Gore emerges as power broker while Clinton hopes for a lifeline

[Wretched Excess]

Gore emerges as power broker while Clinton hopes for a lifeline
Democrat leaders search for a mediator as race for party nomination threatens to drag on until August convention

Al Gore, who lost to George W. Bush in the 2000 presidential election, is becoming a key potential power broker in the increasingly bitter battle between Hillary Clinton and Barack Obama to win the Democrat nomination.

Gore emerged yesterday as a possible mediator who could negotiate a resolution if the primary campaign ends in a stalemate and has to be decided by the party convention, where divisions are likely to run deep.

The former vice-president, who was awarded the Nobel Peace Prize for his environmental campaign, is among a number of party 'elders' who plan to remain neutral in order to keep such an option open, the New York Times reported yesterday.

They are increasingly concerned that the momentum built up by Clinton and Obama's enthralling race could be squandered if neither lands a knockout blow and the nomination is decided at the convention by an elite of 796 Democratic 'super-delegates'. A perception that a backroom deal had ignored the wishes of millions of voters could be a gift to the Republicans, who have already in effect settled on John McCain as their candidate.

Nancy Pelosi, the House Speaker, and three candidates who have dropped out of the contest - former senator John Edwards and senators Chris Dodd and Joe Biden - have spoken to Gore recently. None has declared allegiance, although Gore is said to have been wooed by supporters of both Clinton and Obama.

Gore's possible role is especially intriguing because of his complicated history with the Clintons. Some of his allies accused Bill Clinton of concentrating more on his wife's run for the Senate in 2000 than on Gore's bid for the presidency. In turn, Bill Clinton felt snubbed when Gore did not call on his famed campaigning abilities in the final weeks of the battle with Bush.

Already the arguments over process have begun. Trailing for the first time after successive defeats in eight states since Super Tuesday, Hillary Clinton has renewed her call for the result of last month's Florida primary to count in the final reckoning. If she gets her way, it could yet push her back to pole position, assuming the contests in Texas, Ohio and Pennsylvania fall largely in her favour.

'Sure, she has a big hill to climb, but never count a Clinton out,' said Don Fowler, a former national chairman of the Democrats and a prominent supporter of her campaign.

The Florida lifeline would be thrown if the party's national leadership rescinded a decision that was supported by Obama and Clinton when it was made last summer. The Sunshine State decided it was too important to wait until after the Super Tuesday voting of 5 February and brought forward its primary to 29 January. As punishment for the breach of party rules, the state's 210 delegates were barred from August's convention.

Clinton won the ballot with 50 per cent of the vote to Obama's 33 per cent, and the same thing happened in Michigan, which Clinton won with 55 per cent of the vote and where Obama's name was not on the ballot, excluding another 156 delegates.

'The people of Michigan and Florida spoke in a very convincing way, that they want their voices and their votes to be heard,' Clinton said. 'The turnout in both places was record-breaking and I think that should be respected. They have a right to be heard just as much as anyone else.'

Obama, who leads by about 100 delegates and is 700 short of the winning post of 2,025 after victories last week in Maine, Maryland, Virginia and the District of Columbia, unsurprisingly takes a different view, given the advantage those delegates would restore to his rival.

'At the 11th hour, the Clinton campaign is trying to rewrite rules that were firmly established and I don't think there's a lot of appetite for that,' said David Plouffe, Obama's campaign manager.

But Obama has said he would be happy for the two states' delegates to attend the convention providing their participation did not affect the result. 'I think even my six-year-old would understand it would not be fair for Senator Clinton to be awarded delegates when there was no campaign,' Obama said.

Much more of an interesting story

gore's possible role as a candidate and/or king maker has become fascinating to me since MSB posted the clift thread . . .

[vetwife]

 The Clinton camp is going to want Al Gore out at all costs.  Gore distanced himself from Bill in 2000.  Hillary and Al Gore did not get
along int he Clinton administration and Al gets behind Move On.Org.  They have endorsed Barrack Obama. 
If the DNC bring in Gore. wave bye bye to Hillary.  He won't endorse her.

