Why isn't Al Gore stumping for Kerry is Florida?

[fujiyama]

I heard about Lieberman's half assed stumping in FL, praising Bush on Israel and whatnot.

Screw him. The '00 election resonates with many, and I would assume especially so in FL. The presidential election there is partly payback for last time. I know many hoped the '02 gov elections would be that, but the candidate wasn't as good.

Well Kerry is no McBride. I wish Clinton was doing better, but Al Gore would at least be as effective (I would assume much moreso) as Lieberman!

[Guava Jelly]

1. probably not to piss off the cuban vote

I think they are still sore about ilian gonzoles.
oh and by the way bush won the arab vote in 2000.
betcha a dollar he doesnt get it this time

[JI7]

2. actually, Florida is where Lieberman is pretty strong

which is why they sent him there.

[fujiyama]

3. Well

I know he was good with Jews in South Florida in 00 but his endorsement of Kerry rings way too hollow and was not at all impressive. As someone else stated, he basically said, "Bush is great on Israel, but vote for Kerry or whatever".

I'm not impressed. Send Edwards. Don't let Lieberman in front of a camera. He doesn't help Kerry in anyway. Everytime I've seen him, his praises are faint or he's defending this administration on one thin or another (Abu Ghraib, Iraq, dismissing Clarke, not defending Kerry's 87 billion dollare vote). Fuck him.

[sherilocks]

5. Read this article from the Miami Herald

and then comment.

"Connecticut Sen. Joseph Lieberman, perhaps the Democratic Party's most influential Jewish voice, stumped across South Florida on Wednesday as part of the Kerry campaign's effort to counter unprecedented Republican outreach to Jews, a historically Democratic voting block.

He told about 100 people, mostly elderly Jews, at a Sunny Isles Beach synagogue that Sen. John Kerry has a flawless voting record on Israel and as president will remain a steadfast friend.

''I didn't come to Florida to tell you that George Bush is a bad friend of Israel; he's been a strong and consistent supporter,'' said Lieberman, the first Jew nominated to a major party's national ticket when he ran for vice president in 2000. ``I came to reassure you that after 20 years in the Senate . . . John Kerry is also a very strong and consistent supporter of the state of Israel.''

http://www.miami.com/mld/miamiherald/rss/9912796.htm?1c

I'm no great fan of Joe Lieberman, but he is a definite plus in the South Florida condo groups.

[fujiyama]

6. Ah

Thanks for the exerpt. The endorsement was a bit more enthusiastic than I first thought.

I should have got his entire statements from a non biased source. The speech I saw was that in the NY Post, a Murdoch rag. It still doesn't really make me like Lieberman much, but I suppose he may be SOME help in Southern FL.

[John_H]

8. That's still an asshole way to campaign.

Joe needs to tell the truth: Bush's support is barely adequate, since dispite his support of the Likud government, he has inflamed anti isreal passions with his mideast policy. The problem is that Liebermans mideast policy is identical to chimp's.

I also bet lieberman didn't mention the 2000 butterfly ballot all that much.

[fujiyama]

9. Yeah I agree with you

I'm one that believes that doing everything the Likudniks tell ya isn't really a way to support Israel.

The real way to support it is by supporting the peace process. Bush isn't doing that.

[Deja Q]

4. He's too busy designing the next Macintosh.

He's part of Apple now.

[Cheswick2.0]

7. I don't know...why wasn't Kerry in Florida during the 2000 recount?

Gore is about to give a major policy speech in which he will rip Bush a new one. To wonder why the man who the democratic party stabbed in the back, both during the recount and again when they let him know he was not wanted as the 2004 candidate, is a little strange. Gore is doing more for Kerry and the party than either one deserve frankly.

....let's not forget the howling and screeching that happened when Gore endorsed Dean. I am working my ass off to get Kerry elected, but that does not mean I have forgotten.

I am a member of the Gore/Dean/Harkin/Wellstone populist wing of the democratic party and I am really tired and cranky this morning.

[fujiyama]

10. Oh don't get me wrong

I'm not attacking Gore. I'm wondering why the campaign isn't utilizing him more. I think he has become especially effective in the last year or two, with his attacks over the administration.

[NYCGirl]

11. I'm with you.

The party stabbed Gore in the back, and he's doing much more for them than he should because he's such a decent guy.