PLEASE! PLEASE! DON'T THROW US IN THAT BRIAR PATCH! :

In a Forceful Speech, Gore Criticizes Administration (Richard L. Berke, April 14, 2002, NY Times)

"I'm tired of this right-wing sidewind," Mr. Gore said to the 2,500 partisans here for the Florida Democratic Convention. "I've had it. America's economy is suffering unnecessarily. Important American values are being trampled. Special interests are calling the shots."

On the environment, the economy and values, he said, "this administration is following the same pattern: selling out America's future in return for short-term political gains."

Mr. Gore even dared to do what many Democrats had said he was afraid of doing in the 2000 campaign: embrace President Bill Clinton.

"I think Bill Clinton and I did a damn good job," Mr. Gore said, practically shouting.

While Mr. Gore has spoken numerous times in the 16 months since the acrimonious 36-day standoff over the counting of votes in Florida and offered sharp criticism of Mr. Bush at a meeting of Democrats in Tennessee, his home state, in February his address here carried particular weight because this was the first political event he has attended with other Democrats who have designs on the White House.

It was also a crucial first test of whether Democratic loyalists here would stand behind him in a rematch with Mr. Bush in 2004. His certainly received a hero's welcome, with delegates often jumping from their feet and waving placards proclaiming, "Still Gore Country!" over an outline of the state of Florida.

While he did not declare that he was running, Mr. Gore seemed very much the candidate today. He drew some of his biggest cheers when he scolded Mr. Bush for not sharing information with Congress and the public. "America's policies should be decided in the open and not in secret back room meetings where average citizens get the door slammed in their face while polluters get the welcome mat," he said. "Let's have a little Florida sunshine."

And Mr. Gore could not resist analogies with the nearby Walt Disney World. "They're the party of Fantasy Land; we're the party of Tomorrow Land," he said. "We're the party of Main Street U.S.A.; they're the party of Pirates of Enron."

There was a time not so long ago when losing a presidential election was perfectly honorable and not much hindrance to one's career. Within the past sixty years, Thomas E. Dewey, Adlai Stevenson, and Richard Nixon all got renominated after losing previously. And, mind you, Gore actually won, for cripes sake. Simple fairness would seem to weigh in favor of giving him a rematch. But it seems unlikely that we're still the kind of country that has some patience with party leaders if they fail once. So it seems unlikely, despite the enormous advantages that he starts out with, that Al Gore will be the 2004 nominee. But, boy, you have to hope he is.

Here's the key question Democrats have to ask themselves : is there a single American voter who is more likely to vote for Gore now than they were in 2000? And how many are likely to feel more comfortable with Bush than they were then? If you just replay that election, with the changed circumstances of Bush's incumbency and a war in progress, or concluded successfully, you have to think it would be disastrous for the Democrats.

I might have to send him a campaign contribution...

Posted by Orrin Judd at April 13, 2002 8:00 PM