Endorsement From Gore Became a Dubious Prize

[kskiska]

By ELISABETH BUMILLER

WASHINGTON, Feb. 7 — He is a standard-bearer of the Democratic Party, one of the best-known figures in American politics and the presidential candidate who won more popular votes in 2000 than George W. Bush. But is an endorsement from Al Gore the kiss of political death?

That is the question — and the joke — buzzing through Democratic circles and late-night talk shows as even Howard Dean, the candidate bestowed with Mr. Gore's endorsement, traces his precipitous tumble from front-runner to the day in early December that Mr. Gore gave him his seal of approval.

Of course, Dr. Dean turned his view into a compliment of sorts when Bob Woodward of The Washington Post asked him on the CNN program "Larry King Live" if perhaps he might be in a better position today had he said no to Mr. Gore's support.

"I actually do think the endorsement of Al Gore began the decline," Dr. Dean began, to what must have been some astonishment from Mr. Gore. But Dr. Dean instantly amplified his statement to indicate that the endorsement from Mr. Gore, a powerhouse of the establishment, so threatened the other Democratic candidates that they began the attacks on his candidacy that helped derail it.

"The establishment in Washington really realized that I might be the nominee and they did not like it," Dr. Dean concluded.

more…
http://nytimes.com/2004/02/08/politics/campaign/08GORE.html

[JasonDeter]

1. What a stupid hateful article.

Al Gore did not cost Dean any delegates, Dean is the reason he hasn't won any primaries. How decent of Dean to amplify his statement. Do the next decent thing Dean and drop out of the race. VP? I don't think so.

[GodHelpUsAll2]

2. Read it again

I don;t think you understand what is being said.

[JasonDeter]

5. Its a dump on Gore piece. Dole gets his two cents in and he's a loser.

Bob Woodward is about as stupid republican as you can get, wrote a sickening book about bush* and in doing so has blood on his hands. Paul Begala has hung around novak too long, he has become demented in his views. Dean should not even remotely imply or use Gore in the same sentence to try to explain his meteoric fall from front runner status. Dean blew it, him alone.

[The_Casual_Observer]

8. Dole is the kind like the guys who are

manufacturers reps. You sort of feel sorry them, because they seem like nice guys, but at the same time, you know that they don't have your best interests at heart, and they don't have knowledge of the product or WTF they are doing.

[JasonDeter]

9. Kind of like I wish he'd fall of the stage for good and NEVER come back?

[buckeye1]

6. I agree.

This just the NYT getting another kick on their favorite target,Al Gore. There is a lesson here. Don't endorse anyone before they prove themselves a winner. It seems that there is much "buyer's remorse" regarding Dean now.

[bluestateguy]

3. Dean lost because of Dean

Don't blame Gore. All the polls showed Dean solidly in the lead after the Gore endorsement, and even growing in some polls. Dean lost because of Dean. He could not handle the scruntiny of being the front-runner, and we don't need a nominee like that.

[Stuckinthebush]

4. Correlation does not necessarily mean causation

I'm sure Mr. Kerry would love to have Gore's endorsement.

[Judi Lynn]

7. I think the right-wing media killed Dean by seizing upon his Iowa speech

and going utterly mad replaying and analyzing it with absolutely no sense of respect or proportion, even after Diane Sawyer did a piece explaining the "hand mike" sound from Dean blocked out the extreme noise from the crowd ONLY ON THE TAPE, and was completely misleading. People who were in the crowd said his voice was almost inaudible in the room. NOT ONE of the media flunkies backed away from the blood bath. They were having way too much fun, getting too much mileage.

They are unimaginative, irresponsible, indifferent to the truth, and they bumped him off as surely as if they'd thrown him off a cliff. Jeezus.

Trying to pin it on Gore is beneath contempt.

[Rationality]

10. I concur

And all those "Dean Sream mixes" put out online... what a way to boost their ratings.

