True. I would suspect Gore would have made himself the un-Clinton President and via a whirlwind of baby kissing and acts of virtue would have been one of the most popular presidents in US history by the time he got to election day. By not ousting Billy Jeff, who the GOP had tied in knots for most of his second term, we were saved from ten years of Albore.
That was the rationale at the time; however,
- it wasn't certain to many that Gore would win even with the oval office; indeed, his performance in office, or lack thereof, might have provided a basis for persuasive criticism;
- if he did survive the election he undoubtedly would have been easier to tie in knots than the crafty, duplicitous Clinton and crew;
- many believed Gore, who was thought to be slow and clumsy, would show he wasn't fit for a 2nd term.
Perhaps most importantly, Clinton could justify his bold-face televised lie to the nation by claiming that his remaining in office was in the nation's best interest. Likewise, the R's could argue it was in the nation's interest that they not convict Clinton because that improved their odds of staying in power.
Any number of voters could conclude the Gore/Oval office argument did nothing but provide cover; that the senate had demonstrated they were prepared to ignore their duty and do whatever was necessary to maintain their power.
The resulting distrust may well have been an element in the close result of the Bush-Gore contest.