NY Observer: Major Dem donors want Gore in 2008 [View All]

[AlGore-08.com]

http://www.observer.com/20061002/20061002_Jason_Horowitz_politics_newsstory1.asp

Gore Awakens Sleeping Booty Of ’00 Donors

Convenient Truth: Silent Al Warms Up Old Money; Ex-Veep Squeezes Branson, Boogies in Chelsea: Brazile, Chafing-at-Bit Backers Vow Support

By Jason Horowitz

In suit pants too short and black boots too polished, Al Gore stepped haltingly to the podium of the Sheraton New York on Thursday afternoon and took credit for helping to solicit an enormous donation to fight global warming. Mr. Clinton patted him on the back and joked, “Al’s the enforcer.” Mr. Gore ignored the whiff of condescension as his puffy, aquiline face beamed in the direction of the adulation.

To the Democratic-leaning audience, he was their favorite political martyr. But for a series of major donors and operatives across the country, he’s still very much their candidate for 2008.

“I might host a reception here for Mark Warner, I might attend some event for John Edwards, but I think certainly because of my background with Gore, they wouldn’t expect me to be committed to them if Gore were to come in at the last minute,” said Charles W. Bone, one of Mr. Gore’s major fund-raisers in 2000, who is hosting a reception this weekend for Mr. Warner in Nashville. “I think a lot of folks are just going to stand on the sidelines to see who strikes the hearts of the Democrats, and if nobody does that, it just makes the case stronger for Al Gore.”

(snip)

And of course, in addition to his high-rolling donors, Mr. Gore will almost certainly be able to rely upon those same liberal online activists who showed their financial strength in 2004 by raising tens of millions of dollars for Howard Dean.

“What he believes is perfectly appropriate to the historical moment that we are in,” said Eli Pariser, executive director of MoveOn.org, the liberal online organization that claims 3.2 million members. “He is, for our members, one of the greatest leaders around.”

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