[newyawker99]

19. Hi Rationality!!

Welcome to DU!! :toast:

[Voltaire99]

12. Less the right wing press than Kerry, Edwards and Gephardt

The press played a role, but it was secondary.

The major damage was done in and around the time of the debates, when the three derided Dean constantly. This built upon the earlier DLC attacks.

For the right wing press, all that remained after Iowa was a mop-up operation.

[dbt]

14. Dean was assassinated by the Media Borg

Even to such a cynic as I, the speed with which it happened was breathtaking. You don't just go from front-runner to has-been overnight without the proper "marketing," and Dean certainly got that!

Dean scared the shit out of the Five Old Men who control the Murkin Media. It surprises me that they let him go as long as they did.

JudiLyn utterly nailed it in her post above!

:argh:
dbt

[Jazzgirl]

24. You got it right dbt!

He scared the 'publicans. I never have picked a candidate to finally follow. I was hoping for Dean as I thought he was just about the best one to put up a good fight against the repukes. He's the one that won't back down easily. I can't believe how they screwed him.

[SoCalDem]

11. Don't they all just enjoy making fun of Al Gore??

For what?? Being a decent guy who got NO support from the party or his colleagues ?

But for their namby-pamby reaction to the 2000 fiasco, look at how many things might be different..

From day one, all we heard was.. "When will Gore concede?" and that was from OUR side.. Instead of the full-court press that * got, our side appeared tentative and weak, and we all know what happens to the wounded fish in an aquarium..

I like Gore, and I almost wish that he would just take a teaching position abroad..move his family there and live an enjoyable life.. He gets no respect here, and he does not deserve to be treated that way..

He is a gentleman in an era of thugs..

[0007]

25. I agree with you 100% - I like Gore and he is a first class gentleman

[hang a left]

13. Dean is not the "chosen one." Don't you get it?

[donsu]

15. the bushgang stabs Dean repeatedly and says it's Gore's fault

I think Gore and Dean should speak out on this and everything else as much as possible. the media won't let them on but they can sure speak out other ways.

I say: don't take the bushgang's crap, throw it back!

[Gingergal]

16. Just wait . The media and repukes

will go after Kerry next. The Dem establishment always
has believed that Gore was attacked in 2000 because he deserved it. They have never openly admitted that the media is biased and that the repukes are evil. Remember, they told us to get over the 2000 election theft. Will they say that again to us if bush steals it in 2004? Just asking.

[LiberalFighter]

17. He didn't endorse Lieberman

[Media_Lies_Daily]

18. They never miss an opportunity to take a shot at Gore and Clinton. Sad.

[Malva Zebrina]

20. This is really sad

and it may be true that Dean overstepped beyond what he could handle and, in the end resorted to the cheap photo op religious photo op with Jimmy Carter in Georgia. for me that was rather an indication that Dean was floundering and rather lost.

That, imo, was his last hurrah. and that is sad, because I think and also admire a Dean who did an enormous amount of good in herding in those lost and powerless Democrats who were floundering around with any leadership from the elected Democrats.

Dean did it. He had the guts and the balls to say it and he was brave in doing so. He is indeed courageous and has not a godam thing to be ashamed of. I hereby give Howard Dean, Dr. Dean the medal that commemerates him putting the metal to the floor.

Thanks Dr. Dean and thanks to your wonderful wife, Dr. Judy Steinberg Dean.

[ElsewheresDaughter]

21. this fucking PRove propaganda has to STOP "persecption over substance"

PR firms earning their $$$$$ = i tell you what to think!

[leesa]

22. So much for the myth that anyone can become President

You may only be President at the pleasure of the corporate rulers.

[Jazzgirl]

23. Screw Elizabeth Bumiller.

Dean was the one that woke the Democratic party up and gave it a new life. Regardless of what she says, Dean is the one that breathed new life in the party. Repukes still resent Gore because he was really the winner and should be the President. Dean got a sorry hit from the media over b***s**t and they made him history.