Is the Dean/Gore strategy to keep candidates from dropping out?

[Skwmom]

I'm starting to think that maybe Gore's encouraging other candidates to get behind Dean was intended not to make those candidates drop out and line up behind Dean but to harden their resolve to hang in there (thus fracturing the ABD vote).

[molly]

1. I don't think so

[Skwmom]

3. Take a look at the polls and the reactions of the candidates.

Gore had to know that his comments would piss off the other candidates (especially Lieberman). By getting them to stay in the race the ABD vote is split, Dean gets more money, and the other candidates become determined to stick it out (thus keeping an ABD candidate from emerging earlier in the process).

[DinkyDem]

2. What would either of them get out of that?

Gore's strategy is to take control of the party away from the Clintons. And I say good news to that. The Clintons destroyed Al's chances at winning 2000 because they are just all about the power for themselves and hate sharing it. Gore is the true progressive and the true visionary, and together with Dean they will challenge the Clinton power machine.

I would have rather seen him do it with Kucinich though. They could be soulmates.

[Skwmom]

4. The purpose is to keep an ABD candidate from

emerging any sooner than one has to. If they can put it off long enough Dean will have the nomination locked up.

[WhoCountsTheVotes]

6. Gore is the anti-Kucinich

Gore has spent his career opposing most of Kucinich's platform. Gore is not now nor has he ever been a "progressive" - he's a centrist, a liberal. Gore's pretty good on environmental issues, supposedly.

[cigarstore]

5. You may be on to something.

[Skwmom]

7. I think it's a good possibility

because Gore had to know the reaction his comments would receive. Why else would he want to enrage the other candidates?

[theboss]

8. Um. . .maybe

That seems like a really strange tactic though.

Politicians are not this clever. They play checkers, not chess.