Reply #205: I've said somewhere on this thread that Clinton gave some support

[Tom Rinaldo]

to Clark. From simple things like dropping Clark's name as one of two Democratic Party rising Stars (the other his Dear wife) to suggesting to some former aids that they consider becoming Clark advisers (economic policy comes to mind). I gather from some things I've read on Dean related threads that there are reports of Clinton leaning on some people to endorse Clark (with use of gay rights as club against Dean - do I have that right?). I don't know about that personally but I am perfectly willing to accept that as possible. Maybe Clinton dropped a good word for Clark with some Democratic fund raisers close to him. I'm not sure if I actually heard that one or if it just seems plausible. Just having the recent ex two term President of the United States constantly saying good things about you when your name invariably comes up is a very helpful thing to a candidate.

All of those things and more can be extremely valuable to a candidate like Clark who had no real inside connections and had not had over a year in the field to build his own campaign slowly. I will say that I put Clinton's support for Clark in a somewhat different category than other more opportunistic Beltway insiders. Clark actually served under Clinton in some very sensitive missions and performed admirably while successfully doing them. As you may recall Clinton was not initially a popular President with Pentagon Brass, so Clinton had personal reasons to appreciate and support Clark. I gather Gore had a personal connection that developed with Dean also.

I'm not saying it was not OK for Gore to support Dean. Actually my initial comment was the inverse, that it would be hypocritical to blast Clark for accepting support form Clinton while seeing no harm whatsoever in Dean taking it from Gore. I know personally know Gore did favors for Dean in New Jersey. I don't see that as a problem. I was personally hurt by Gore's public call for the Party to close ranks behind Dean for reasons I tried to honestly describe above to janx. Clinton never made such a call and I know many would have been hurt by that had he done so.

Honestly, I'm not attacking Gore for anything he said or did. I shared a moment of emotional honesty on this board and perhaps it would have been better had I not done so, it was a free association comment off of another point, admitting that I was angered at the time. I am not holding onto that anger. I had some very positive things to say about Gore above. I do get peeved when people blame Clark for Clinton liking him, as if that were some type of sin. I suppose Dean supporters might have a similar reaction regarding Gore being close to Dean.

Thanks for keeping a respectful distnace during the heat here madfloridian. Your question is an honest one which I do not mind in the least responding to.