GORE BACKS DEAN

From the AP via My Way News courtesy of Eschaton:

Former Vice President Al Gore will endorse Howard Dean for the Democratic presidential nomination Tuesday, a breakthrough on the eve of the primary season that could tighten Dean's grip on the front-runner's position and usher more support from wary party elite.

Gore, who won the popular vote but lost the electoral vote in the disputed 2000 election, has agreed to appear with Dean in New York City's Harlem neighborhood and then travel with the former Vermont governor to Iowa for a formal endorsement, several Democratic officials, including one close to Gore, said Monday.

I'm not 100% sure of what, exactly, this means. Analysts say that it makes Dean all but unbeatable now in the Democratic primaries:

Five weeks before Iowa's kickoff caucuses, the coveted endorsement is a breathtaking victory for a candidate whose anti-war, anti-establishment candidacy has given pause to party leaders and key constituencies, several Democratic strategists said.

"What this says is that all these Washington insiders who have been gnashing their teeth, wringing their hands and clinging to their cocktail cups can relax now. Dean's been knighted by the ultimate insider," said Democratic consultant Dean Strother of Washington. "It's game, set and match. It's over."

Good for Dean. I guess.

However, I do have to point out that Dean is not nearly as liberal as he has been portrayed. The fact that Gore, a member of the self-appointed Democratic Leadership Committee (that's pro-corporate Democrats in plain English), has given his stamp of approval simply reinforces that Dean may be only wearing a liberal mask. In fact, Democratic strategist Steve Jarding calls Gore "the ultimate insider." That kind of talk doesn't do much to dispell my concerns about Dean.

However, one thing is certain: Dean has a much better chance of dethroning Bush than does Ralph Nader.

Oh, well. Click here.

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