Phelps was a long time supporter and associate of ALGore. Kind of like Jeremiah Wright, Phelps became too much baggage to have in the spotlight.
Actually Phelps and his crew dumped Gore back in the mid-90’s. They picketed his father’s funeral in 1998.
Or was this reaction to Vice President Gore not wanting to be publicly linked to this group while he was in power.
I think it was because of the Clinton Administration's support for homosexual rights. I can remember them picketing a Hillary Clinton visit to KU during the '92 campaign.