From David Frums Diary, NOV. 19, 2002: GORE SPEAKS, the words are by Karenna Gore.
He [her father] said, "We have to do what's best for the country, and it is not good for the country to have this kind of divisiveness. And he was on the phone, really calling off the dogs. There were people who wanted to fan the ... the flames of the racial issue and have real unrest. And he was on the phone asking them not to, because of what was best for the country not because of what was best for him politically. And that's really who he is. [end excerpt]
Sure appears to me that the Rat Party (formerly the traditional, patriotic Democratic Party) would have been willing to see any number of people die and scores other injured except that Al Gore himself stopped them.
There is no one in that "political" party today who will stop the violence.
The left knew that the media will go after Bush to stop the violence and answer the "will of the people." Gore would be the President. But it did not happen in 2000.
The difference was that Gore was a gentleman.