Gore, the "Anti-Bush"

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The Anti-Bush
As conservative apoplexy over Al Gore's earned honors continues, there are two terrific op-eds today that explain the former Vice President's fortunes in a broader context.

First up is Jonathan Chait, who explains that the right loathes Gore, in part because he's the "anti-Bush."

You might wonder why they care so much -- Gore, after all, is obviously not going to run for president, and even some conservatives now concede that global warming is real. The answer is that Gore's triumph is a measure of George W. Bush's disrepute.

Indeed, in the political culture, Gore's role is as a negative indicator of the president's standing. For all the talk of a "new Al Gore," there's nothing new about the man. His public reputation is almost entirely a function of Bush's. [...]

The defensiveness of Gore's critics comes because he is the ultimate rebuke to Bush. Gore, obviously, is the great historic counter-factual, the man who would have been president if Florida had a functioning ballot system. More than that, he is the anti-Bush. He is intellectual and introverted, while Bush is simplistic and backslapping.


I think that's right. When Bush's popularity soared, Gore's reputation was the subject of ridicule. When Bush was exposed as a fraud and a failure, it was Gore's assessments that, upon reflection, proved to be true.

And then there's the NYT's Bob Herbert considers Bush v. Gore, redux.

Mr. Bush came to mind because, for all of the obvious vulnerabilities he exhibited in 2000, it was not him but Mr. Gore who was mocked unmercifully by the national media. And the mockery had nothing to do with the former vice president's positions on important policy issues. He was mocked because of his personality.

In the race for the highest office in the land, we showed the collective maturity of 3-year-olds.

Mr. Gore was taken to task for his taste in clothing and for such grievous offenses as sighing or, allegedly, rolling his eyes. It was a given that at a barbecue everyone would rush to be with his opponent.

We've paid a heavy price. The president who got such high marks as a barbecue companion doesn't seem to know up from down. He's hurled the nation into a ruinous war that has cost countless lives and spawned a whole new generation of terrorists. He continues to sit idly by as a historic American city, New Orleans, remains wounded and on its knees. He's blithely steered the nation into a bottomless pit of debt.


Gore told Herbert, "What politics has become requires a level of tolerance for triviality and artifice and nonsense that I have found in short supply."

--Steve Benen

Ever considered writing a column for a local newspaper?

actually Steve Benen wrote it. . the acknowledgement is at the bottom of his piece.

But thanks!

Merle

now if only someone would start to look for the "anti-bush" or "next gore" in our current candidates instead of simply just looking for the next bush or clinton (both of whom sucked).

I made a lot of money during Clinton, I haven't made squat under Bush.

guess who I choose?

go ahead. . .guess


Merle

whoever had the most ethical manifesto?

DAMN STRAIGHT!

too bad Kuchinich and Paul are unelectable. . .

i think paul is very electable so long as the voter base keeps fighting against the media's attempts to derail paul's campaign. i see ron paul bumper stickers a lot out here...

i cant stand al gore, im sorry. this guy is the most overrated politician ever

Blasphemy. Heretic!

I was a Girl Scout once. I have not been referred to as a Girl Scout for some time. Of course, I still use the skills I learned being a Girl Scout, so I guess if someone called me 'the most overrated Girl Scout ever" I might question why they thought I was still an active Girl Scout. . .
(although I would agree that I was the most overrated Girl Scout!)

Merle

I agree with you.

He has a solid message, but the extreme hypocrisy he preaches (I.E> "use energy saving lightbulbs, like I do in my mansion with huge numbers of lights that are unneccessary to beging with" or "TFT monitors use less electricity than CRT, hence why I use 3 massive ones in a compeletely superfluous manner")

Sometimes it feels like hes being paid off by the extreme right wingers to discredit a very real problem. Then I stop, and remember that almost all politicans are asses, irrespective of the validity of their messages.

What made you think that the president has anything to do with the economy... or your personal fortunes??

why do you ask?

Can you answer the question?

yes, I am able to answer the question, why do you ask?