Enhancing Voter Apathy

15 December 2003


Gore Endorses Dean -- Yawn

The "big" political news of the last week was Al Gore's endorsement of Howard Dean. The move sent shock waves through talking-head land as the chattering classes tried to tell everyone what it means. If the move has any meaning, it is that Mr. Gore still believes himself to be a factor in presidential politics. Nothing could be further from the truth.

The entire concept of political endorsements in America is something of an anachronism. Back when party machines ran the big cities and getting a club house endorsement meant securing the power of the party machine, an endorsement had real impact. Today, only the unions with their phone banks and ground troops (members as they are sometimes called) have that kind of pull. Sitting politicians do have some ability to deliver organization , which is what wins elections. The support of a governor can truly help in a primary, and more so in a caucus.

Mr. Gore brings none of that to Mr. Dean's campaign. He is head of nothing. Moreover, his opinion counts for very little in swaying others. One can speak of Roosevelt Democrats, Truman Democrats, Reagan Democrats (who voted Republican but were still Democrats) and even Clinton Democrats. There are no Gore Democrats. His is not an opinion leader -- even his "Take America Back" slogan for Mr. Dean is a re-tread of Jerry Brown's 1992 "Take Back America." Mr. Gore abdicated any power he had when he chose not to run for president in 2004 and consigned himself to irrelevance.

While the Op-Ed page analysts try to provide insight into Mr. Gore's cozying up to the alleged McGovern wing of the Democratic Party, they exaggerate his importance. Running on 8 years of Mr. Clinton's successes/excesses against an unqualified candidate, he couldn't secure the presidency, even though he had the most votes. He matters as much as Walter Mondale and Michael Dukakis. He has jumped on a bandwagon in the mistake belief that his political career is not over. He isn't the first in the race to do it, and he won't be the last. He certainly won't be the best, either.

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