Posted on 10/19/2001 9:02:34 PM PDT by summer
October 20, 2001
THE DEMOCRATS
Bush Winning Gore Backers' High Praises
By RICHARD L. BERKE
WASHINGTON, Oct. 19 — As he leads the country in a war on terrorism, President Bush has won over some unlikely supporters, prominent Democrats who campaigned for Al Gore in last year's presidential campaign.
Many Democrats who once dismissed Mr. Bush as too naïve and too dependent on advisers to steer the United States through an international crisis are now praising his and his advisers' performance. Some are even privately expressing satisfaction that Mr. Gore, who tried to make his foreign affairs expertise an issue in the campaign, did not win.
Sounding relieved that Mr. Gore is not president, Representative Jim Moran, a Virginia Democrat, said: "I feel comfortable with President Bush. I never thought I would utter those words."
He continued: "Even though I'm a Democrat and think the Supreme Court selected our president, I don't think it's to our disadvantage to have George Bush as president. Sometimes you need a certain amount of braggadocio in your leaders."
Perhaps out of a desire to rally around Mr. Bush, not one of more than 15 prominent Gore loyalists interviewed said their candidate would have done a better job.
The most blunt assessments were from Democrats who spoke on the condition that they not be identified. Several said the nation was fortunate to have Mr. Bush in power, and they questioned whether Mr. Gore would have surrounded himself with as experienced a foreign policy team as Mr. Bush did. Citing Mr. Gore's sometimes rambling speech in Des Moines on Sept. 29 in which he praised Mr. Bush, some Democrats also questioned whether the former vice president would have been as nimble at communicating to the public.
One former senator who was a staunch Gore backer said he was relieved that Mr. Bush was president because he feared that the former vice president would think he had all the answers.
"He may know too much," he said. "And he would have tried to micromanage everything."
A top appointee in the Clinton administration. criticizing the qualifications of those he expected to be Mr. Gore's foreign policy team, said he could not imagine Mr. Gore's foreign policy advisers "running a war against Afghanistan."
Representative Norm Dicks, a Washington Democrat who was one of Mr. Gore's most ardent supporters, said his candidate might have handled the crisis as well as Mr. Bush — but not necessarily any better.
"People were wondering if Bush was up to it," Mr. Dicks said. "I think he's answered that. The guy has really impressed people. One of the real strengths of this administration is that people do feel comfortable about Colin Powell and Dick Cheney in particular."
Of course, no one will ever know how the crisis would have unfolded in a Gore administration. But discussions about how Mr. Gore might have tackled the crisis have reverberated in the capital, perhaps because last year's election was so close.
In a statement today through an aide, Mr. Gore declined to join in the speculation. "I have consistently declined either in public or private to say what I would have done or what I would do now during this war on terrorism," he said. "As I said in Iowa, George W. Bush is my commander in chief, he is president of the United States. And I refuse to second guess his decisions in this matter."
Several Gore loyalists said Mr. Gore probably would have also turned to seasoned professionals to staff his administration. Richard Holbrooke, the veteran diplomat, was frequently mentioned as a likely choice for secretary of state. Leon Fuerth, Mr. Gore's longtime foreign policy adviser, might have served as White House national security adviser.
Still, many Democrats said they felt particularly reassured by Mr. Bush's team, particularly Vice President Dick Cheney, Colin L. Powell, the secretary of state and Donald H. Rumsfeld, the defense secretary.
The diminished confidence in Mr. Gore that some Democrats are expressing is a big change from last year's campaign, when Gore supporters argued that Mr. Gore should be elected because of his grasp of world affairs, if for no other reason. At a rally only days before the election, Senator Joseph I. Lieberman of Connecticut, Mr. Gore's running mate, asserted, "When I think of a solitary figure standing in the Oval Office, weighing life and death decisions that can affect the security of our country and the stability of our world, I see Al Gore."
Now, not even Mr. Gore's closest aides would assert that their candidate would have done any better.
"The Bush administration has a number of people with tremendous experience in foreign policy and crises," said Carter Eskew, one of Mr. Gore's top political advisers. "They were able to add a sense of stability to the situation, and the president has led them well. Gore himself would have had that experience."
