Value Judgment: Well, raise my rent

Value Judgment is a daily weblog written by two independent voters on the eastern seaboard of the United States. VJ will focus on the 2004 U.S. Presidential campaigns, including strategy, tactics, and substance. The authors supported Howard Dean in the Democratic primary. Accordingly, his activities will be a prominent topic on this site.

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December 8, 2003

Well, raise my rent

Um.. so apparently Al Gore is endorsing Dean very soon.

And, uhhh... wow.

This is much earlier than I expected Gore to make a pick, and frankly, I wasn't sure Gore would pick Dean.

So, just two words:

Hell, yeah.

Posted by V at December 8, 2003 05:01 PM

Comments

Bring it on, Al!!!

Put me in a box and tie it with a bow! This is huge!

Posted by: J at December 8, 2003 05:02 PM

Why Harlem? Is Clinton going to jump out of a big cake and surprise everybody?

Great, great news. I think Gore has spent his time off doing some soul-searching (judging by his MoveOn.org speeches) and he now finds himself in a Ted Kennedy-esque position of power. He just doesn't have a damn thing to lose. He learned first hand the cost of mealy-mouthing and equivocating, and of sublimating your own instincts to a team of advisors who are all too clever by half. Wonder what Lehane and the boys will make of this over at Clark HQ?

I'm glad to have Gore back on the scene...where we can benefit from the positives of his intelligence and thoughtfulness and experience without having to worry about the ramifications of his negatives as a candidate.

Posted by: Madden 11 at December 8, 2003 05:21 PM

Yep -- I like the idea of Al Gore as SecState... or SCOTUS (even though he's not a lawyer--it's not required)... the notion of Al Gore sitting down with Big Tony to thrash over Constitutional issues makes me grin.

Posted by: J at December 8, 2003 05:59 PM

NTodd's got a deep background rumor that the Big Dawg might also endorse Dean.

I have heard a rumor that Clinton will in fact endorse Dean as well. That's on deep deep background (and it's not who you think). No joke. You heard it here first.

Now that would be Game, Set, and Match for Howard Dean. If Clinton endorses anyone before the Iowa caucuses I will be stunned. But, desperate times do call for extraordinary measures and these are certainly desperate times!

Posted by: J at December 8, 2003 06:38 PM

The report is that Gore will be with Dean in both Harlem and Iowa tomorrow.

I wonder if this has been waiting in the wings for the right moment... This is the news of the week, and it blows all the silly stories about sealed records and such out of the news.

I agree that it would be especially sweet to see Al Gore appointed to the SCOTUS, but how about Atty Gen'l in the meantime?

Posted by: John McCrory at December 8, 2003 06:43 PM

Hee. Well, we are getting way ahead of ourselves.. but since it's a good day..let's speculate. I think that we actually do need an actual lawyer as AG, whereas I don't think that SCOTUSes need to be lawyers. (That's my personal opinion -- no idea whether there are legal requirements or not.)

IIRC, Dean has also talked about elevating the profile of the EPA and making it a more important cabinet-level position -- that's another possible spot for Gore.

Who knows?

Posted by: J at December 8, 2003 06:49 PM