Here's how it went down:
DUer IdaBriggs discovered some anomalies in the results. She and DUer hedda_foil, co-founder of the National Ballot Integrity Project, persuaded Nader to ask for a recount. The "persuasion" involved asking DUers to fax Nader, and Randi Rhodes listeners were exhorted to do the same -- all of which happened in a big rush on a Friday afternoon. Nader was finally persuaded and faxed in his request for a recount within the last 1 minute (literally) before the recount deadline.
And we were off and running.
Hedda subsequently went on to form the new 527 called Help America Recount, specifically for helping fund and direct the recounts, and has been VERY active with everything going on, but not in a role visible to the public or indeed to us here at DU (nor does she have much time to spend here). NV and NM were on the radar and it was announced by the Cobb team today that they're asked for recounts in those states:
BREAKING NEWS: Glibs to Recount NM and NV!!
http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=show_topic&forum=203&topic_id=89572 There is also a brand new coalition for which I just got word this afternoon the website is up and running:
www.AuditTheVote.org
And here are the other two links:
www.helpamericarecount.org
www.ballotintegrity.org/
The main reasons NH was chosen were the anomalies discovered by IdaBriggs AND the fact that NH has a paper ballot independent of the machine vote tabulations. The hope is to expose the machines as too unreliable (fraudulent and/or error-prone) to be used in elections without a voter-verified paper balot (VVPB) -- NOT a paper "record," but a paper BALLOT.
There is no expectation on the part of these non-partisan groups working on this that the election will be overturned, tho I realize some here are holding out hope for that. There's no way to know where this is going, but the likelihood that Kerry will take office on Jan. 20 is slim to none, even IMO if a recount does change the electoral votes.
Edited to add some links for background, etc.:
*****Want to Help America Recount? The website is UP!
http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=view_all&address=132x1344801Link: www.helpamericarecount.org
National Ballot Integrity Project
http://www.ballotintegrity.org/***** Donations for the Recount" Fundraising Kit > > >
(Use this to send to your friends -- enormous amount of info -- pick and choose what you need)
http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=view_all&address=203x37833BACKGROUND:DU INFO ALERT: Why Recounting in New Hampshire Could Save Democracy
http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=view_all&address=104x2617155Need Some DU Help w/New Hampshire Stuff!!! (URGENT)
http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=show_mesg&forum=203&topic_id=26802&mesg_id=26802RALPH NADER MAY SAVE THE WORLD!!! (Its NOT Over in NH!) Updated Fri 8:15p
http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=view_all&address=203x25116Nader requests NH vote recount. (Did we just make a huge blunder?)
http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=show_topic&forum=102&topic_id=965216Nader, Cobb and Badnarik may all be willing to look into recounts in Ohio
http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=view_all&address=203x26843