One foreign policy adviser to Mr. Gore said that he would have been more assertive earlier in engaging other nations. But, he said, "I don't think our conduct at the tactical or strategic level would be that much different."
Whatever Mr. Gore's capabilities, others Democrats noted that members of their party are known to be more aggressive defenders of Israel than Republicans, which may have complicated diplomatic objectives in the region.
"Because of the politics of the Democratic Party," Mr. Moran said, "it may have been more difficult to work with Pakistan versus India and to have worked with some of the Arab nations against the wishes of Israel."
Not all Democrats were skeptical about Mr. Gore. Some noted that he was much more emphatic during the campaign than Mr. Bush about the need to deal with terrorists and for nation building. Others said Mr. Gore did not need to rely on as talented advisers because he was far more steeped in international affairs.
For better or worse, they added, he would probably have been more hawkish about military action than Mr. Bush, because he often pressed President Clinton to be more aggressive, particularly in the Balkans.
"I don't think there would have been a lick of difference," said Rahm Emanuel, a senior adviser in the Clinton White House. "I remember the counsel the vice president provided to the president many times during military action."
Senator Tom Daschle of South Dakota, the majority leader, said it was unfair to assume that Mr. Gore would not have done as well.
"I am very comforted by the way the president has handled all this," he said. "He has more than risen to the occasion. He's impressed me a lot. Al Gore could have been every bit as capable of rising to an occasion like this."
Shhhhhhhh!!!!
The Democrats may demand a recount...
"Oh darn it all, when's it gonna be my turn?" - Richard Gebhardt
I heard Reuter's is considering advancing it to alleged President Bush...
Somehow it got misplaced when it came time to print the April 1st edition. Or maybe they fear that they won't get the opportunity to publish another edition next April.
Then again, it could be the work of pesky hackers....
Where's a picture of a really fat cat (or 200lb rat) when you need one? Can someone photoshop this?
Followup question.
Q: What do you do when an overweight former Democrat Presidential candidate with a beard shows up at your door?
A: Pay him for the pizza.
Oh well, what can we expect from liberals. Not much.
Thanks for your post.
That doesn't count as "making ugly" with Russia? It's no different from China buying any paying for Clinton, which I definitely consider "making ugly" with the US.
Slick's war in Yugoslavia did a lot to alienate Russia. Bush's initial "make nice" efforts had to undo the damage Slick did.
Remember, Slick is a "traditional" marxist, who -- with Bubbette -- had a lot of ties to various communist and soviet-connected outfits (i.e., Institute for Policy Studies). Slick did a favor for the KGB, and for the old line commies who were watching future history slipping from their grasp. He certainly didn't do any favors for Russia. (Counterpart to that is China did a lot of favors for the DNC, but not for the USA.)
Slick was trying to reinvigorate the cold war, and possibly even heat it up. His efforts dovetailed with the last vestiges of Russian communism, with their incredibly long-term vision of global conquest (such as the "fool them with peace" agenda). He was the last hope of resurection for the failed old line soviet agenda.
Main Entry: brag·ga·do·cio
Pronunciation: "bra-g&-'dO-sE-"O, -shE-, -chE-, -(")shO, -(")chO
Function: noun
Inflected Form(s): plural -cios
Etymology: Braggadochio, personification of boasting in Faerie Queene by Edmund Spenser
Date: 1594
1 : BRAGGART
2 a : empty boasting b : arrogant pretension : COCKINESS
I don't think so.
We may have very well crossed over.
An ex-has-been.
Jim Moran continues to exploit this erroneous and deceptive falsehood. The Democrat Al Gore displayed from start to finish less than leadership qualities, if he displayed any strengths at all other than how to bully.
Memories will be short but don't ever forget those who led and covered up for the most corrupt administration in history and who ran the Reagan economy into near bankruptcy by spending money like a drunken sailor, wrecked our foreign policy, shredded the military, made side deals with every rogue leader around the world and left the White House in tatters. Clinton/Clinton/Gore.
Memory is the taxpayer's best weapon; it may be your only weapon. Thank heaven for the strength and leadership of George Bush, what a disaster had the Gore lawyers been able to complete what they tried to do. Never forget that Al Gore held Americans in third place after himself and special interest...Jessie Jackson!
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