Al Gore wraps his arms around Barack Obama

Al Gore unquestionably has taken to heart his role as an elder statesman -- he stayed so far above the fray of the Democratic presidential race that the fray was fast becoming an afterthought when he finally bestowed his imprimatur on Barack Obama today.

As Mark Silva of the Chicago Tribune aptly put it in a blog post on the none-too-surprising endorsement, call Gore "nothing if not cautious."

Gore joined Obama tonight at a rally in Detroit. Before that, he previewed on his website and in an e-mail his embrace of his party's presumptive presidential nominee. He also urged, for the first time, members of AlGore.com to donate to a political campaign -- as if Obama needs any help on that front.

Obama can use help in more fully binding Democrats behind his candidacy after his prolonged battle with Hillary Clinton.

A recent Gallup Poll found him drawing support from 78% of those who share his party registration; by comparison, exit polls showed John Kerry captured 86% of the Democratic vote in the 2004 presidential election.

Most analysts expect Obama's share of the Democratic vote to increase as the campaign progresses, and Gore's moves today could slightly accelerate that process. If committed Democrats agree on anything, it's that the 2000 election was stolen from Gore, and in the years since that has made him a rallying point.

As the former vice president himself wryly (and ruefully) put it tonight, "Take it from me, elections matter."

Still, if Gore sounded most of the expected notes in his speech -- blasting, on issues large and small, what he termed the "incompetence, neglect and failure" of the Bush administration -- there was one omission that may not go unnoticed in certain quarters: a direct mention of either of the Clintons.

He made an indirect reference to Hillary as he sang the praises of the year's Democratic presidential field. And he seemed to be setting up a nod to her husband ...

in a riff about Republican attacks on the supposed immaturity and inexperience of a Democratic White House contender.

The lines he quoted -- similar to criticisms directed at Obama -- were used in 1960 against John F. Kennedy, Gore noted. All well and good, given the extended effort the Obama camp has made to link him to JFK.

But comparable barbs were directed during the 1992 campaign at Bill Clinton (who at the time was a year younger than Obama is now). Gore, of course, would well remember such reproofs; part of his job as Clinton's running mate was to rebut them.

And some Clintonistas who happened to catch his speech on a cable news network had to be thinking Gore would draw that parallel -- and then must have wondered why he did not.

Many of those who covered the 2000 presidential race believe it would not have come down to a disputed recount in Florida if Gore had been more willing to stress the accomplishments of the Clinton administration and utilize the then-president's campaign skills.

But he was determined eight years ago to separate himself from his political benefactor. And apparently that attitude persists.

-- Don Frederick

Photo credit: Associated Press

Comments

[crat3]

"Elder statesman' Gore joined the Obama cult and engaged in the old politics of fear mongering and scare tactics.

HRC supporters will not surrender in "unity" to the cult powers of Obama. HRC supporters will campaign and vote for John McCain. No reason for HRC supporters to fearr McCain because the Democratic Congress will be a firewall for any "third Bush term." In four short years in 2012, Sen. Clinton will be the presidential candidate to put America back on track.

Obama has no legitimacy as the Democratic nominee; he was selected by the corrupt and rigged DNC. Sen. Clinton is the legitimate Democratic nominee; she won the popular vote and is the best qualified and the strongest candidate to win the general election hands down.

[Sam Patel]

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.

[gil]

Why did he wait until Clinton was out?

He really fears that family, and it looks certain that he will never run against a Clinton. His respect for "keeping your mouth shut" on dirty laundry is likely the reason. It would be a fight he could not win.

[krazeepolack@starband.net]

GORE THE BORE should wrap his name around a roll of toilet paper!!!!

[Keith]

Wow.

4 years later and Gore is still whining about loosing the law suits his side started to contest the Florida election results.

Gore sues. Essentially tossing Florida election law out the window in an attempt to side-step the State and Federal law requirements and Bush is the thief?

Only to a liberal does the above sentence make sense.

I mean just look that comments like this one "Obama has no legitimacy as the Democratic nominee; he was selected by the corrupt and rigged DNC. Sen. Clinton is the legitimate Democratic nominee; she won the popular vote and is the best qualified and the strongest candidate to win the general election hands down."

Is it any wonder the left is so fractured. There are more conspiratorial crackpots here than anywhere else.

[Jimbo]

Al Gore was worthless as a V.P. and even more as a conservationist. He uses more carbon credits than most and cries about how the American people are the destroyers of the planet.
I wouldn't count a\n endorcement from him a valuable asset. Mr. Gore and Reverend Wright have a lot in common. Maybe Al should preach from the pulpit!

[JaneinMASS]

HRC supporters will not surrender in "unity" to the cult powers of Obama. HRC supporters will campaign and vote for John McCain. No reason for HRC supporters to fearr McCain because the Democratic Congress will be a firewall for any "third Bush term." In four short years in 2012, Sen. Clinton will be the presidential candidate to put America back on track.

Agreed! So what if within those four years we get another Alito and another Scalia on the Supreme Court. The court has never done anything that seriously affected the country -- just ask Al Gore. And the war McCain plans to launch on Iran? That'll only last four years. How many Americans could the Iranians possibly kill in four short years? Then after four more years of global war, losing our right to chose, and an economy even further down the toilet we'll enter the joyous Eden-like place called Hillaryland. Yep.

[Ayrkain]

Hey, look --^

The Republicans showed up! :)

[Kate Cooper]

Come on Guys have you nothing better to throw at Al Gore than not talking a bout CLinton enough? If yopu recall in 2000 Clinton was "drag" on the Gore Campaign. Remember Monica . The impeachment for sex scandal the horrors ofthe Clinton Coat tails? is it comming back...?

Exceeding lame agrument you gotta do better to know these guys out.. try again...

