Assuming that logic actually applies to these cases, maybe the whole reason certain folks (who shall remain nameless) think that Bush & Co. "stole" the election is that they are so used to "recount until you win" that when the recounts still have Bush winning, he must have cheated better than the 'rats doing the counting...
The recount until you win philosophy worked for the Dems in Washington. They did not count all the votes. They just did 3 recounts that favored Rossi, then they ordered a selective hand recount of heavily Dem King County, and when their candidate was ahead, they declared that the counting was over--no need to recount the GOP counties.
I hear rumors though that the joke may be on them. Rossi is toying with the idea of unseating the Dem Senator who is up for re-election in 2006.