He don't get no respect.
"Oh, sweet mother of Gaia!" former Vice President Al Gore exclaimed, upon discovering he had endorsed "maverick" candidate Howard Dean for president.
"That wasn't what I meant to do at all," Gore, flanked by his wife, Tipper, told a hastily-called news conference.
"I guess I was confused by the ballot," Gore contended. "I had a list of the nine dwar -- er, candidates running and I guess I just slipped up and marked the wrong one, darn it!
"This is the kind of thing that could happen to anyone," Gore continued. "Particularly our seniors, now so hard-hit by President Bush's shameless and draconian Medicare bill."
Gore said he had meant instead to endorse his former vice presidential running mate, Joe Lieberman.
"I hope Joe will forgive me this egregious error," Gore said. "I've always said the little shrim -- er, senator -- had my endorsement, unless and until Hillary announces, and then I would reserve the right to endorse her, if I know what's good for me. Isn't that right, Tipper?"
"What?" Mrs. Gore replied.
The former vice president added he would seek immediately to have his endorsement invalidated by the Florida Supreme Court.