Cheney hopes to see end of legal battle by December 12

Dick Cheney appears on "Meet the Press"

WASHINGTON (CNN) -- Republican vice presidential nominee Dick Cheney on Sunday said he hoped the legal battle over the Florida election would be over by December 12 -- the deadline for naming Florida's 25 electors -- and expressed frustration with Democrat Al Gore's contest of the secretary of state's certified results showing George W. Bush the winner.

"The notion that somehow we had all of these people vote or intended to vote and their vote somehow didn't get registered -- I just don't think it's valid. But it's being tested in court anyway," Cheney said on NBC's "Meet the Press."

Cheney said he and Bush were moving forward with transition plans, having met for six hours with retired Gen. Colin Powell last week and House Speaker Dennis Hastert and Senate Majority Leader Trent Lott over the weekend. He indicated any Bush administration would be diverse.

"We are casting the net very broadly," he said.

Cheney joked that if vice president, he would have to take up residence at Capitol Hill to serve as the tiebreaker because of the partisan split in the Senate. But, taking a more serious tone, he noted what he said was evidence of an economic slowdown and said that should make it easier to get bipartisan approval of the $1.3 billion tax cut plan he and Bush touted during the campaign.

The Republican running mate, who underwent surgery November 22 after suffering a mild heart attack, offered assurances that he is healthy enough to carry out vice presidential duties.

"I'm very comfortable with my current circumstances. The doctors have given me the green light to proceed," Cheney said. "If I had any doubts about that or if they expressed any doubts or reservations about my ability to do the job, I would not do it."