"It is not at all clear that Gore lost," she added.

Krause said she hopes that the prominent role of the judicial branch in this election will not make Americans cynical about the courts.

"The nation cannot afford to be cynical about an institution that is as vital to our democracy as the court," she said.

Krause sees a difficult road ahead for the president-elect.

"Bush does not have a mandate," she said. "This is a political problem for the Republican Party as well."

Schauer said he does not believe that the Florida controversy will have a significant effect on the legitimacy of the Bush presidency. He said that Americans tend to focus on concrete issues, not on abstract notions of legitimacy.

"By Valentine's Day, the question of Bush's legitimacy will be based on how he deals with the issues, not on how he won the election," Schauer said.

Even though Gore conceded tonight, the fallout from the recount controversy may sustain political opposition to Bush, particularly among partisans of the vice president.