[Vision2020] The Article: Gore to endorse Dean

Mon, 8 Dec 2003 18:27:51 EST

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By ADAM NAGOURNEY

Published: December 8, 2003

l Gore, the former vice president who narrowly lost the presidency in 2000, 
has decided to endorse the presidential campaign of Howard Dean, a move that 
Democrats said would provide a huge boost to Dr. Dean's candidacy.
Mr. Gore is expected to announce his endorsement of Dr. Dean, the former 
governor of Vermont and one of nine Democrats running for president this year, at 
events in Harlem and Iowa on Tuesday, according to Democrats familiar with the 
decision.
"This is huge," said Donna Brazile, who was Mr. Gore's campaign manager in 
2000. "It gives Dean what Dean has been missing most: Stature. Gore is a major 
league insider, somebody with enormous credibility that Democrats respect, who 
can rally the grass roots, and who's been speaking very strongly in the last 
few months about the direction he wants to take the country in."
Mr. Gore and did not respond to requests for comments.
Mr. Gore's decision, while a boost to Dr. Dean, was a devastating blow to 
Senator Joseph I. Lieberman of Connecticut, who was Mr. Gore's running mate in 
2000. "It probably wipes Lieberman out of the race," said the Rev. Al Sharpton, 
one of the Democratic candidates. "It's going to clear the deck."
Aides to Mr. Lieberman did not respond immediately for comment.
Mr. Gore lost the presidency in 2000 in one of the most disputed elections in 
the nation's history. He considered running again this time against President 
Bush, but decided against it last year, opening the field to one of the more 
crowded and least formed Democratic contests in years.
Dr. Dean's campaign manager, Joe Trippi, declined to confirm the report. 
"We're having our event tomorrow at 8 o'clock," Mr. Trippi said. "People can find 
out who it is then. We're not saying anything."
The decision by Mr. Gore seems likely to help Dr. Dean rebut what has been 
one of the biggest charges raised by his opponents: That he is a weak candidate 
who would lead the Democrats to a devastating defeat next year. Mr. Gore has 
repeatedly said that his top priority next year is helping the Democratic party 
defeat Mr. Bush.

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<BODY style=3D"FONT-SIZE: 10pt; FONT-FAMILY: Arial; BACKGROUND-COLOR: #fffff=
f"><STRONG>By ADAM NAGOURNEY<BR></NYT_BYLINE><IMG height=3D5 alt=3D"" src=
=3D"http://graphics7.nytimes.com/images/misc/spacer.gif" width=3D1><BR></STR=
ONG><FONT size=3D1><FONT class=3Dfooter>Published: December 8, 2003</FONT><B=
R><BR><NYT_TEXT></FONT>
<P><FONT size=3D1><IMG height=3D33 alt=3DA src=3D"http://graphics7.nytimes.c=
om/images/dropcap/a.gif" width=3D33 align=3Dleft border=3D0></FONT>l Gore, t=
he former vice president who narrowly lost the presidency in 2000, has decid=
ed to endorse the presidential campaign of Howard Dean, a move that Democrat=
s said would provide a huge boost to Dr. Dean's candidacy.</P>
<P>Mr. Gore is expected to announce his endorsement of Dr. Dean, the former=20=
governor of Vermont and one of nine Democrats running for president this yea=
r, at events in Harlem and Iowa on Tuesday, according to Democrats familiar=20=
with the decision.</P>
<P>"This is huge," said Donna Brazile, who was Mr. Gore's campaign manager i=
n 2000. "It gives Dean what Dean has been missing most: Stature. Gore is a m=
ajor league insider, somebody with enormous credibility that Democrats respe=
ct, who can rally the grass roots, and who's been speaking very strongly in=20=
the last few months about the direction he wants to take the country in."</P=
>
<P>Mr. Gore and did not respond to requests for comments.</P>
<P>Mr. Gore's decision, while a boost to Dr. Dean, was a devastating blow to=
 Senator Joseph I. Lieberman of Connecticut, who was Mr. Gore's running mate=
 in 2000. "It probably wipes Lieberman out of the race," said the Rev. Al Sh=
arpton, one of the Democratic candidates. "It's going to clear the deck."</P=
>
<P>Aides to Mr. Lieberman did not respond immediately for comment.</P>
<P>Mr. Gore lost the presidency in 2000 in one of the most disputed election=
s in the nation's history. He considered running again this time against Pre=
sident Bush, but decided against it last year, opening the field to one of t=
he more crowded and least formed Democratic contests in years.</P>
<P>Dr. Dean's campaign manager, Joe Trippi, declined to confirm the report.=20=
"We're having our event tomorrow at 8 o'clock," Mr. Trippi said. "People can=
 find out who it is then. We're not saying anything."</P>
<P>The decision by Mr. Gore seems likely to help Dr. Dean rebut what has bee=
n one of the biggest charges raised by his opponents: That he is a weak cand=
idate who would lead the Democrats to a devastating defeat next year. Mr. Go=
re has repeatedly said that his top priority next year is helping the Democr=
atic party defeat Mr. Bush.</P></BODY></HTML>

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