Wow. So an actual Gore endorsement of Obama may be in the works.

[Barack_America]

Washington Prowler
Healer or Endorser?
By The Prowler
Published 2/4/2008 12:08:46 AM

GORE'S THINKING
Former Vice President Al Gore has asked his staff to begin laying out plans for an endorsement of Sen. Barack Obama if he performs well in the Super Tuesday primaries. " doesn't see the utility of endorsing Obama until the endorsement would actually mean something and give Gore an opportunity to be the kingmaker," says a former aide with knowledge of Gore's thinking.

Gore is also being pressed by Clinton loyalists not to endorse anyone in the primary phase of the campaign but rather to serve as the one man who can "heal" the rift between Obama and Clinton loyalists leading on the convention in Colorado in August.

"Gore is beyond politics now, and to endorse would lower him to Clinton or Obama's level, I think," says another former adviser. "But he could take a real leadership role in the party if he wanted to, bridging the divide that we're beginning to see in the party. Bill Clinton can't do it. Really, only Gore can."

More

[Bluebear]

1. Oooh, quoting "The Prowler!" on "The American Spectator" yet!

:scared:

[Barack_America]

3. Hey man. It's out there. I'll bring it up. I'm not going to filter.

Hopefully you all are intelligent enough to decide what passes your burden of proof and what doesn't.

[Tarc]

5. So if you're naive enough for passing off rumor and speculation

as fact, it is our fault for calling you out on it? :rofl:

[Barack_America]

9. Not at all. All of these endorsements are rumors and speculation...

...until the person actually steps on stage and speaks. But, most of them (with the exception of Richardson tonight) have actually panned out.

I see no problem with posting this here. It's referenced, linked, etc.

In the title I did not say that an endorsement IS in the works, I said that it "may be". That is exactly what this piece suggests.

I did not lie, nor did I mislead.

[in_cog_ni_to]

10. Does that give you any hints what we're dealing with here?

:eyes:

[joshcryer]

2. Former aid?

Give it a rest.

[Barack_America]

12. If you read it closely, you'll see that it doesn't say who gave the info...

...that Gore had asked his staff to ready an endorsement. The following quote was attributed to the former aide, but not necessarily the first statement.

[joshcryer]

17. Right, there's no actual evidence suggesting anything here.

If it's not the former aide who said something then who did?

[Barack_America]

20. Don't know...

That lacking information is why I made sure to title the post "may be in the works" not "is in the works".

It didn't meet my criteria for certainty. But I did think that some might like to read it and discuss it.

[CoffeeCat]

4. I'm really sick and tired of the Clintons...

...trying to power up on everyone and telling them NOT to do this, and NOT to do that.

Are the Clintons so used to getting their way, that they think they can call up seasoned
politicians and give out orders?

The Clintons have no business telling Gore what to do.

I think Al Gore is a big boy and he can make up his own mind.

[in_cog_ni_to]

7. It says, "Clinton loyalists", NOT the Clintons. There is a difference.

:(

[sandnsea]

16. They ARE the Party Leaders

Yes they do think they can push people around and tell them to do this and not do that. That's why I hold them responsible for the Iraq War, they were the only ones in a position to both know better and be able to do something about it.

[CoffeeCat]

38. I agree that the Clintons...

...for a long time, have been at the epicenter of the Democratic party.

Don't you sense a big shift though? I think this campaign has politically
kneecapped the Clintons. They got their asses handed to them by the Kennedys
and other party stalwarts.

How many times did we hear that Dems were calling Bill Clinton to tell him to
knock off the dirty campaigning? He didn't listen, so they took matters into
their own hands. Kennedy's endorsement of Barack, was as much about Barack
as it was about the Clintons. Kennedy ripped to shreds their unfair arguments
about Obama--that he wasn't "ready on day one", that he "wasn't against the war
from the beginning", etc. Kennedy annihilated most of their talking points!

The Clintons run on intimidation and fear. For so long, everyone assumed she
would be the winner, and Dem insiders were afraid to go against the Hillary
machine--because they assumed she would be the next President. Well, the bully
can no longer hang that threat over their heads, and I think we're seeing a lot
of their "support" eroding. It was never deep support based on respect. It
was politically advantageous relationships based on fear and a go-along mentality.

Just my opinion...

[Cha]

6. Gore has his work cut out for

him..healing that crevice that the clintons dug for themselves.

[Proud2BAmurkin]

8. Gore won't endorse Obama nt

[madfloridian]

11. Not the Prowler, please.

They make stuff up, toss it out, and hope it sticks.

I remember when quoting that site would get a post locked.

But that was the old days.

