Al Gore to endorse Dean

[bfp]

MANCHESTER, N.H. (AP) - Former Vice President Al Gore intends to endorse Howard Dean for the Democratic presidential nomination, a dramatic move that could cement Dean's position in the fight for the party's nod.

Gore, who lost to President Bush in the disputed 2000 election, has agreed to endorse Dean in Harlem in New York City on Tuesday and then travel with the former Vermont governor to Iowa, sight of the Jan. 19 caucuses which kickoff the nominating process, said a Democratic source close to Gore.

The source, who spoke on condition of anonymity, said Dean will return from Iowa in time for Tuesday night's Democratic debate in New Hampshire.

Dean's campaign declined to comment.

Gore won the popular vote by half a million votes in 2000 but conceded to Republican Bush after a tumultuous 36-day recount in Florida and a 5-4 Supreme Court vote against him. Gore's concession came Dec. 13, 2000.

The endorsement comes just weeks after two key union endorsements boosted Dean's candidacy. Gore's approval adds further evidence to Dean's case that he can carry the party's mantle next November and is more than an Internet-driven outsider.

Dean leads in key early state polls in New Hampshire and Iowa, and is trying to persuade Democrats wary of his lack of foreign policy experience and missteps on the campaign that his nomination is all but certain.

[Keith P]

I'm happy to see Gore supporting Dean
he either needed to enter the race or get behind someone soon

[USAcommitteeX]

Hope Gore leaves the Confederate flag at home.

Do you think Dean will benefit from the endorsement?

Gore lost the election and then chose to not back his former runningmate. Where is his loyalty? Or, did he make the wrong choice in Sen. Lieberman last time around?

The endorsement will quite likely be very useful in securing the Dem. nominatin but I am not confident that Gore will help Dean will fence sitters who would otherwise vote for Bush.

[Ryan]

Originally posted by xiannaix
Do you think Dean will benefit from the endorsement?

Gore lost the election and then chose to not back his former runningmate. Where is his loyalty? Or, did he make the wrong choice in Sen. Lieberman last time around?

The endorsement will quite likely be very useful in securing the Dem. nominatin but I am not confident that Gore will help Dean will fence sitters who would otherwise vote for Bush.

Just to avoid more senseless arguments about who won the election, let me say that I understand fully how the electoral college works, and I am not implying that Gore won the election. However, he did receive a majority of the nation's popular vote just three years ago and he has not really done much to tarnish his image since then (at least not any more than anyone else in the political realm). To that extent, I think his endorsement means quite a lot.

[Keith P]

the more and more I listen to Dean
the more and more he sounds like Clinton
I honestly may vote for another candidate but at the moment he seems to be the best bet for ousting Bush
I just want to see the democratic party really go full on into things and pull themselves together
the candidates need to show more strength
I believe Dean is simply doing that
building his strength
as for the sitters...
I think they would opt to vote for Dean as they've seen the job the current president has done
might as well give the other guy a try and see if he's any better

Originally posted by Ryan
Just to avoid more senseless arguments about who won the election, let me say that I understand fully how the electoral college works, and I am not implying that Gore won the election. However, he did receive a majority of the nation's popular vote just three years ago and he has not really done much to tarnish his image since then (at least not any more than anyone else in the political realm). To that extent, I think his endorsement means quite a lot.

How will he (Gore) draw voters who aren't already committed to voting for the Democratic nominee regardless of who it is though?



Regarding the 2000 election.....dead horse.

[Adam D]

Originally posted by xiannaix
How will he (Gore) draw voters who aren't already committed to voting for the Democratic nominee regardless of who it is though?

That's not necessarily the point. Gore can operate at this level the same way Clinton has for many candidates recently, namely as a means of rallying support from the base and encourage them to get out there and vote rather than apathetically choose not to vote.

[Satchel]

Judging by the results of last election, Gore appealed at least as much to the swing voters if not more than Bush. In the last three years Bush has shown himself anything but a moderate. If the swing voters actually vote on the issues that concern them, this endorsement will help Dean quite a bit.

Originally posted by Adam D
That's not necessarily the point. Gore can operate at this level the same way Clinton has for many candidates recently, namely as a means of rallying support from the base and encourage them to get out there and vote rather than apathetically choose not to vote.

So Gore represents an attempt to rouse an otherwise apathetic democrat to vote?

Does he bring anythign else to the table?

Originally posted by Satchel
Judging by the results of last election, Gore appealed at least as much to the swing voters if not more than Bush. In the last three years Bush has shown himself anything but a moderate. If the swing voters actually vote on the issues that concern them, this endorsement will help Dean quite a bit.

I don't think Bush ever represented himself as a moderate - he was a self-proclaimed "compassionate conservative" whatever the hell that meant.

Regarding Gore - specificly how do you see it helping? What issues does Gore pull voters on?

Gore has always been a big enviro friendly guy and I think he'll be helpful in that regrard - but I think most voters who focus heavilty on environmental issues were already committed to the Dems regardless of candidate.

So - again - what's Gore bringing after he helps Dean get the nod (and in the respect Gore is quite helpful to Dean)?

[Dionysos]

Originally posted by Ryan
Just to avoid more senseless arguments about who won the election, let me say that I understand fully how the electoral college works, and I am not implying that Gore won the election. However, he did receive a majority of the nation's popular vote just three years ago and he has not really done much to tarnish his image since then (at least not any more than anyone else in the political realm). To that extent, I think his endorsement means quite a lot.

At the risk of beating the aforementioned dead horse:

Speaking as someone who voted for Gore, his post-election Florida actions made me regret voting for him. There came a point during the suit/countersuits when the vote numbers obviously weren't going to change enough in Florida to have him elected, but rather than act as a statesman and honorably admit defeat he continued to sue and appeal the decisions up until the Florida Supreme Court. I wished I could have gone back and changed my ballot. His endorsement of a candidate makes me less likely to vote for Dean than I was before.

Before anyone gets themselves all in a hissy, I wasn't happy with the way Bush's camp handled things either. The whole process made me wish even more that McCain had made it past the primaries.

[willy_jack]

Originally posted by Keith P
the more and more I listen to Dean
the more and more he sounds like Clinton
I honestly may vote for another candidate but at the moment he seems to be the best bet for ousting Bush
I just want to see the democratic party really go full on into things and pull themselves together
the candidates need to show more strength
I believe Dean is simply doing that
building his strength
as for the sitters...
I think they would opt to vote for Dean as they've seen the job the current president has done
might as well give the other guy a try and see if he's any better

Originally posted by Dionysos
At the risk of beating the aforementioned dead horse:

Speaking as someone who voted for Gore, his post-election Florida actions made me regret voting for him. There came a point during the suit/countersuits when the vote numbers obviously weren't going to change enough in Florida to have him elected, but rather than act as a statesman and honorably admit defeat he continued to sue and appeal the decisions up until the Florida Supreme Court. I wished I could have gone back and changed my ballot. His endorsement of a candidate makes me less likely to vote for Dean than I was before.

Before anyone gets themselves all in a hissy, I wasn't happy with the way Bush's camp handled things either. The whole process made me wish even more that McCain had made it past the primaries.

It was not an event that either party can be proud of taking part in. To beat my own dead horse.

[Keith P]

I voted for Nader in that election
if Gore were to run today I'd probably give my vote to a third party again
I won't give into that "I actually voted for bush" argument
my vote was registered as Nader.
plain and simple
altho I am considering voting for someone other than Dean I am debating as to whether or not I should
as he will more than likely remain the top pick for the dems
and ousting Bush is my main concern at the moment
and I like Dean much more than Gore
I wouldn't feel so guilty giving him my vote