Timing of Gore's announcement

[andym]

What do people think of the timing of Gore's announcement.
He could have had a tremendous effect had he waited for a few days
before Iowa, when everyone is listening.

Why did he announce so far in advance.

3 possibilities:
1) to try to build an avalanche of endorsements for Dean
2) to try to dry up the fundraising pool for the other candidates
3) tactical error in timing

So for supporters of the other candidates. If you want to defeat Gore's
intentions, keep giving to your candidate and write to political leaders to get their endorsement.

For Dean, keep doing what you're doing, it's working.

[quinnox]

1. Ok, this is my two cents

He didn't want to be accused of trying to have too much influence in the race. By doing this way, the news will eventually play out after a week or two and then be old news by the time the primaries roll around.

But, I still think he should not have endorsed until the nominee was certain and well into the process.

[truthspeaker]

26. what use would an endorsement be if the nominee was certain?

[robbedvoter]

2. Improper before voting. Period

how would have Gore felt if in 1988 or 2000 Carter or Mondale would have done this for one of his opponents? Lack of respect for voters!

[Freddie Stubbs]

8. Was it improper for the ranking Democrat on the Ways and Means Committee

to endorse Clark?

[ParanoidPat]

28. Ummmm, 'scuse me........

......you endorse your chosen candidate before an election! :crazy:

Unless there's been some MAJOR change in the universe while I wasn't looking, endorsements are always made before the election otherwise it would be meaningless to make one! Do you honestly believe that anyone should stand back and wait until after the election to endorse the winner because that's who everyone else wants? Just a hint, spend some time in LBN and see how many 'XXX union/organization endorses YYY candidate' threads you can find. There's a reason for that.

"Lack of respect for voters!" Gracie? :wtf:

Again, unless I missed something, Al Gore is just a "voter".
He does not hold any public office that I'm aware of, nor is he running for any. That makes him just another voter with an opinion. He has the same right to make an informed choice as any other American and he has the same right as you do to talk about it and try to change peoples opinions.

My guess is that what really upsets you is the tremendous amount of respect accorded his 'opinion' by people who know what Al has done for them in the past.

You hate him for his freedom! ;-)

[arcos]

29. excellent post! n/t

[polpilot]

32. Gore is now part of the 'Take Back America' team. Gutsy move to take

responsibility for electing America's best hope and restore democratic ideals and ideas.

Dean '04...

[GainesT1958]

3. By doing it this soon...

It almost looks like a fit if pique on Al's part toward the DLC and their influence; especially toward Al From and Al's old running mate, Joe "Brutus" Lieberman. It may have been doen to "get it out of the way" early, but I just think it was ill-advised to endorse before more of the primary cycle had played itself out.

Thusfar, it appears as though Lieberman and his supporters are the ones gnashing their teeth in angst, while the other candidates and their people shrug and say, "Well, that's nice!" :shrug:

B-)

[neuvocat]

7. That's the CNN spin so far.

That it was a repuke to everyone else.

However given the timing, I think Gore should have waited a little longer to make a bigger impact. The primaries may not be that far away but the public tends to be both fickle and forgetful.

[bowens43]

4. How about.......

because he just made up his mind about who he would support. Why does everyone see conspiracies in his endorsement?

[TLM]

6. Why does everyone see conspiracies in his endorsement?

Simple...because he didn't endorse their guy.

[BJ]

9. Despite all the "Anybody But Bush" rhetoric

Despite all the "Anybody But Bush" rhetoric the Dean campaign gores (pun not intended)the oxen of the element of the Democratic Party beholden to corporate interests. That, however, is how politics is done post-Watergate style. The status quo benefits us all...inside the Beltway that is.

Dean's campaign, and Kucinich's, upsets that status quo.

[bearfartinthewoods]

24. how about the fact that newsguyinatl knew it was coming for months

he overheard this news in october so it's hardly a case of gore just now deciding...shhheeeesh.

[killbotfactory]

5. Because he thinks it's the right thing to do

And wanted to make a positive impact on the race.

[WilliamPitt]

10. D) Forestalling a coordinated attack against Dean in Iowa

by a consortium of the other candidates who are looking at an "Anyone But Dean" full assault as their only hope. Gore stepping in now has raised the stakes on such a ploy, and dared the party insiders to start a civil war. I think they will anyway, but that is what Gore was doing with the timing of this.

[andym]

13. Forestalling? Maybe, but ...

Forestalling a coordinated attack?

Wouldn't the endorsement make everyone ever so much more desperate and make an attack more likely. It's not easy to give up dreams for glory.

