Will Gore endorsement make any difference?

[Oy!]

Although if he stumps for Obama, that may be a factor. If he goes out speaking, I think he'll be far more effective than he was in 2000. But the simple fact of endorsement - is there anyone who would have or did vote for Gore who would not have voted for Obama?

Don't get me wrong; I think the endorsement was great, and I thought his speech was outstanding. I'm delighted that he publically endorsed Obama, and he'll almost certainly help in fund raising. But will the fact of this endorsement actually pull anyone into the Obama camp?

Maybe this belongs in IMHO, but I thought I'd start here.

Oops - mispelled Gore in heading.

[hajario]

Gore not endorsing Obama would have made a difference.

[hajario]

I should elaborate. Everyone expected Gore to endorse so when he did it was no big deal. If he didn't, it would have raised a lot of eye brows and probably cost Obama some votes. I could easily envision headlines leading up to the Democratic convention. "Why Doesn't Al Endorse Barack?"

[magellan01]

is there anyone who would have or did vote for Gore who would not have voted for Obama?

I think not. anyway who likes Gore enough to be swayed will be voting for Obama anyway.

[Oy!]

I hadn't thought of turning it around as you did, hajario. And magellan01, that's kind of what I was thinking.

Thank you both.

[gravitycrash]

Why is this even news? Who else is he going to support. No offense to the OP but really.

[mlees]

A Democrat (and a super delegate) endorsing the only Democratic candidate remaining in the race, after that candidate has already gathered the minimum delagates needed for a nomination?

Not news worthy now. It would have been a month or more ago.

[rikc]

I was lucky enough to be in the arena for this. What a fantastic evening.

As far as who will actually be swayed by this endorsement, I think it won't really do much other than legitimize Obama with voters who were already voting for him simply because he's a democrat.

[Greta]

When theysaid on the news, Obama will out to speak with Gore, it got my hopes up (that he would run with him).
Sadly, no.
I don't think it will make a big difference.

[Spiny Norman]

The one place I think it may make a difference is in Florida. There are still a lot of little old Jewish people who are very angry that their votes accidentally went to Buchanan because of a poorly designed ballot. The love Al Gore and feel guilty that their mis-votes actually cost him the election. I think if he spent time in Broward County talking to the folks in that community, he could convert a lot of them to Obama. At the moment, they're not supporting him, and this could be the one thing that tips the scales and could turn Florida back around.

Outside of that one, small demographic, I doubt it will have much, if any, effect.

[Shayna]

The above post was by me. Sorry.

[DSeid]

You mean he's not endorsing Nader?

A shock this is.

[RickJay]

Gore managed to time his endorsement at the exact point when it would make the least possible amount of difference. He could not have picked a less relevant stance and time to announce that stance if he'd tried.

[Shodan]

I guess I agree with the consensus - if Gore wanted to make a statement of some sort, he shouldn't have waited until Obama had the nomination wrapped up. "Me too" rarely makes a difference.

Regards,
Shodan

[Oy!]

I think it's quite possible that Gore waited until it would make a minimal difference, as he likes to think of himself (with some degree of justification) as beyond politics these days, kinda like Jimmy Carter.

[Diogenes the Cynic]

I don't think it's going to sway many votes, but it helps to put the full imprimatur of the Democratic party on Obama's candidacy.

Strangely, I think Bill Clinton making a strong statement in support of Obama would have a greater impact on the Hillary supporters. Even more so than Hillary herself. I'm not even sure why I think that. It's just a gut feeling.

[Airblairxxx]

I would think that getting the front page on both of Detroit's newspapers (http://tpmelectioncentral.talkingpointsmemo.com/2008/06/gore_endorsement_of_obama_grab.php) would be worth a little something, no?

Besides, for all disaffected Democrats who aren't yet on board the Obama Express, Gore's an excellent reminder of what can happen if the party doesn't fully get behind its nominee.

[Oy!]

Dio, it might be because Bill Clinton was more vociferous in his anti-Obama statements than Senator Clinton was. Which is actually quite understandable - most people who care about their spouses would be much more 'in-your-face' on the spouse's behalf than on their own, I think. In part because people want the best for those they love, but also because speaking on one's own behalf can be viewed as either bragging or whining, while speaking on behalf of one's spouse feels more noble. Or at least that's my guess.

[Oy!]

I would think that getting the front page on both of Detroit's newspapers (http://tpmelectioncentral.talkingpointsmemo.com/2008/06/gore_endorsement_of_obama_grab.php) would be worth a little something, no?

Besides, for all disaffected Democrats who aren't yet on board the Obama Express, Gore's an excellent reminder of what can happen if the party doesn't fully get behind its nominee.
From your link's comments, Airblair: Wow! (http://www.freep.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20080617/MULTI/80617040)

[What the .... ?!?!]

Why is this even news? Who else is he going to support. No offense to the OP but really.

Why is it news? Because it takes up space and time that might otherwise be used on things that might affect Obama negatively.

[Monocracy]

I disagree with the consensus. This might not make a big splash nationwide, but it will make the news in Michigan, which is a must win swing state. Gore didn't just give his endorsement, he gave his enthusiatic support, which made for great visuals and soundbites.

So far, it looks like Obama's strategy in the general is as good as it was in the primaries.

[phouka]

It would have made a huge difference if he'd made the endorsement while Clinton was still in the race. Now? Not a damn bit of difference. He waited long enough not to piss off the Clintons and their supporters and not too long that it looked ridiculous.

[Little Nemo]

Gore has become a sort of elder statesman for the Democratic Party. If he had endorsed Obama earlier it would have been seen as a partisan choice against Clinton. Doing it now is a signal to Clinton supporters that it's time to close ranks behind Obama.

[t-bonham@scc.net]

Al Gore is the second Nobel Prize winner to endorse Obama. My neighbor, Leonid Hurwicz (http://nobelprize.org/nobel_prizes/economics/laureates/2007/), did so at the Minnesota Precinct Caucuses last winter.

Now if the 4 other Americans who won 2007 Nobel Prizes endorse Obama, he will have the full support of the American Laurates. That might make a difference to some thinking people. But they might be supporting Obama already.

[Oy!]

Hasn't Jimmy Carter endorsed Obama yet? One down, three Laureates to go?

[Little Nemo]

Kissinger's going to be the tough one.

[gaffa]

Kissinger's going to be the tough one.
Really? How much support did he give Bush 41 or Reagan? He's not exactly been the go-to guy for commentary about politics for a decade or two, and I wonder if that has been due to lukewarm support for his party's candidates. I can seem him being annoyed at Bush 43's poor international diplomacy record and choosing Obama out of pique.

[t-bonham@scc.net]

Hasn't Jimmy Carter endorsed Obama yet? One down, three Laureates to go?Note that I specified 2007 Nobel Prize winners.

Neither Jimmy Carter not Henry Kissinger won their prizes in 2007.