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Gore, who won the popular vote but lost the electoral vote in the disputed 2000 election, has agreed to appear with Dean in New York Citys Harlem neighborhood and then travel with the former Vermont governor to Iowa for a formal endorsement, several Democratic officials, including one close to Gore, said Monday. Dean was coy about the endorsement, telling several hundred supporters at a Manhattan fund-raiser late Monday that he could neither confirm nor deny it. Five weeks before Iowas kickoff caucuses, the coveted endorsement is a breathtaking victory for a candidate whose anti-war, anti-establishment candidacy has given pause to party leaders and key constituencies, several Democratic strategists said. What this says is that all these Washington insiders who have been gnashing their teeth, wringing their hands and clinging to their cocktail cups can relax now. Deans been knighted by the ultimate insider, said Democratic consultant Dean Strother of Washington. Other Democrats offered more cautious appraisals, but the overwhelming consensus was that Deans coup makes him the overwhelming favorite to claim the nomination. Even advisers to Deans rivals conceded they were stunned and disheartened by the news. Gore won the popular vote by half a million votes in 2000 but conceded to Republican George W. Bush after a tumultuous 36-day recount in Florida and a 5-4 Supreme Court vote against him.
But while he leads in polls in New Hampshire and Iowa, the race has not taken shape beyond the initial voting states and Gores endorsement will not erase every concern about Deans lack of foreign policy experience and campaign missteps. AFSCME President Gerald McEntee said Gores support is more significant than Deans labor endorsements. It goes so far in dispelling this idea that swirls around that Dean would not be a good candidate in the general election, that Dean in some way would be damaging to the Democratic Party, McEntee said. In choosing Dean, Gore bypassed his own vice presidential pick in 2000, Sen. Joe Lieberman of Connecticut, who is struggling in his bid to capture the nomination. Lieberman even waited until after Gore made his decision last December not to run before embarking on his candidacy. The Lieberman campaign issued a terse statement Monday, saying, I was proud to have been chosen by Al Gore in 2000 to be a heartbeat away from the presidency, and added, Ultimately, the voters will make the determination and I will continue to make my case about taking our party and nation forward. Lieberman spokesman Jano Cabrera said Gore did not tell the Connecticut senator about the endorsement, which Lieberman had sought. In 1998, Dean considered challenging Gore for the Democratic nomination in 2000 but backed away amid pressure from the vice presidents office, and opposition in Vermont. He quietly lobbied to be mentioned as a vice presidential candidate, but did not make Gores short list. While Gore fought the National Rifle Association, Dean was embraced by the lobby. Dick Gephardt of Missouri, another Dean rival, issued a statement citing the congressmans work with Gore to pass the Clinton economic plan, pass the assault weapons ban and defend against Republican attacks on Medicare and affirmative action. In an unusual response, Democratic candidate Wesley Clark issued a statement touting the number of former Gore staffers working on his campaign. Gore is pre-eminent among the partys establishment, second only to the Clintons, and his backing is prized among the candidates looking for an edge in the primary fight. Sources close to both Clintons said Monday that they would not endorse in the primary race. Democratic strategist Steve Jarding of Virginia said the endorsement might force other candidates to drop from the race. This sends a clear signal that Dean is bringing together two major forces - Democratic insiders and outsiders. Gore is the ultimate insider, Jarding said, adding that Dean can still be beaten but it just got a ton harder. Besides his 2000 bid, Gore ran for president unsuccessfully in 1988 and then, while a Tennessee senator, was surprised to be picked as Bill Clintons running mate in 1992. Though Gore often was criticized as overly controlled and cautious, he was praised for the work he did as an influential vice president. He used his expertise in science and technology to be the White House point man on telecommunications reform and the information superhighway. After losing in 2000, Gore accepted the job of vice chairman of Metropolitan West Financial, a Los Angeles-based financial services holding company. He juggled that job with his duties as college professor, guest speaker and author.
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