I Thought Al Gore Was Above Intramural Party Politics

By Kleinheider Posted on May 30, 2008 at 7:05 pm

First, he was an elder statesman. Then he was an elder statesman who supports Democratic nominees. Now, he’s an elder statesman who endorses Democratic Congressmen against their primary opposition. Why is it again that Gore won’t intercede in the Obama/Clinton race?

Former Vice President Al Gore has endorsed an Iowa congressman who faces a challenge from another Democrat in next week’s primary election.  Gore has endorsed Congressman Leonard Boswell in his race against challenger Ed Fallon.

The Gore backing is being touted in Boswell advertising as a means of repeating an often-made complaint about Fallon. Back in 2000, Fallon endorsed independent presidential candidate Ralph Nader. At the time Fallon cited his frustration with Democratic nominee Gore, especially his decision to pick moderate Democrat Joe Lieberman as his runningmate.

Gore lent his name to a Boswell fundraising letter and announced that he and his wife, Tipper, had both given Boswell the maximum donation allowed. Boswell endorsed Gore and campaigned in Iowa with him in 1999 and 2000, and Gore referred to Boswell a “real Democrat” who “stood” by other Democrats “time and time again.”

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Tags: Al Gore, Barack Obama, endorsements, Hillary Clinton, partisan politics