Dorgan Urges Gore to Give Up on Presidency

The Washington Post ^ | 12/10/02 | Dan Balz

[Gothmog]

As Al Gore contemplates another run for president, Sen. Byron L. Dorgan (D-N.D.) has some crisp advice: Don't do it again.

"Al Gore is a fine person, and I like him," Dorgan said in an interview. "My feeling is that our party must turn the page."

Dorgan, burned by the way Gore and the national Democratic Party ran the 2000 presidential campaign, sent the former vice president a three-page letter in April outlining his complaints. He blamed Gore for issuing an "I give up" message in North Dakota and many other states long before the campaign was over.

"It's one thing to try and fail," Dorgan said in the letter. "But I think it is unforgivable to fail to try. . . . I want a presidential candidate who will give us a fighting chance in the heartland states."

Dorgan said over the weekend that his views haven't changed. "Vice President Gore is pretty much a known commodity," he said. "My own view is that, at this point, I hope he will make a decision not to seek the presidency."

Dorgan's letter carries an inherent warning to other Democrats thinking of running in 2004. Democratic candidates in Republican-leaning states need financial and rhetorical support from the party's presidential nominee and national organization to avoid what happened in North Dakota in 2000, which was a Republican sweep.

[Gothmog]

No surprise -- Dorgan is up for 2004 and is afraid of losing w/ a popular President at the head of the ticket. Such honor among thieves, ha ha ha.

[widowithfoursons]

It becomes more apparent daily that Gore is most likely a better candidate for self-committment than a presidential run. He is so confused on every issue. It really smacks of MPD.

[KansasConservative]

I'm torn between wanting to see Gore get crushed by Bush and the sick feeling I get anytime I hear or see Gore on tv.

[eureka!]

We'll be seeing a lot more of these articles from the Clymers in the coming weeks and months. The Rats are deathly afraid of Gore running and know he will lose. Their problem is that he is so stupid, he won't take the clue and will plod on. Go Al Go....

[VRWC_minion]

I'm torn between wanting to see Gore get crushed by Bush and the sick feeling I get anytime I hear or see Gore on tv.

Ditto.

[angkor]

Don't bother Al. Right now he's out looking for "evidence" that Saddam Hussein supports terrorism.

[Coop]

The national Democrats regarding Gore are starting to sound a lot like the Florida Democrats earlier this year, when they realized Reno couldn't win.

[eureka!]

Yep. It will be interesting to see how it plays if he plods on. I'm sure he'll be saying some more silly stuff in the meanwhile to upstage Kerry and whoever else announces--and it'll just drive the Rats crazier...

[69ConvertibleFirebird]

"It's one thing to try and fail," Dorgan said...

[69ConvertibleFirebird]

MPD

Multi-Purpose Derelict???

[Davis]

This cartoon says it best...

http://www.atrentino.com/CartoonGorePelosi.html

[Gothmog]

Yeah, it's going to be interesting to see what happens when the GOP compares the agenda the House takes (most likely very left-wing) with whatever the Dem 2004 candidate adopts. In the primary the 2004 presidential Dem candidates will move left, but the winner will have to try to move back to the center. How can they lead the country when they're out of step with their own party, ha ha ha.