Gore's Endorsement Slaps Bill & Hillary

NewsMax.com ^ | 12/08/03 | Carl Limbacher and NewsMax.com Staff

[kattracks]

While the press is focusing on Al Gore's endorsement as a slap in the face to the ever-so-loyal Joe Lieberman, the real story is about Gore's real target: Bill and Hillary Clinton.

Gore is expected to endorse Dean in Harlem, of all places, the adopted home of Hillary and Bill, where the former president's office is situated.

Clearly, Gore knows that Bill and Hillary are trying to stop Howard Dean.

And Dean has made no bones that he'll fire DNC Chief Terry McAuliffe, handpicked by the Clintons.

It's also no secret that the Clintons urged Wesley Clark to run in an effort to stop Dean's momentum, and helped raise his initial funds. Top Clinton aides run Clark's campaign.

And the Clintonistas who don't work for Clark, like Hillary strategist Harold Ickes and former White House chief of staff Leon Panetta, have begun trashing Dean as unelectable in published interviews.

Apparently, Gore would have none of it. He is backing Dean, and early, before a clear front-runner emerges after New Hampshire.

Gore has several reasons for rolling the dice with Dean and slamming the Clintons.

First, it's payback to the Clintons.

Gore has quietly blamed Bill Clinton's scandal baggage as the main reason he lost to Bush in a razor-thin electoral margin in 2000.

Gore and his wife, Tipper, have little love for Hillary, who started the Clinton presidency by demanding she get the office traditionally reserved for the VP in the West Wing.

Things went downhill from there.

There was Hillary's Senate bid in 2000, which Gore believes drained national Democratic Party resources, not to mention publicity, from his presidential campaign.

To add insult to injury, Gore wanted to run in 2004 and views Bush as vulnerable. But Hillary's political machine told top Democratic donors in New York and Hollywood not to back him.

In November 2002 Hillary pointedly pulled the rug out from under Gore when Chris Matthews asked "when" she was going to make a formal endorsement. She declined to say anything nice about her husband's loyal VP, let alone offer an endorsement, much to the chagrin of a stunned Matthews.

A month later, Gore dropped out of the race.

Gore no doubt sees Dean as just desserts for Bill and Hillary.

He may also see Dean as a path for his own return to power.

As NewsMax reported, Gore shares Hillary's view that the Democratic convention next summer may not offer a candidate in the first round of balloting.

While Dean may have the most delegates, he may not have enough to win.

In that case, Hillary envisions a presidential draft that would hand her the nomination at the last minute.

Gore sees the same possibility himself. By aligning himself with Dean, the ex-VP will have the first dibs on any deal cut at the convention. A Gore-Dean ticket may sound crazy now, but it could be a real possibility by next summer.

Editor's Note: Also See "Gore Sees 2004 Option Open"

[Tamzee]

Gore is expected to endorse Dean in Harlem, of all places, the adopted home of Hillary and Bill, where the former president's office is situated.

From what I understand, the Deaniacs are overwhelmingly Caucasian... I wonder if the Harlem location could backfire on them?

Thanks for the great column!

[Jeff Chandler]

The Harlem location is to emphasise who Gore brings to the table.

[Graymatter]

Gore/Dean??? Why would Dean come so close and let Gore swipe it from him?
I can just picture Dean's wild-eyed maenads reacting to that proposal. There'd be a fullblown riot.

[gorebegone]

"Gore is expected to endorse Dean in Harlem, of all places...."

I wonder if Dean will be there talking about how he wants folks with confederate flags in their pick-up truck windows to vote for him. These dems just keep getting more hilarious every day!

[YankeeinOkieville]

Anybody got a pool going on Al's life expectancy? I wonder if he'll shoot himself in the back of his head or have an accident?

[nopardons]

No, there isn't! Thank you, thank you, thank you for having more sense than a whole lot of people who post here.

[texastoo]

I stated this possibility last week on another thread and no one took me seriously. LOL

Actually, Gore is the only one that has a chance at beating Bush.

[nopardons]

I rather doubt that it would be Dean/Gore; however, Dean ( should he be elected, which is so far fetched as to be somewhat more than impossible ), could then put Gore in a cabinet position.

[Tall_Texan]

From what I understand, the Deaniacs are overwhelmingly Caucasian... I wonder if the Harlem location could backfire on them?

That's why Dean needs Gore. Weird Al can point out to Dean who the black people are. You see, Gore has a long history with black people. They were the "help".

[Tall_Texan]

Why on Earth would Dean give all his hard to work to become Vice President? And why, after eight years under a lying traitor, would Gore want to be Vice President again?

I don't think Gore wants to be on the ticket. I think he wants to take the Party back from the Clintons and sees Dean, who hates McAwful, as his pathway to do that.

[Centurion2000]

The DNC machinations of 2004 are going to be a bigger bloodbath than a thousand frogs in a super sized blender.

[autoresponder]

Time to send up "The Odd Couple" tag!

[nopardons]

I never said that Dean would be V.P., but said that perhaps Dean would take algore on as someone in his cabinet. Think about that for a nonce...that means that little al could again " be somebody ", but without having to campaigne/win anything.

And yes, it IS a slap in the Clinton's faces...all four of them. Someone on the panel, said as much earlier tonight on FOX.

[Steve Van Doorn]

"Anybody got a pool going on Al's life expectancy?"

was thinking the same thing

[Tamzee]

The Harlem location is to emphasise who Gore brings to the table.

Ordinarily I would think it would work... this time, though, I'm really curious how it will play out. Dean has overtly ignored and now insulted black Democrats and Al-baby is in a position to cause trouble unless he gets pandered to.

[Tamzee]

Ahhh, yes. To Dems the constituents aren't people... they're currency.

[Jeff Chandler]

It'll work, but not as much as 2000. My sense is that a few percentage points of the black vote have come over to the right, or at least the center.

The rat media like to think that homosexual marriage issue will split the pubbies, but it could turn off the black vote for the rats.

[chuckles]

..."From what I understand, the Deaniacs are overwhelmingly Caucasian"...

I understand he will unveil his Confederate flag plan in Harlem. Ca..Ca..Can..can't we all just get along?

[gipper81]

This is so much fun. Better than tv and a lot of things....

[Tamzee]

Here's hoping! :-)