"That was a very high moment," she says. "We knew that if we had those 25 electoral votes plus California and other states, that we had enough to take us over the top."

But as became the norm for the night, the projection of Florida did not last long, with the television networks returning the state to the "too close to call" column. And after several long hours, Florida was finally called for Bush, giving him enough electoral votes for the presidency.

"The mood of everyone went from great excitement and exhilaration to depression in less than two hours," Brazile says.

But only after Gore had called Bush to congratulate him and began preparing a concession speech did the tide turn once again, with the announcement that Florida was once again too close to call, and would have to undergo an automatic recount.

"I was very elated," Brazile says of the decision to retract the concession. "In campaigns you never give up or give in. You fight because there's something worth fighting for."

None of her previous campaign work, however, prepared her for the long recount battle in Florida that ended only 35 days later.

"That was the worst emotional roller coaster, something you can't describe with words," Brazile says. "We knew it would be tough, so we were just trying to keep our people focused."