People just don't understand, Gore COULDN'T tell Lieberman

[Walt Starr]

It would have been unsound political strategy to tell Lieberman because the Dean campaign staff would have lost the initiative on when to leak the endorsement.

At best, he could have told Lieberman after the story leaked, but not before because the endorsement would have been meaningless then.

Lieberman is a whiny baby who should just give up.

[ibegurpard]

1. Stop stepping into their traps Walt.

Lieberman deserved it...he stabbed Gore in the back more than once.

[dansolo]

5. Not only Gore

Lieberman has stabbed the entire Democratic party in the back several times.

[Hawkeye-X]

2. And I heard from other sources that Gore tried to reach Lieberman

to inform him of the decision to endorse Dean, but was not able to reach Lieberman.

Hawkeye-X

[Kolesar]

3. that he did not endorse Joe months ago was "enough of a message"

= "bugger off Joe"

[JI7]

4. why would it be meaningless ?

i don't understand why you say the endorsement would have been meaningless if gore had told lieberman before the story leaked. please explain.

[otohara]

6. Lieberman Should'nt Have Been Such A Bush Cheerleader

for the past year

[terrisel]

9. The news is the endorsement, not who got to know first

The story about telling Lieberman is to deflect from the power of the endorsement. It is similar to "It's not what you said it's how you said it that upsets me." Focus on details rather than the essence.

I think it indicates a fear on the part of the Republicans that Gore and the issue of the stolen election is a formidable issue.
Gore owes nothing to Lieberman--he had said that Lieberman owed nothing to him and that Lieberman did not have to wait for him to decide if he would run again before entering the race.

Gore selected Lieberman to be his running mate years ago. He did not marry him.

When a false issue of "loyalty" is raised, it is an attempted character smear-like the "Gore is an exaggerator" smear from Election 2000.

If anything it indicates how strong a hold the Republican Propaganda machine has on the media.

[AngryAmish]

7. Any toady deserves what they get

Scumbag

[TahitiNut]

8. So, Lieberman wouldn't honor an embargo?

I personally doubt that Lieberman didn't know. Given the amount of time over which Gore was apparently so-inclined (if not committed), I'm rather dubious that some 'inside baseball' wasn't being played. In partisan politics, no matter what might appear to the public, I believe there's far more "keeping people in the loop" than is otherwise apparent. The last thing the folks who rise to such party "leadership" positions need is avoidable animosities from other "national leaders" in their same party. It would create far too much of an impediment to their 'big tent prominence' -- and gentleman's agreements to respect confidentialities are a stock in trade.

[terrisel]

10. Good point. Helpful for us to know the inner workings. n/t

[GR]

11. Lieberman is Poison To The Democratic Party...

He and Zell Miller will appear in more republican campaign commercials than George Bush.

I believe he purposely "made himself scarce" so he could use this sandbag to beat Gore once it became public.

Lieberman had been betraying everything the democratic party stands for for months since 2000 and has only himself to blame for not being chosen by Gore and other dems for that matter.

The Press is trying to spin this to destroy Dean, since he won't knuckle under to them, and also kick Gore again.

[kentuck]

12. They all pretended Gore was "irrelevant" until...

he endorsed Dean. To get his word out, he had to go to Moveon.org. They ignored him.

[RobinA]

13. Oh, Boo Hoo

This whole "Gore didn't tell Lieberman" flap sounds like a bunch of school girls to me.

Plus, it assumes that the relationship between Gore and Lieberman was anything more than political expedience.

[eissa]

14. This is the most attention

Joe has gotten during his entire campaign! That alone should have him thanking Gore. Geez, he picked you as his running mate 4 years ago (and I don't even think he had a say in that; I'm willing to bet it was Brazille and the rest of the DLC shoving their favorite son down his throat), and now he's moved on. Get over it!!

[robbedvoter]

15. So, is backstabbing a backstabber ethical? Good? To be proud about?

Joe was low. To Gore, to Clinton, to Clark - to everyone. No tears here for Joe. But Gore lowered himself to his level - and I am sad. Because, Gore , I respected.

[LuminousX]

16. Oh please, it is just an endorsement

If Joe lived or died by Gore's word, he is pathetic.

Gore had no obligation to Joe.

[eissa]

17. Seriously, let's put things in perspective

It's just an endorsment; Gore himself said he is just one man stating his opinion. He also said during his speech that he respects the process, thinks highly of all the candidates, and then outlined his reasons for supporting Dean. Joe is milking this for all it's worth.

[PurityOfEssence]

18. Just crush all opposition

Do Deanies realize how much they sound like republicans? They're getting worse than the worst of the Clark-barkers when they first showed up.

Al Gore could have given him the courtesy, and could surely have asked for it in a way that wouldn't have screwed up the release. He could have set up an appointment a few days in advance for Joe to take his call at a specific time in advance when a leak wouldn't have mattered. That's just courtesy.

I don't think Lieberman was snivelling about this at all; I think he bucked up and took it pretty well, considering it was a big hit to his campaign. Bear in mind, too, that I absolutely despise Lieberman, and have rarely had a non-bad word to say about him.

He just had the rug pulled out from under him, and it was a rude blow. The fact that most of us don't like him does not grant us the right to dispense with the courtesy and decency we expect--and you guys demand--in return. That's elitism; it makes him a second-class citizen, and it reeks of the monarchic self-righteousness of conservatives.

Just crush all opposition, that seems to be the Dean way these days. He's the greatest, he has every right to blatantly lie about his opponents voting and speaking records, scream bloody murder if anyone calls him to account for his crap, and is beholden to no laws of mere mortals for being responsible for any of his own actions.

You people should be ashamed. More than that, you'd better get your act together and scrape up an ethic or two if you get the nomination; you'll turn off MANY potential voters. You're not just morally better because you say so. That's privilege. You need to answer for your actions.

This is not the end of the world, and it's not the biggest slap in the face of American political history. It was a somewhat callous and thoughtless move on Gore's part, and it leaves a bit of taint on him, but it's hardly a wicked act of cruelty. I don't think it's been addressed with that outrage in the main; I think it's been noted appropriately, and should be left at that.

If you want Dean to enjoy the pristine adulation of hagiography, then he and you need to act in a way that warrants it.

[chimpymustgo]

26. Purity, that is one of the best posts I've read at DU. Thank you.

Could you post that as a separate thread? It really deserves comment - and the attention of every Dean supporter here.

[SEAburb]

19. The Dean campaign leak, before Gore could call Lieberman

left Gore looking like a horses ass. Which has taken some of the glow off his endorsement.

[Larkspur]

20. No, it was Gore's staff that leaked the endorsement, not Dean's

Dean didn't even tell Joe Trippi.

[SEAburb]

21. And you know this, how?

Why would a Gore staffer want to make Gore look like a horses ass?

[SEAburb]

25. post #24 doesn't seem to back you up

Is it your job to spread disinformation?

[WilliamPitt]

22. Who could possibly give a crap what Joe thinks or how he feels?

Politics is a contact sport, Joe. Wear a helmet or get the fuck back to Connecticut.

[fishnfla]

23. question: did gore meet with any of the other candidates?

at least he met with them, right? newsguyatl tells us that this decesion was made awhile back, maybe august?

[dave29]

24. Trippi on CSPAN last night

took the blame for this. He said he was unable to prevent the leak before Gore could get a hold of Lieberman. He said Gore had tried several times.

Lieberman is playing this for all it is worth - and good for him, because he certainly needed it.