I was not tremendously impressed by it. I thought he was much more toned down from lately with his "He LIED..." and "brown shirts (http://news.bostonherald.com/national/view.bg?articleid=33260)" speeches. However, the injected humour into his speech in regard to the 2000 election felt forced and unnatural. I also though he dwelt too long on his bitterness about said election by bringing it up in every paragraph.
I assume that his assignment from the DNC, Terry McAuliffe and John Kerry was to try to fire up those Democrats who share the same belief that the election was stolen to unbury those emotions and to focus the anger and bitterness to good use. Its pretty well established that whether you believe Bush won or that Gore should have won, no amount of evidence to the contrary is going to change your mind, so that sect can be counted on to agree with him. His job was to activate those reserves, get them angry and proselytizing again. In that, I suppose he did well enough, but to me, he just seemed bitter and unable to accept reality as it is and move forward toward accomplishing your goals. Instead he is constantly looking backward and wishing he had already accomplished them.
It's too bad that Gore went into such a tailspin after 2000. I think had he accepted what happened gracefully and then begun sowing the seeds for a 2004 rematch, he would have had quite the campaign ability. He would have had a better chance at winning (I feel) than Kerry does. Instead, since America hates a sore loser, he gave up all credibility and most likely killed his own political career. I don't think this speech did him any favors in that regard either.
Of course, I am Monday-morning quarterbacking this, but I would have hoped for better advisors from the DNC. They should have tried to keep him on message more, because once Bill came on and spoke, he looked like a whiny talentless hack. Bill's grace, engagement and message shone a very bad light on Gore's overwrought rhetoric, demogoguery and sour grapes.
As you know, I am no longer a Democrat, and so my opinion may be worth little, but I still think Campaigning is a spectator sport. As we say in baseball, I calls 'em like I sees 'em.
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Date: 2004-07-27 07:42 am (UTC)(no subject)
Date: 2004-07-27 02:06 pm (UTC)(no subject)
Date: 2004-07-28 12:15 pm (UTC)I assume that his assignment from the DNC, Terry McAuliffe and John Kerry was to try to fire up those Democrats who share the same belief that the election was stolen to unbury those emotions and to focus the anger and bitterness to good use. Its pretty well established that whether you believe Bush won or that Gore should have won, no amount of evidence to the contrary is going to change your mind, so that sect can be counted on to agree with him. His job was to activate those reserves, get them angry and proselytizing again. In that, I suppose he did well enough, but to me, he just seemed bitter and unable to accept reality as it is and move forward toward accomplishing your goals. Instead he is constantly looking backward and wishing he had already accomplished them.
It's too bad that Gore went into such a tailspin after 2000. I think had he accepted what happened gracefully and then begun sowing the seeds for a 2004 rematch, he would have had quite the campaign ability. He would have had a better chance at winning (I feel) than Kerry does. Instead, since America hates a sore loser, he gave up all credibility and most likely killed his own political career. I don't think this speech did him any favors in that regard either.
Of course, I am Monday-morning quarterbacking this, but I would have hoped for better advisors from the DNC. They should have tried to keep him on message more, because once Bill came on and spoke, he looked like a whiny talentless hack. Bill's grace, engagement and message shone a very bad light on Gore's overwrought rhetoric, demogoguery and sour grapes.
As you know, I am no longer a Democrat, and so my opinion may be worth little, but I still think Campaigning is a spectator sport. As we say in baseball, I calls 'em like I sees 'em.