Gore's blessing: Jules Witcover

[jbfam4]

Gore's blessing
Jules Witcover


December 10, 2003
http://www.sunspot.net/news/opinion/oped/bal-op.witcover10dec10,0,4428015.column?coll=bal-home-columnists

PORTSMOUTH, N.H. - Former Vermont Gov. Howard Dean must wake up these mornings wondering what good news will fall his way next.
His endorsement for president by former Vice President Al Gore was a huge surprise in its timing, less than six weeks before the first votes in the 2004 Democratic nomination race are cast in Iowa. But considering Dr. Dean's outspoken opposition to President Bush's invasion of Iraq and his handling of the aftermath, it made sense because Mr. Gore has been similarly critical.



If voters were surprised that the 2000 Democratic presidential nominee did not endorse his running mate, Sen. Joseph I. Lieberman of Connecticut, they should not have been.

More than a year ago, Mr. Lieberman took the occasion of a meeting of the Democratic Leadership Council, the centrist party organization of which he is a prominent member, to say essentially that Mr. Gore had blown the 2000 election by sounding too liberal. Mr. Lieberman, in a meeting with reporters, suggested that Mr. Gore, in using the theme, "We're for the people, they're for the powerful," had harmfully reminded voters of the party's liberal, New Deal roots with divisive rhetoric that Republicans call class warfare.

Mr. Lieberman's remarks were taken by some Democrats as rank ingratitude by the Connecticut senator to the man who, with some potential risk, had made him the first Jewish politician on a major party national ticket. But policy rather than pique probably was at the core of Mr. Gore's decision to endorse Dr. Dean.

[Cha]

1. Kicker!

:kick:

[Dudley_DUright]

2. Very good analysis

Thanks for posting.