Al Gore and Bill Clinton. Two men who, for all intents and purposes, have been joined at the frontal lobe for the past eight years. Gore had been considered by many to be the favorite simply because he was an incumbent. But, he may be wondering, how am I a professor at Columbia, while his fraudulency, part deux is in the White House?
This may have been the impetus for a “cathartic” screaming fit between himself and Clinton.
Maybe he just needed a reminder of what he lost. After the Clusterfrick Election of 2000, Gore was out of the White House, and Republicans were pushing Gore as a crybaby.
Gore was supposed to win, many analysts said. He may have the personality and emotions of paint, but he was the incumbent. Besides, the economy was coming off of a career year. Why didn’t he win, then, against the political equivalent of a tomato can?
Regardless, Gore felt hamstrung by Clinton’s hormones. Just because Clinton felt a need to run off with an intern, Gore felt like he was indelibly linked with a man publicly considered deplorable.
Gore noticeably tried to distance himself from his running buddy during the election. However, his zealous dissociation from Clinton may have cost him the election, and he knew it.
Even the language used to describe the event showed Gore’s thoughts, as multiple references were made to Clinton costing Gore the election. Gore didn’t lose; rather, Clinton dragged Gore down. This had been coming for a while, though.
Gore and Clinton hadn’t spoken in more than a year before this meeting. Gore was mad because Clinton lied to him about the Lewinsky scandal. At this point, they sound like ex-lovers and not former political allies, no?
But the tension here was not sexual. The result was that Gore simply needed to scream at Clinton for the better part of an hour, and finally show some emotion. Now, for his sake, he can hopefully move on and reload for 2004.
Tipper Gore, however, can continue to loathe Clinton… unless she’s planning on running for President. If that is the case, well… Clinton had better hide in his plush office until the public’s fascination with him dies down. From the looks of things, that doesn’t appear to be during his lifetime.
Either way, Gore needed to let go and open up a can on his former running mate. After being mocked for not being able to beat a seemingly incompetent and ignorant foe, Gore had some definite tension built up. This lover’s spat was all he needed… I hope.