[Lord Undies]

Gore's possible role is especially intriguing because of his complicated history with the Clintons. Some of his allies accused Bill Clinton of concentrating more on his wife's run for the Senate in 2000 than on Gore's bid for the presidency. In turn, Bill Clinton felt snubbed when Gore did not call on his famed campaigning abilities in the final weeks of the battle with Bush.

Sloppy reporting.  The fact Gore's poll numbers dropped everywhere Clinton appeared is a very important piece of information.   The Gore camp may have had a wooden Indian for a candidate, but they stupid otherwise.

[Chris_]

"the Party has a FEVER..."

[Lauri]

Gore's possible role is especially intriguing because of his complicated history with the Clintons. Some of his allies accused Bill Clinton of concentrating more on his wife's run for the Senate in 2000 than on Gore's bid for the presidency. In turn, Bill Clinton felt snubbed when Gore did not call on his famed campaigning abilities in the final weeks of the battle with Bush.

Sloppy reporting.  The fact Gore's poll numbers dropped everywhere Clinton appeared is a very important piece of information.   The Gore camp may have had a wooden Indian for a candidate, but they stupid otherwise.

add to that the Hilary camp had to muzzle Big Dog in the last few weeks and it amazes me that ANY Dem still thinks Bill Clinton is some 'wonderboy' of the party.. I just dont see it. He hasnt done much to win people over for Hilary and raised racist comments to an art form with his lame attacks on Obama.

[Wretched Excess]

Gore's possible role is especially intriguing because of his complicated history with the Clintons. Some of his allies accused Bill Clinton of concentrating more on his wife's run for the Senate in 2000 than on Gore's bid for the presidency. In turn, Bill Clinton felt snubbed when Gore did not call on his famed campaigning abilities in the final weeks of the battle with Bush.

Sloppy reporting.  The fact Gore's poll numbers dropped everywhere Clinton appeared is a very important piece of information.   The Gore camp may have had a wooden Indian for a candidate, but they stupid otherwise.

add to that the Hilary camp had to muzzle Big Dog in the last few weeks and it amazes me that ANY Dem still thinks Bill Clinton is some 'wonderboy' of the party.. I just dont see it. He hasnt done much to win people over for Hilary and raised racist comments to an art form with his lame attacks on Obama.

he was never the wunderkind that people have him cracked up to be.  it was all ross perot.

[RightCoast]

A group of sinking ships all pinning their hopes on a deflating blimp - too funny; bye bye dems.

[NHSparky]

Yeah, but don't think for a second the MSM isn't going to pull out all the stops to try to help the Obamanation.

Remember it was 2004 when (the name eludes me) a MSM figure pointed out that they gave Kerry a 15-point edge just by slanting their reporting.  Now imagine that number with a charismatic figure running for the Dems.  The young and brain-dead (sorry, mom, you're one of them) don't bother to look past the flowery rhetoric or soundbites to see what's underneath, and frankly, I don't know whether to laugh hysterically or cry.

[RightCoast]

Yeah, but don't think for a second the MSM isn't going to pull out all the stops to try to help the Obamanation.

Remember it was 2004 when (the name eludes me) a MSM figure pointed out that they gave Kerry a 15-point edge just by slanting their reporting.  Now imagine that number with a charismatic figure running for the Dems.  The young and brain-dead (sorry, mom, you're one of them) don't bother to look past the flowery rhetoric or soundbites to see what's underneath, and frankly, I don't know whether to laugh hysterically or cry.

I'm crying because no matter what happens between here and January, it will be bad.  Real Bad.

[Uhhuh35]

Gore endorsing Hillary? I don't think so. The Gores haven't liked the Clintons from at least the White house days, especially Tipper.
He'll endorse Obama I'll bet. The empty slogan of "Change" fits in with his "Global Warming" scam perfectly.

[RightCoast]

Gore is a maroon and a coward he will endorse whoever wins the nomination.