[WilliamPitt]

15. That's exactly what I think

but the attack was going to come anyway. Gore has put a significant number of new chips on the table with this, which may cause the ABDs to think a bit.

[BJ]

14. Perhaps an internecine squabble is a needed perscription.

Why does the DNC yet suffer "conservative" fools in the Party as Zell Miller, John Breaux or Max Baucus. It is pass time that the likes of these were weaned from the donkey's teat.

[WilliamPitt]

17. Because not every Democrat is on the left

There are millions and millions and millions of voters out there who call themselves Democrats but associate with the likes of Zell Miller. That's what happens when you don't live in a homogenous society. If you want to be pure, expel them from the party and go the way of the Whigs. Otherwise, you have to suck it up.

P.S. The needed perscription you speak of - a civil war within the Democratic Party - will 100% guarantee a Bush victory and make all the psychobabble comparisons between Dean and McGovern suddenly appear prescient. McGovern lost for a lot of reasons, but mostly because the Party apparatus sat on its hands.

[BJ]

23. I voted for George McGovern. Did you?

The Republican Party, since 1980 or before, has not campaigned from the center. As has been well established, the GOP is pandering to the extreme right in the country while solidifying control in the hands of corporationists.

I don't know about you, but most of the people I know say they would benefit from a single-payer universal health care system. I know quite a few who would like to see more governmental control over big industry. And guess what, these are the guys with a rifle-rack in the pick up!

AS you point out, the Party apparatus sat on its hands in 1972. Why? Because George McGovern, though Senator from South Dakota at the time, opposed the Party machine on Vietnam and therefore outside the official corridors of power.

The Democratic Party can win back the guys with the EasyRider rifle-rack if they start acting like Democrats and not lukewarm Republicans.

[TacticalPeek]

31. Civil war?

Gore fired the first shot.

[polpilot]

33. A Dean attack by The Annointed Ones will innoculate Dean against any

possibility of lose in '04...

Bring on da vaccine!!!!!!!!

Dean '04...

[AP]

11. if you believe newsguyatl, he decided months ago. He probably waited...

just to make sure that Dean wasn't a flash in the pan. Once he decided he wasn't going out on a limb, he made the endorsement.

[Justice]

18. I would love to know why he waited

[meow mix]

12. In Shadow of Gore

hah,
i just like seeing the headlines like this today..

"Democrats meet for FINAL DEBATE of year IN SHADOW OF GORE endorsement"

http://www.boston.com/news/politics/debates/articles/2003/12/09/democrats_meet_for_final_debate_of_year_in_shadow_of_gore_endorsement/

who needs debating even? =)

[in_cog_ni_to]

16. He should never have endorsed

Dean before the Primaries. Bad move and after the candidates drop out, their supporters will go to Clark, Kerry, Edwards or Gephardt. Very bad move on his part.

[Larkspur]

19. Because Gore knows how bad Bush and his policies are and was waiting

for one of the Dem contenders to demonstrate that they have the organization to challenge and defeat Bush. Dean is the only one who has the organization to do so. None, not even Clark, can match Dean's campaign skill and organization.

[meow mix]

22. true

"None, not even Clark, can match Dean's campaign skill"
thats about exactly the same thing Clark said yesterday!
hes so positive.. i love im =)

it'll be interesting to see if campaign skill wins against sheer strenght of character. =)

[Larkspur]

25. Dean has both strong character and strong campaigning skills

that is why he's leaving Clark in the snow drifts in Iowa, where Clark pulled out, and New Hampshire.

[rucky]

20. Gore knows all these guys

maybe he's trying to tell us something about the "insiders"?

:shrug:

[bearfartinthewoods]

27. did gore 'know' the guy he picked as his own VP?

talking about a poor pick!

[DoYouEverWonder]

21. Considering the fact

that Gore picked Lieberman for VP, I do wonder about his taste in politicans?

[adriennel]

30. opinion still the same

I thought Gore's endorsement was a little premature (and I like Dean.)

To a certain extent, I respect Gore for endorsing a candidate, period. I think he made the right decision not to run himself, but he also knows that many people are still looking to him for cues. It's a precocious position, and I am usually glad whenever he speaks out.

At this point in time, I am an undecided Dem voter and feel this is the time to learn more about all the candidates, hence the prematurity of the statement. Actually, Gore's endorsement really doesn't affect my opinion of the candidates at all.

On CNN this morning they mused that Gore might become Dean's SOS. I definately think Al is penciled in as a Cabinet member.

Finally, do you think former President Clinton will endorse a candidate before the primary?