The Endorsement - Gore made

The Endorsement - Gore made it official yesterday, endorsing Doctor Dean:

"Enveloped by a new aura of establishment credibility, Howard Dean on Tuesday accepted the endorsement of former Vice President Al Gore, who urged his Democratic rivals for the White House to shift their focus to the campaign against President Bush.

Gore, who stunned Dean's opponents with his early endorsement, said he was swayed by the vigorous grass-roots support for the former Vermont governor, as well as Dean's staunch opposition to the war in Iraq."

Many, many people have already commented at great depth about the significance of this endorsement; how it's:

• a slap at the Clinton/MacAuliffe machine
• probably Gore's first move in the '08 campaign
• possibly a sign that the Dem establishment isn't that confident in Dean's chances of winning next year; why would Gore tie himself to a winner that could lock him out of the White House for eight more years? (Because Dean would give him the DNC - Ed.).

Here's my question: Is it really good news for Dean?

Think about it: Who really cares about Algore anymore? The people who chant that the President was "selected, not elected?", and believe that Gore is the real president now? People who pine for the Clinton years? How many of that crowd weren't going to vote for the Democrat nominee (whomever it is!) anyway?

Think about this: In an economic boom year (albeit a false and waning one, but we didn't know that in 2000), while campaigning as a sitting incumbent of a popular administration, Algore only got 50 percent and some tiny change of the vote, in an election that by all rights he should have won!

That means somewhere along the line in 2000, Algore lost the scads of swing voters that, under those conditions, should have put him over the top.

So - Dean's being endorsed by the guy who blew a 14 point lead in the fourth quarter.

He's happy about this?

Well, I suppose it means he's locked up the "Josh Bartlett is my president" crowd...

Posted by Mitch at December 11, 2003 05:51 AM