Reply #7: If the Gore we saw in 2002 was campaigning today, he most likely would [View All]

[Larkspur]

have generated enthusiasm. A lot of progressives who didn't like Gore in 2000, were inspired by Gore's August 4, 2002 New York Times Op Ed Broken Promises and Political Deception, and of course, his much anticipated September 23, 2002 speech on Iraq and the War on Terrorism was greeted wildly by many anti-war progressives and moderates hungry for a statesman's approach on the subject. Gore was very passionate in that speech.

There was one point in the 2000 campaign where Gore said to his advisors that he wanted to get in touch with the average citizen more than he was. What Dean is doing today, is what Gore wanted to do in 2000, but his advisors scuttle a lot of that until the end when the election was very close. I think Dean learned from what Gore did right and wrong in the 2000 election as well as from his political models, Jimmy Carter and Bill Clinton.