Why Al Gore won't endorse Hillary Clinton

[99th_Monkey]

Why Al Gore won't endorse Hillary Clinton
People close to the former vice president say it's not just to preserve his leverage on climate change. There's more to the story.
By Darren Samuelson * 11/17/15 * Politico

At least four times in the past year, Al Gore has passed up opportunities to endorse Hillary Clinton’s presidential campaign, brushing off questions from People magazine and other media outlets with the admonition that it’s still too early in the Democratic primary process for him to take sides. On Monday, an aide to the former vice president told POLITICO he’ll stay on the sidelines until his party has selected its nominee.

Gore’s reticence, his friends and allies say, is in part to maximize his own leverage on fighting climate change. But his repeated demurrals also reflect a complicated relationship with his former boss’s wife that dates back more than two decades. While Gore and Hillary Clinton may not be enemies, they’re not exactly close friends, either.

“They have a lot of history. More than the average bear,” said one Democratic source close to Gore.
The Hillary Clinton-Gore rivalry started when the two baby boomer policy wonks arrived in the White House in 1993. Gore got the new administration’s environmental and technology portfolios. Bill Clinton raised eyebrows by assigning his wife what would become an ill-fated attempt to pass comprehensive health-care reform legislation.

“Usually you give your vice president something of that level. You don’t give it to the first lady,” recalled a former Clinton White House staffer. “People forget that sort of started the relationship on a downward spiral early on.”


Read more: http://www.politico.com/story/2015/11/al-gore-hillary-clinton-215957#ixzz3rld6aRaW

[msrizzo]

1. So it's all because Al Gore is jealous?

I question the source for this story....i.e. Gore friends and allies. This story, if true, makes him look like a loser who holds a grudge. And the work that Gore did under Clinton was very significant so I don't believe he's sore about not getting to work on important things. This reminds me of all the bull that Politico and other Repugs were furiously leaking with regards to Joe Biden. And in the end it was pretty much all bogus or overblown and certainly unfair to Biden.

[Betty Karlson]

11. Or because Mrs. Clinton is overambitious to the point of discourtesy.

Wanting that health care reform for herself (and then dropping the ball) never mind about the custom to entrust it with an elected official, it could just as easily be held against her and her DADT/DOMA-introducing husband.

[DURHAM D]

2. Bruised egos never heal. nt

[sufrommich]

3. He didn't endorse anyone in 2008 either. nt

[demwing]

6. Yes he did. Gore endorsed Obama

http://articles.latimes.com/2008/jun/17/nation/na-campaign17

[onenote]

7. Not until after Clinton endorsed Obama.

Gore endorsed Obama on June 16, 2008. That was more than a week after Clinton suspended her campaign and endorsed Obama (on June 7, 2008).

http://www.nbcnews.com/id/24993082/

[demwing]

8. I didn't editorialize the post

Just stated a fact.

I even provided a link that explained that Gore waited till the nom was secure, so what's your point?

[onenote]

9. I didn't editorialize either. Just stated a fact.

Some people don't read the links.

[restorefreedom]

4. he says he is a recovering political junkie

and has to work hard to stay away

good for him, his blood pressure is probably good

[Agnosticsherbet]

5. An entire article with nothing but unamed sources.

Where I grew up this was called innuendo and gossip.

[MisterP]

10. hey, his political career's over: she can't punish him if she wins and he didn't endorse her