Denial. That one word kept ringing throughout ears Tuesday after hearing presidential wannabe Al Gore vow that even a refusal by the Florida Supreme Court might not be convincing enough to make him stop his fight for Florida’s 25 Electoral College votes.

When will enough be enough?

As the Florida Supreme Court set a Thursday deadline for hearing Gore’s appeal of a state circuit court judge’s ruling, the vice president hinted that even the outcome of that legal fight may not sway him.

&uot;I don’t feel anything other than optimistic,&uot; Gore said, even as his Democratic advisors said their support would stop with the high court’s decision.

Polls show that more than 60 percent of Americans believe Gore should concede the election now – and that number has been growing as the legal squabbling continues.

Most people won’t normally think of Gore as a victim in all of this, but in a way, he is. He’s a victim of how often politics changes those who enter into its dark, hallowed halls.

Gore is addicted to power. While its effects are often less visible than that of drugs or alcohol, the underlying dependency on an outside influence and unfortunately, the nation is forced to watch as Gore goes through a forced version of political detox.

As the saying goes, &uot;power corrupts and absolute power corrupts absolutely.&uot;

And we wish it could end quickly and Gore could deal with his issues with his loved ones.

It’s time to end the struggle for power and move on with the business of our country.