from 2003. I had forgotten all about this horrible debate, and it was right after Al Gore had endorsed Howard Dean. Salon's War Room today mentioned it. I had forgotten the remarks aimed toward Gore from fellow Democrats. He did not deserve them.
Koppel was baiting the other candidates by continuing to bring up Gore's recent endorsement...and the undercurrents were terrible. They fell for the baiting and it got pretty heated. Be sure though to read the lecture Kucinich gave Koppel for bringing up the endorsement. It was priceless.
Dean ended up defending Gore, who was not there to defend himself. What a strange forum that was.
Transcript, NH Debate, December 9, 2003DEAN: Let me just say a couple of things.
First of all, I think John Edwards is right, the people will decide, not Al Gore or anybody else. Secondly, I'm going to give an invitation which I have not yet given, but I am going to do it now. If you guys are upset that Al Gore is endorsing me, attack me, don't attack Al Gore.
Al Gore worked too hard in 2000 to lose that election, when he really didn't lose the election. He got 500,000 votes more than George Bush. And I don't think he deserves to be attacked by anybody up here. He doesn't -- he's not a boss. (read the transcript...Sharpton referred to "bossism" in regard to Gore.)
(APPLAUSE)
He's a fundamentally decent human being. We share a lot of values. We both believe that this earth is in environmental crisis because of what George Bush is doing.
We both believe that middle-class people in America ought to be able to send their kids to college and get some help. We both believe that 3 millions jobs lost is 3 million too many. And under the Clinton-Gore record, we had a whole lot better economy than we do right now. We both believe that the Bush tax cuts are grossly irresponsible and they ought to be reversed.
DEAN: We both believe the war in Iraq was put forward on the American people unjustly because we were not told the truth about why we're there.
And I think Al Gore deserves credit for being the kind of moral leader in this country that we have lost since the last election.
KOPPEL: Thank you, Governor.
No more griping about debate questioning this time around. It just doesn't get any worse than that one.
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