Gore shows Florida Democrats he's back

The 2000 nominee, among several hopefuls for 2004 at the state convention, assails President Bush's agenda.

By ADAM C. SMITH, Times Political Editor
© St. Petersburg Times
published April 14, 2002

ORLANDO -- The beard is gone, the contested election is behind him and his hibernation is over.

Whether national party leaders like it or not, Al Gore made it clear Saturday to cheering Florida Democrats that he's back and eager to lead the party in challenging the Republican agenda.

"I'm tired of this right wing (agenda). I've had it," Gore told more than 2,500 of the country's most battle-tested party activists at their state party convention. "America's economy is suffering unnecessarily. Important American values are being trampled. Special interests are calling the shots. . . . If you agree with me, stand up for conviction and fight for it."

It was a resurrection speech for Gore, whose potential presidential candidacy in 2004 has some party leaders cringing at the prospect of another contest between the former vice president and President Bush. But in returning to the state where a contested election cost him the presidency, Gore was greeted with thundering and sustained applause.

Even many of the Democratic delegates skeptical about Gore's re-emergence hailed his speech as similar to his highly regarded performances at the Democratic National Convention in 2000 and in his concession to Bush. Gore has said he has not decided whether to run again, but his rousing, partisan speech kept the door wide open.

"This is Al Gore, not the papier-mache guy we saw before," said Dominick Cabriel, Hernando County party chairman.

Willie Williams of Lake County walked out of the ballroom beaming after hearing Gore.

"If he had made more speeches like that in 2000, he would have won the election," Williams said.

Several nearby Democrats responded in unison: "He did win the election!"

Gore's Florida homecoming was his first appearance with other potential presidential contenders for 2004. Also speaking Saturday were Sens. John Edwards of North Carolina and Chris Dodd of Connecticut. Gore's former running mate, Sen. Joe Lieberman of Connecticut, and Sen. John Kerry of Massachusetts are scheduled to talk today.

Most made just quick references to the contested presidential election. Gore mentioned only the hard work and energy Floridians put into his campaign.

"This is not about what might have been," he said. "This is about what we can accomplish in America for the future."

A year ago Democrats expected to ride frustration over the 2000 Florida election into the 2002 and 2004 elections. But the landscape changed dramatically after the Sept. 11 terrorist attacks.

Last August, a Gallup poll found 65 percent of Democrats nationwide wanted Gore to run against Bush again in 2004. A new Gallup poll released this week found that only 43 percent wanted Gore to run again. Even some of those hailing his performance Saturday say they hope he merely campaigns for other candidates.

Bush has enjoyed stratospheric popularity ratings since September, and most Democrats have stepped gingerly around challenging the president. But the potential presidential hopefuls signaled Saturday that the time has come to more aggressively challenge Bush when they disagree with him, particularly on domestic policies.

"Respectfully I say this. Mr. President, Sen. (Trent) Lott, and John Ashcroft, it is not unpatriotic in this country to debate the issues of the day," Dodd said.

Edwards, a trial lawyer and freshman senator, offered the freshest face among the possible presidential hopefuls. After Florida Sen. Bob Graham noted that People magazine named Edwards America's sexiest politician, Edwards recalled that his daughter suggested it must have been a case of mistaken identity.

Edwards offered the only criticism of Bush's foreign policy, saying peacekeeping forces in Afghanistan are inadequate. Except for the area surrounding Kabul, "the country is going to chaos," Edward said. "This is an enormous mistake. Mr. President, do not win the war and lose the victory."

Florida Democrats gave Edwards a rousing reception, but it was dwarfed by reaction to Gore.

"It was cathartic," said state Rep. Bob Henriquez of Tampa.

Many of Florida's Democratic activists are also hungry for their party to start challenging the Republican agenda. Gore obliged with red-meat partisan speech sprinkled with humor. He hammered the administration's "radical agenda" and its record on the environment, the economy, the federal budget and education.

"They are out to dismantle every policy that helps the little guy and paint it as an effort to do him a favor," Gore said.

He said massive tax cuts that benefited the rich eliminated budget surpluses, adding that the administration is, as he predicted, dipping into Social Security trust funds to pay for other priorities.

"If anybody's in the market for a never-been-used lock box, see me later," he quipped in reference to one of his campaign lines.

Responded GOP spokeswoman Mindy Tucker: "Sounds like the same old Al Gore, all negative attacks and no positive proposals."

Some of those skeptical about Gore's prospects in 2004 contend he blew his chance last time, especially by distancing himself from President Bill Clinton. So Gore drew particularly loud cheers by declaring: "I don't care what anybody says. I think Bill Clinton and I did a damn good job with the economy."

In a brief luncheon speech Gore said he had just one regret about his campaign.

"If I had to do it over again, at the convention in Los Angeles, I would have kissed Tipper longer. But she was struggling, and I just thought ... "

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