.
Even as the rest of the Democratic Party around him takes sides in the epic struggle of Clinton vs. Obama, Al Gore remains inscrutable, silent, above the battle. His gigantic but unspoken presence is raising rumors and fueling speculation. Joe Klein, writing in Time Magazine,
even suggested a scenario where a deadlocked convention turns its lonely
eyes to Al.
New Mexico Gov. Bill Richardson comes
out for Obama, and so do Ted Kennedy
and Bill Bradley. Govs. Ed Rendell of Pennsylvania and Jon Corzine of
New Jersey back Hillary.
Even House Speaker Nancy Pelosi,
while avoiding an endorsement,
speaks out to ask superdelegates
to respect the will of the voters.
.
But barely a peep from Big Al,
except to say,
“I think it’s going to resolve itself.
We’ll see.”
What’s his game?
.
A source close to him confirms that
he does not plan to make any endorsement until after the primaries are over on June 3.
.And then?
All they’ll say is
“stay tuned.”
.
For what?
Our guess is that Al is keeping
his powder dry to lead the superdelegates
in accepting the will of the voters.
.Perhaps in concert with a Gang of Five
that might include former president
Jimmy Carter, Pelosi, Party Chairman
Howard Dean and former candidate
John Edwards, Gore may act as the
elder statesman in the party,
stepping in after all the voters
have spoken,
asking the Clintons to accept
the will of the people and
give way.
.
He might quell the credentials battles,
giving Florida and Michigan some representation in return for a recognition
that Obama should be the nominee.
.
He could be the one who brings
closure to what could be an
open-ended summer bloodbath.
.
What about the chances that Al
would go the other way and urge a Hillary nomination?
Seeing himself as the victim of on
e stolen election, we don’t think Gore
will be anxious to switch sides and help
the Clintons steal this one.
.
He knows that all hell would break loose
if the nomination goes to Hillary after the voters give Obama a lead of over 100 votes among elected delegates,
and he realizes that the
Democratic Party might never recover
from the resulting bitterness.
.
But if Al acts as the honest broker,
he can have a great influence and
earn the everlasting gratitude of his
party for leading the way in avoiding
a civil war.
.
© 2008 Dick Morris & Eileen McGann |
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