[Bluebear]

14. Stand by for The National Review's take.

:crazy:

[Jamastiene]

19. See Drudge Report link below

It's telling that someone on here would be reading so many right wing sources like that, isn't it?

[Barack_America]

21. Absolutely. I like to know what they're up to and how they're spinning things.

It's called being well-informed. It doesn't bother me to read things that I don't agree with. It's not as if the knowledge contaminates me. I'm pretty secure in my beliefs, lol.

[Jamastiene]

27. ...So you can use that same exact right wing spin against

Democrats you don't like. :tinfoilhat:

[Barack_America]

30. Hey look, you repeated your post.

I've already replied to this baseless accusation below. I suggest you check it out.

[Barack_America]

15. Well, kos reported that Richardson endorsement tonight...

So I guess we shouldn't quote them either?

I don't see a problem with posting it. Most sources have been riddled with errors this election. In any case, I prefer to let people weight information for themselves.

[madfloridian]

37. You just quote anyone you want to quote.

There are no rules anymore. Just do whatever.

[Jamastiene]

13. Could you provide a link to Druge too?

I mean why leave any right wing stone unturned?

[Barack_America]

18. Absolutely. Here you go.

http://www.drudgereport.com/

Did you know that Romney won the Maine caucus? Or is that some kind of Drudge conspiracy too?

:tinfoilhat:

I really think it's funny that so many people around here are so closed minded that they won't even read sources from "the other side".

Reminds me a bit of Fundies.

[Bluebear]

23. We're fundies because we don't read right wing rags? OK fine...

:silly:

[Barack_America]

25. Not what I said at all.

You would be Fundies if you were fundamentalist Christians. The resemblance I see is in the close-mindedness, not the religion.

But thanks for keeping my thread kicked with your distortions of what I said.

:hi:

[Bluebear]

28. You're full of baloney, you really are. Screw your right wing papers, I am not "closed minded"

because I don't read them.

[Barack_America]

32. No. But if you think that they are beneath reading and that...

...anyone who reads them is somehow suspect, then yes, I would argue that suggests close-mindedness.

And do you really think that Dem strategists don't make themselves aware of what is being said in those sources? They'd be foolish if they didn't. I happen to like strategy, so yes, I'll read that stuff from time to time. It doesn't mean that I believe a word of it.

[Bluebear]

33. Oh, so you DON'T believe the article you cited here?

Just stop, you're embarrassing yourself.

[Barack_America]

36. Ahh, I knew that you would come back with that....

I think there's probably something here, yes. Am I convinced that this is definitely going to happen based on this? No.

It's a case by case basis. Just because Drudge reported that Romney won Maine, I shouldn't believe it? No, because I can find other sources that say it has happened.

Same with this Gore piece. I have read rumblings in other blogs that seem to match up with this one (specifically that Gore may endorse Obama after ST). The new thing that this piece suggests is that preparations might be in action. That piqued my interest and I'll certainly be looking to see if that is corroborated by another source.

Then maybe I'll make a post saying that plans "are being made" and not "may be made".

[Jamastiene]

26. Right and they want to see how the right is "spinning things"

so they can use that exact spin against Democrats they hate.

:silly:

[Barack_America]

29. Oh now that is rich.

Please show me exactly one instance in which I have used right-wing spin against a Democrat.

You guys are really too much.

If anyone is using right-wing tactics, it's you all who are so hell-bent on dividing everyone around here. You're certainly playing right into their hands, that's for sure.

[jlake]

22. He better not. Hillary will scratch his eyes out.

Seriously. Gore needs to shit or get off the pot.

[ursi]

24. Endorsing before Tuesday will get him a hell of alot more attention then after

[tomreedtoon]

31. IF he performs well on Super Tuesday. Hmm....

He doesn't see Obama as worth endorsing unless he already gets the votes. Votes which that endorsement might get Obama if he received it before Super Tuesday.

In other words, Gore isn't willing to endorse a candidate on principles; he wants to place his bet after the roulette wheel has stopped spinning.

This reduces my estimation of Gore's nobility by a considerable degree.

[Barack_America]

34. Please note...

That this piece uses some questionable sources. It doesn't directly quote anybody known to be intimately involved with the campaign.

It's not the greatest source, but it's an interesting topic, so I posted it for discussion's sake.

I'd just hate for your opinion of Gore to be affected by this if it doesn't pan out. But, on the other hand, it certainly doesn't look like he's willing to endorse anyone before ST. So maybe your opinion is justified, lol.

[ForRusty]

35. Hmmm... Seems to leave open the opportunity to endorse Hillary if she does well though. /shrug. nt

[elixir]

39. Grasping at straws, gasping for air. Obama/Camelot.