[Donahue Johnson]

Say what you want about Obama, but you can't say that after all the hits that he has taken the man still moves forward. He hasn't quit. He's about business. Mc Cain is an old man with old ways and values.. Young people will become apart of this process and give those old people back to old folks home and such.. The have allowed GWB to make America a 3rd world country.. We need a smart president to bring us back.. McCain was so dumb he graduated bottom of his class.... too dumb for me to vote in as President...

[George Webb]

Can you blame him for not referencing you know who? Everyone is scared senseless right now. The press is now having their turn at fear.

[Sipho a Democrat]

What a team of Supporters.Al Gore had been missing in this drive to get a like-minded and an American Leader who will take America back to where it had been.Not the scum it became of late.More positive Truthful Leadership.Welldone Al!!! McCain is Bush through and thtough.Very arrogant and has got anger. Look at how he inter-acts with people and his own wife.Most old men are like that.Unfortunately this Nation has to move on and lead the World without anger!! Long Live the American Dream!!!

[keuchek@gmail.com]

HRC SUPPORTER UR COMMENT ABOVE IS A DISGRACE TO DNC AND TO ALL WHO SUPPORT DEMOCRACY IN THE WORLD.STOP MAKING AFOOL OF URSELF.

[Michael]

It is amazing what some HRC supporters want. They would much rather have a Republican as President than the Democratic nominee who defeated HRC. How utterly shameless.

[Tom Mariner]

Not exactly "Man bites dog" news. Who is Gore going to endorse? John McCain?

[h2o]

Wow! Way to really stick your neck out there Mr. Gore;) You sure you don't want to wait until he isn't just the "persumptive" democratic candidate?

BTW - crat3... Hopefully Hillary will understand the rules of engagement and not expect to use votes that were not to be counted because those states broke the rules. So the lesson learned is if she doesn't like the rules set before they ran in 2008 then change the rules before the 2012 campaign and follow them.

[nodoz]

Gore distanced himself from Bill Clinton in 2000 because Bill had become tainted to a certain degree from the sex scandals.

Why he may be distancing himself now probably has more to do with people wanting to move on past the Clinton-Bush years that are perceived as partisan and divisive.

Whether or not Obama or McCain will move past such partisanship will remain to be seen ... but it seems so ingrained, I have my doubts.

(ps: I'm a bit baffled by the HRC/McCain comment above: http://www.hrc.org/equality08/264.htm)

[Samson Horn]

He should run for VP again; Dems might actually win that way.

[David]

Al Gore an "Elder Statesman"? Al Gore is nothing more than a snake oil peddling salesman with all his hot air about climate change.

This fraudster promotes hate, fear, envy, and covetousness. His program for addressing climate change is a tool to expand and consolidate the power of the state apparat and enslave generations free peoples.

Al Gore is no "Elder Statesman". Al Gore is a fool.

[Will]

@ crat3:

As if a democratic majority in Congress has done anything to prevent the "second Bush term." There is no reason to believe that they will be able to stop McCain.

Voting for McCain out of bitterness is akin to shooting yourself in the face to save your foot and is selling your country out for spite.

Fortunately you are either a minority, or a Republican determined to spread dissent among Democratic ranks. Either way, you will fortunately have a minimal effect on this campaign.

ANY NON REPUBLICAN '08

[MD3]

Al Gore is completely gutless...It took a Big Hero to endorse Obama now once Hillary has pulled the plug. This is NOT news, it would only be new if he pulled for McCain. Why is this on the top of your news list? I forgot the LA Times is the LA Media Wing of the Democratic party.

[amccoy]

Crat3- get a life.
The "Cult" would be the Hillary supporters who delude themselves into thinking that voting for McCain could in any way be a good idea. It isn't so much what McCain would do, it is who he would appoint. The EPA that will still BAN California from regulating green house gases, the USDA that will continue to BAN a meat processor from testing each cow for BSE (mad cow disease) which would let them export their meat to any other country (such as Korea) because consumers might start demanding that our meat be tested too. Perhaps you saw that now McCain wants to restart offshore oil drilling (remember that it would take at least 12-15 years before any oil would be coming out of offshore wells so it isn't going to bring down the cost of gas for at least that long- you would be better off drilling in Alaska-that would only take about 10 years to get to market). Make no mistake about it, McCain can, and will, do a huge amount of damage if elected regardless of the composition of congress even if he doesn't appoint a supreme court justice, and if he does appoint one we will be even worse off. Hillary might have been a good president, but she lost. She did. If you seriously think that McCain is the better choice than you were the one in a cult because Obama is the one who has similar positions on most issues. The issues where Hillary and Obama differed (like health care) Obama was still way closer to Hillary's positions than McCain.

[BJ]

If Gore is getting his hands "dirty" by pitching in the pig sty created by the Democratic Party, it's pretty evident that Obama is feeling vulnerable for November.

[Jim Goad]

It's astonishing how many screaming typos one finds these days from outlets such as AP and the LA times. None-TO-surprising? Very basic word. Add another "o," and you don't look nearly as illiterate.

[Carlos]

"Al Gore was a complete nobody had it not been for Bill Clinton's risky generosity".

Who are these uninformed people? Do these comments arise from your vast knowledge or from the chirping chips on your shoulders? Al Gore was in congress for 15 years before Clinton tapped him for the number two spot. 15 YEARS. He was born to an established political family. If anybody "made" him per se, it was his father. He ran for the presidency in '88 and only chose not to run again in '92 to take care of his son, who had been in a traffic accident.

You don't get picked as a vice presidential candidate unless you have some noteworthy political history. Bill Clinton made Al Gore? What cheek. You people should be ashamed of yourselves and direct your whining elsewhere.