Gore’s Endorsement of Dean Bollixes Dem Race

As if the Democratic Party is not in enough disarray, now comes former presidential candidate Al Gore endorsing wannabe candidate Howard Dean.

Leaders of political parties usually do not endorse primary candidates. Runners up have a following, and all must be kept in the fold for the main event.

Party leaders also winnow the primary field before filing date. There are few gracious losers and many sore losers.

One must put Mr. Gore in the latter category. He has confounded the shakers and movers of his party – starting with Terry McAuliffe, chairman of the Democratic National Committee.

McAuliffe, famous for his own malapropos, told CNN that he was “shocked” by Gore’s gratuitous endorsement.

Dean’s reaction was a combination of surprise, bewilderment and gratitude. He chose to acknowledge the favor (?) in a Harlem ceremony.

James Carville – author of Bill Clinton’s winning centrist strategy – told radio broadcaster Don Imus that Dean and Gore “was the perfect picture of a doctor and a corpse standing there.”

It is no secret that the Clintons detest Gore for bypassing President Bill in the now-infamous 2000 presidential election.

Bob Beckel, campaign manager for Walter Mondale’s losing 1984 presidential bid, weighed in with Hannity and Colmes of Fox News. He says Senator Hillary Clinton has orchestrated a “bash Dean” campaign in calls to fellow Democrats.

President Clinton’s chief of staff Leon Panetta told the Washington Times recently: “There clearly are concerns about Dean’s ability to appeal to the entire country, particularly on national security issues.” Deputy chief Harold Ickes complained to Time magazine that Dean is “quick of lip, quick of temper and stubborn.”

It does appear that Bill and Hillary are vindictive – and that Gore is trying to give the Clintons a poke in the eye with a sharp stick.

Certainly Gore was thoughtless in announcing his endorsement of Dean before explaining himself to Dem primary candidate Joe Lieberman.

After all, three years ago, presidential candidate Gore felt Sen. Joe was the next-best person to run the country. Lieberman allows as how he was “surprised” that his old buddy deserted him. There goes the Jewish vote.

My fellow pundits ponder Gore’s sudden re-entry into politics. He wants to be president Dean’s secretary of state. He wants to re-play the Florida election result. He wants to sidetrack Mrs. Clinton. He wants to run for president in 2008. How about “all of the above?”

In my opinion, Gore simply wants to prove he still is a political power as a kingmaker – a winner instead of a has-been loser. A lottery ticket gives better odds.

Frustrated Democrats should give up the sad mantra that Republicans stole the 2000 election.

Harry Truman won the presidency in 1948 with 49.55 percent of the popular vote. Since then, five other presidents have won with less than a majority. They are: Kennedy 49.7, first Nixon 43.4, first Clinton 43.01, G. B. Bush 47.87 vs. Gore’s 48.38.

No matter. Constitutional electoral votes of states – not individual popular votes – elect presidents.

The only truly “stolen” presidential election was that in 1960 by John F. Kennedy from Richard Nixon. Chicago Mayor Richard J. Daley’s ward bosses cast thousands of “graveyard” ballots for Kennedy. Still, the vote was close.

Nixon waived a recount because of the Vietnam War. Nonetheless, several Chicago precinct workers went to prison.

The Florida 2000 election results -- finalized by the U.S. Supreme Court – was close. A year later, two consortiums of leading newspapers conducted massive hand-recounts of disputed ballots.

Results: Gore would have lost votes.

In the presidential campaign now begun, Democrats are frustrated.

Blunt-speaking Dubya is astute.

His tax cuts brought Clinton’s economic tailspin to a soft landing.

Bush-43 stopped the spread of terrorism at home by toppling AlQueda and Saddam on their turf.

The rebuilding of Afghanistan and Iraq is progressing more rapidly – with fewer casualties -- than thought possible.

He began an overdue reform of Medicare with a prescription drug benefit.

Dean wows leftists, but centrists decide elections. Democrats have chosen to fight each other in the middle of the road, thereby trampling key voters trying to get out of the way.

PARTING SHOTS

Figure this one out. Gore, who couldn’t beat Bush, has endorsed Dean, who can’t beat Bush.

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Many Wal-Mart stores have employed Santas this year to please kids. The only problems are that Santa speaks Spanish and doesn’t have a Green Card.

Williams – Dem disarray

Sunday – Dec. 14, 2003

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Lindsey Williams is a Sun columnist####MARKER####