Al Gore prods loyalists to back Kendrick Meek

[Freddie Stubbs]

TAMPA -- Needing to corral the support of Democratic voters, and needing to do it quickly, U.S. Senate candidate Rep. Kendrick Meek called on one of the party's most popular figures Thursday, former Vice President Al Gore.

Campaigning with Meek at a West Tampa union hall, Gore pressed Democratic voters to abandon their fascination with newly independent candidate Gov. Charlie Crist. Meek and Crist essentially are now in an election within an election, with the winner to become the viable alternative to Republican Marco Rubio.

``I want to say a word about the third candidate in this race, Gov. Crist,'' said Gore, about half way through his 12 minutes of remarks. ``I want to choose my words carefully. I know him, I've worked with him, I like him as a person. I've been puzzled, really and truly, because I've had direct conversations with him -- about the environment for example. And it's an old charge in politics that somebody flip flops. It's a little unusual to have somebody flip flop, and then flap flip. Seriously.''

The hundreds of assembled partisans loved the line, and they loved Gore, who has evolved from a comically dull political character to a hero to most Democrats. Yes, his monotone drawl was still there, and yes he still seemed a little rigid, but none of that seems to matter much now for Gore.

more: http://www.miamiherald.com/2010/10/01/1851424/gore-prods-loyalists-to-back-meek.html