Early reaction to Al Gore's Obama endorsement: Yawn
Some early overnight reaction to the belated endorsement of Barack Obama by Al Gore. And it might disappoint the former vice president and loser in the 2000 White House race.
Exactly what Gore was waiting for in the past two weeks since Obama sewed up his party's nomination is unclear. Maybe he just wanted to go to Michigan where his prize-winning environmental pitch is so very less welcome than other places that don't make so many large cars.
Or maybe he was waiting until his endorsement meant absolutely nothing.
Anyway, as The Ticket reported, Gore said all the right things in his endorsement speech, except he noticeably left out the last Democratic president, the one who chose to elevate Gore from has-been senator to his running mate and has been the only Democrat elected president twice since World War II, which is like the Middle Ages for today's voters.
But within minutes online reaction was underwhelming. Joe Gandelman, editor in chief over at the Moderate Voice, who is usually, well, very moderate, posted an item titled "Obama Gets 'the' Endorsement: The Lousy Timing of Al Gore."
He had this to say:
"Perhaps one day someone will write a chapter in a new book about Al Gore titled 'Profiles in Uncourage.' ... But it came so late in the game that the person who'll be most impressed with it will be Tipper Gore."
After that the item went downhill. Gandelman said the endorsement so long sought by Obama and Hillary Clinton was by now such an anti-climax that it resembled the ponderings about whether Ralph Nader would run yet again.
Ouch, how'd you like to be compared to the 21st century's Harold Stassen?
Or as Jay Leno described the Gore endorsement: “You could feel the excitement in the room. It was unbelievable. And then Al Gore walked in.”
"Not exactly 'Man bites dog' news. Who is Gore going to endorse? John McCain?" asked John Mariner in The Ticket's comments section.
Sam Patel added: "It's a sad day to see one of the Clinton's most loyal supporters essentially dis-own them! Like Bill Richardson, Al Gore was a complete nobody had it not been for Bill Clinton's risky generosity. I bet he now regrets some of those appointments."
Up at the San Francisco Chronicle's politics blog, Joe Garofoli wrote: "We know this will never happen, but hopefully Al will tell us tonight why he didn't endorse somebody when it WOULD HAVE MEANT SOMETHING. Like in February.
"Then again, think of it from his perspective. In his foreseeable role as Captain Planet, he's going to need to work with whoever would be president, so why burn a bridge with a nomination. But isn't Al big enough now (is that a Nobel in your pocket?) that he doesn't have to worry about such petty political matters."
Guess not.
--Andrew Malcolm
Photo credit: AP
GORE todays news Clinton yesterdays news. I love it when the pundits and media underestimate our man Obama. There is a method to the movement he has rallied and it will bring him to the White House in January. The pebble has hit the water the wave is starting to pick up steam. Mc Same is not honoring our troops in Iraq and Afghanistan by not supporting an improved GI Bill. Shame on you McWar.
OBAMA / GORE Not bad
OBAMA / WEBB better in my book
Barack and Rollin 2008!
p.s. Welcome aboard Patti Solis te queremos!
YES WE CAN / SI SE PUEDE CON OBAMA
Posted by: Joe Bento Col US Army Ret | June 17, 2008 at 05:36 AM
Oh the great Obama One can take care of/fix anything/solve the world's problems, has all the experience needed to rule the world and bring everyone to salvation. Thank God we are saved by Gore's endorsement. Yeah Obama has certainly supported/initiated/talked about/given great rousing speeches about the environment. He is the gift that just keeps on giving to everyone's hopes and dreams and wishes. Maybe he can get gas down to below $2.00/gallon. Then I'll vote for the "One."
Posted by: Sue | June 17, 2008 at 05:41 AM
Yawn...big deal...one loser endorses another loser...where is the news value in that??
Posted by: L. Kellogg | June 17, 2008 at 05:42 AM
Obama isn't going to win anyway. The guy is a jerk and america isn't gullible enough to fall for his slime-ball tactics.
Posted by: Danielle Cordova | June 17, 2008 at 05:44 AM
Gore is a decent man, of that I have no doubt. But he is sooooo shallow as to have his cape waiting in the closet before he was ordained Captain Planet.
Posted by: tradamerica | June 17, 2008 at 05:44 AM
totally useless analysis.
he stayed out of it in part, in case he had to mediate a solution to an Obama / Hillary convention stand-off.
and as people here have already, written, the endorsement is timely now, b/c O needs help now, to win the election and unite the party.
oh -- yeah... shocking that Gore didnt mention Bill C... are you kidding? it's an endorsement.. for Obama. that means he talks about Obama.
Posted by: Todd Hackett | June 17, 2008 at 05:45 AM
ZZZZZZZZZZZZ. . .
Having wimped out in the last presidential election, Al Gore now bravely endorses . . . uh . . . the Democrat who's got the nomination in his pocket.
"Profiles in Political Courage," this ain't.
Posted by: MikeB | June 17, 2008 at 05:49 AM
Wow! I have not seen a more cynical, biased political article since I last turned on Fox News. Its a good thing Mr. Malcolm's piece isn't being run in a nationally read periodical in a major newspaper, otherwise he'd just embarrass himself. Oh wait...
Posted by: Martin | June 17, 2008 at 05:50 AM
WHOA! Gore endorses Obama. Didn't see that one coming.....
this most likely still doesn't help that half the party (Clinton's half) is still against him.
Posted by: John | June 17, 2008 at 05:50 AM
Obama sure is looking to the future by dredging up the past and getting on the same stage with Al, who graciously took time out from saving the planet to endorse Obama.
Posted by: Brian | June 17, 2008 at 05:51 AM
Yawn...again, where's the news value of your article? i.e...where one loser endorses another loser?
Posted by: L. Kellogg | June 17, 2008 at 05:52 AM
Gore may be the biggest flip flop in history. By a credit fly a corp jet. By the way Mark GM has more cars over 30 MPG than the big T or H.
Posted by: LW | June 17, 2008 at 05:53 AM
Obama should get on stage with Gore, Kerry, Kennedy, and Dukakis or as I like to call them, 'The Big Four'. When you see them you think 'LOSERS' and nothing else. If he does that, it will become 'The Big Five' who will never be president!
Posted by: Bob D | June 17, 2008 at 05:55 AM
Excelsior !!!!!!
Gore's pompously overblown sense of self is never more on display than now. As if his endorsement, at this point, means diddly poo to any voter.
Gore and his whole Captain Planet crowd are thrilled that oil prices are over $100. It's what they've been trying to accomplish by preventing US drilling, and now they get to blame it on Bush.
Gore is such a doofus. South Park had it right --- he's desperate just to have someone treat him as if he were important.
Obama would be smart to thank him for the endorsement, and then go back to ignoring him completely.
Posted by: bob | June 17, 2008 at 05:55 AM
Hey if the dems dislike Obama and the reps dislike McCain , why can't we have a Hucklebe and Clinton ticket at least both parties would have a inteligent choice to vote for. I really dislike this Bushy Gore candy bar the parties are craming down our throats. I am a democrat and think there are alot better choices for president on both sides.Does anyone else think this is rediculous?
Posted by: cadiz | June 17, 2008 at 05:56 AM
You would have to be a complete odiot to care what Al Gore had to say about anything. The guy is such a two faced lying piece of ....work. Mr. Environmentalist owned 2 tons of Oxy stock and now owns interest in a firm selling carbon credits. Jesus, why not just skip right to the snake oil you scum bag.
If the people who buy his crap had a brain that didn't require a micrometer to measure they would realize that "global warming" is as predictable as the rain and has occurred regulary for at least the last 600,000 years as documented by science, no myth. There is nothing that he or any other huamn is going to do about it. Stop trying to play God as nature WILL takes its course.
Posted by: Robt | June 17, 2008 at 05:56 AM
Sounds like an article written for Republican Lunatics by a Republican Lunatic. Oh and to the Health Savings Account's post "I still can't believe people seriously thought this guy should be Prez" . . . Like your Beloved Bush did any better.
Posted by: Oh Yea | June 17, 2008 at 05:57 AM
Al "ManBearPig" Gore endorsed Obama. So why exactly is this news? I mean realy, who cares? Obama already won the nomination (without Gore's endoresement) and does anyboday actually think Gore was going to endorse Sen. McCain?
Posted by: GW | June 17, 2008 at 05:57 AM
IMHO, many here have completely missed the point.
Al Gore, giving an endorsement in Detroit, after the nomination was sewn up, was perfect timing:
(a) It shows a level of respect for Senator Clinton.
(b) It keeps Obama in the news cycle, and keeps the positive momentum going
(c) It gives environmentalists a clear direction
(d) It gives an economically impacted Detroit hope for the future. Detroit can once again become the king of automobile manufacturing if they start producing greener vehicles, especially now that gasoline is > $4 a gallon.
This was not an election clincher, but it's definitely added support to the wave.
Posted by: Jeff | June 17, 2008 at 05:57 AM
Al Gore is a buffoon. He was wrong about global warming, and in this case he was simply a wimp.
It would seem to me that at this point he would be completely not relevant. If he isn't, he should be.
In short, Al - who cares what you have to say?
Posted by: Steve | June 17, 2008 at 05:58 AM
Al Gore a LOSER, oh please...what authur do u think u are? The authur sure have a lot of guts to "write" all the crap he/she wants and what the heck is he/she doing, siting their little ass in the office. Why dont u run for 2000 race see if u even have one voter. what a loser this authur write about. Doesnt ur mom ever told u not to say bad things about people and keep it to yourself. Fool u are.
Posted by: jim | June 17, 2008 at 05:59 AM
Al WHO???...
Posted by: michael | June 17, 2008 at 06:02 AM
It would be awesome to have a president who isn't influenced by lobbyist and oil companies that paid their (the politicians) way to the White House. I think they will better serve the people instead of the big corporations. Giving them tax breaks they don't need and letting them get away with what ever they feel like such as jacking up prices, making record profits and calling it fair trade is a big joke!
Posted by: Brad | June 17, 2008 at 06:03 AM
911 WAS AN INSIDE JOB CARRYED BY YANK M-O-T-H-E-R F-U-C-K-E-R-S THEMSELVES.
THERMATE CUTTER CHARGES WERE USED BY LARRY SILVERSTEIN AND INSTALLED BY ISRAELIS ON THE ORDER OF BUSH GOVERNMENT.
The yank bastards wanted to steal the oil of the world and brow beat russia, china and india into slavery.
Posted by: CONTROLLED DEMOLITION | June 17, 2008 at 06:04 AM
Did any of the posters here listen to the speech? It was dramatic, forceful and clear.
Perhaps the posters who criticize Gore are right; perhaps he has done some bad things? But what are they? Explain. What specifically has he done, or what did he say in the speech to be called "a complete and total living anus" Give specific examples so that your argument holds weight.
Posted by: Ted | June 17, 2008 at 06:05 AM