Al Gore '69, said the vice president was "prepared to concede to Governor [George W.] Bush," but would not do so until the results of a recount were made known.

"This race is simply too close to call," Daley told Gore supporters in Nashville.

Several times throughout the night and morning, both candidates seemed on the verge of claiming victory. One by one, election returns announced on television showed a very tight contest, with the electoral vote count tied at 242.

The focus turned to five states--Florida, Iowa, Wisconsin, Nevada and Oregon. Florida's 25 electoral votes became the decisive factor, as the other states split their support.

At 2:05 a.m., as Florida officials counted the last 4 percent of precincts in a race Bush was leading by only 30,000 votes, Gore was declared the victor in Iowa, giving him the lead at 249-246--and ensuring that whoever won Florida would win the presidency.

Less than 15 minutes later, as a gospel choir sang before a subdued Bush crowd in Austin, FOX News

declared Bush's Florida victory. As the announcement was broadcast on a huge projection screen, the Austin crowd burst into joyful pandemonium.