so much for the political knowhow: kerryboy is finished - no doubt he spitted out F-words...........
Gore to Endorse Dean
Former Vice President Will Make Announcement on Tuesday
By Dan Balz
Washington Post Staff Writer
Monday, December 8, 2003; 5:09 PM
Former vice president Al Gore plans to endorse former Vermont governor Howard Dean for president Tuesday, according to a Democratic source, giving the insurgent candidate the kind of establishment support his campaign has been lacking and providing additional momentum to his front-running campaign.
Gore, who won the popular vote in the 2000 presidential election, plans to endorse Dean at a Tuesday morning rally in Harlem, then fly to Iowa for what the campaign was billing Monday as an event that would "change the face" of the Dean campaign. Dean will then fly to New Hampshire to participate in Tuesday night's debate with the other Democratic candidates.
His endorsement, which caught Dean's rivals by surprise, comes after an intensive courtship by the former Vermont governor, who reached out to both Gore and his wife Tipper repeatedly over the past year. Dean sought reassurance from Gore during the spring about his opposition to the Iraq war at a time when that position appeared to be politically risky.
Gore's decision to back a candidate who was once a dark horse in the race for the Democratic nomination represents a blow to all the other major candidates, especially to Sen. Joseph I. Lieberman (D-Conn.), who was Gore's vice presidential running mate in 2000.
"This is huge," said Donna Brazile, Gore's 2000 campaign manager. "This gives Dean the credibility he's been lacking, from someone from the inside of the party. This will give Dean a tremendous boost in locking down the nomination." |
