Is Gore Taking over Dean Campaign to Do a Dignified Merger w Kerry

[Raya]

The guy, Roy Neel, taking over Dean's campaign is a major Gore operative and seems to be just a front for Gore.

At this point it seems that Dean has 2 options that Gore is evaluating:

1. Keep on the attack "Anti-Washington" mode, keep swinging at Kerry up till the convention. Hang-on to "supporters" for himself (or Gore) in 2008.

2. Pull back to a "Statesman-Like" posture, reduce spending, negotiate with Kerry-camp to migrate his supporters into the GE campaign.

Why would Gore be going form option 2?

1. Gore is more interested in keeping the grass-roots effort going with a view to 2008 and his Liberal Media network project than in Dean winning the presidency (he probably did not expect Dean to win in the first place).

2. Gore want to be a player in the Party. That is why he endorse Dean and now it looks like Kerry could win nomination Gore needs to find a way to "align" with Kerry. The Dean organization is his card to being a player, as long as he plays it before the Clinton gang switches from Clark to Kerry. Gore has to act fast.

Hey, that's my theory. Anyone with real info. Something is afoot.

Should Kerry take the Gore gambit? Or work with the Clark folk who
will be ready to jump after Feb. 3.

[molly]

1. I vote for number 2 then number 1

[WiseMen]

10. Agree with you Molly. Gore is really involved in the Liberal Media Project

I know a few of the folk in that project and they are really
pissed at Dean for embarrassing them and endangering their plan
to try to bring about a sea-change in public opinion.

[virtualobserver]

2. or maybe Gore just cares about his country

and endorsed the man he believes could best lead us.

[DemDogs]

3. Maybe so, but where was he in NH?

Bradley wasn't there, Gore wasn't there. If Gore really believes this (and I am not saying he does not), he needs to be out there fighting for what he believes in. If it was about Dean, fight. If it was about Gore, run.

[isbister]

4. Kerry should sit tight

He's in the driver's seat.

[Sensitivity]

5. CNN seems to believe that Gore has taken over? But Why not in NH?

Was Gore too embarassed after the Iowa loss.

[WiseMen]

6. Gore has to do something to rescue his reputation. If Dean has to go

on his knees to Kerry to help Gore get back on the inside, then
I am sure Gore is going to have Dean do that.

[theboss]

7. I think the Gore/Clinton "feud" story is overhyped

I don't think Gore and Clinton are in a bloodmatch for "control of the Party." But I do believe that both want to have a large voice and are probably scrambling to protect their positions. Gore - in his typical fashion - completely overplayed his hand by endorsing Dean months ago. Now, if Dean flames out, Gore is left out in the cold. Clinton - in his usual fashion - underplayed his hand. He may behind the Clark campagin, but no one can prove that. He can come in at any time, annoint the winner, and look like a statesman.

Basically, it's a matter of what the "theme" of the Convention is going to be. If Dean wins, it may be "avenge me" with Al Gore as the bloody shirt. If Kerry or Edwards or Clark wins, it could be "Let's Go Back to the Good Old Days" with Clinton as the icon.

[WiseMen]

13. Agree. Unfortunately Gore is in a Bad Position now. He was badly snubbed

by other party leaders after 2000 and was really hoping to
get back into the fray with his endorsement of Dean.

It was a real gamble. Quite unusual step for a titular head of the
party to do what Gore did.

[GalleryGod]

18. I'm Convinced the Clinton/Gore Bad blood is UNDER hyped.

:silly: That's my H.O.

[Beaker]

8. Avoid Gore like the plague-

he's got the leaden touch when it comes to politics.

[WiseMen]

9. Hope you are not w Dean, cus Gore is now Running Campaign

[Beaker]

17. I'm definitely NOT with Dean...and I'm NOT with Gore...

so their teaming up for the ride into the quickly setting sun of the Dean campaign is perfect for me.

21. "leaden touch" is why he won in 2000

I'd like to have a leaden touch that caused me to win.

[Sensitivity]

29. Gore helped when he could. We are just being ungrateful

[jsw_81]

31. Untrue

Al Gore has never lost an election. I am convinced that he will be elected President again someday, probably in 2012.

[John_H]

11. Shouldn't "Dean Machine" be offered to whoever the nominee is?

I mean, isn't that part of being a Democrat? Doesn't Dean mean it when he says that any of the Dem candidates are way better than Chimp?

[WiseMen]

28. That's not what Dean said. "I don't know if 500,000 .. will support a W ..

Washington Insider?"

[MercutioATC]

12. Well, this supporter's not "migrating".

Kerry gets my vote if he's the nominee, but I'll be damned if I'll help him gain a new support base that he has NO right to at Dean's expense.

[w4rma]

14. Keep it simple. Trippi is out, *someone* needed to replace him.

This guy has the experience by proving himself in 2000.

[WiseMen]

15. A little more complicated than that. Trippi was effectively ousted. Gore

had sent written instructions as to Gore's guy's role even
before Dean lost NH

[sangh0]

16. Not just "someone" or anyone...A Washington insider, Roy Neel

I wonder how Dean's "Washington insider" rant is going to hold up after one of those insiders start running his campaign

[GalleryGod]

19. Point Well Taken. Really Hypocritical,Now

:nopity:

[MercutioATC]

20. What "point" is well taken? A campaign manager that's an "insider"?

For chrissakes...Dean's choice of campaign manager (who makes no Presidential policy decisions and spends almost no "face" time with the public) renders his comments on other candidates (who WILL make Presidential policy decisions and spend a LOT of "face" time with the public) moot?

[WiseMen]

22. I don't think this is "Dean's Choice." Had to do w his Big endorsers

[sangh0]

23. It doesn't make it "moot"

It makes it hypocritical to complain about the influence of Washington insiders while letting one's campaign be guided by a Washington insider.

[MercutioATC]

24. Why? There's a difference between actual candidates who are insiders and

employees who are insiders. Wouldn't you agree?

[ibegurpard]

26. The "Washington Insider" will be much better able to counter

the mud flung from the DLC and the Kerry campaign.

[WiseMen]

25. Looks Like its a wait on the sidelines till the dust settles. Then merge!

I don't think it is about Dean anymore. But Dean certainly thinks so
and is continuing to somewhat recklessly attack Kerry.

[WhoCountsTheVotes]

27. No Democrat can't win without a whole lot of pissed off Dean supporters

While the egotistical rich white men and their cronies fight for control of the party, they better not forget that they need a *huge* turnout if they expect any of them to get elected in he GE.

[jsw_81]

30. That's an interesting theory

Who knows what's going through Gore's head these days; he's probably shocked and humiliated by Dean's dismal performance. But it would be rude (and unprecedented) for him to withdraw his endorsement. :shrug: