Disputing the Gore-y details (Karenna Gore on Lieberman charges)

[RamboLiberal]

http://www.nydailynews.com/front/story/145177p-128255c.html

Al Gore's eldest daughter vehemently defended the 2000 Democratic nominee yesterday from presidential candidate Joe Lieberman's allegations that Gore blindsided him with his surprise endorsement of rival candidate Howard Dean.

A few hours before Tuesday's Dean-Gore campaign event in Harlem, Lieberman - Gore's 2000 running mate, who delayed the start of his own campaign until Gore announced he wasn't running - went on the "Today Show" to say: "I'm not going to talk about Al Gore's sense of loyalty this morning. ... I was caught completely off-guard. No notice. I heard about it from the media."

<snip>

Yesterday Karenna Gore Schiff told me her dad "really wanted to make calls not only to Dean's opponents, but also to his own longtime friends and supporters. But the news leaked before he had a chance to do that."

"I was with him that night as he was trying to get Lieberman on the phone the whole night. He was calling literally every few minutes. He definitely called many times, and he was told that there was a Lieberman event and the senator wasn't with a staff person, and he couldn't get him on the phone."

[tsipple]

1. So Joe Lieberman Wouldn't Take Gore's Call

Or his staff wouldn't arrange the call. Hmmmm...

As Dana Carvey (Church Lady) would say, "Well isn't that SPECIAL?"

[Ediacara]

2. I think it's pretty clear

That Lieberman refused Gore's call just so he could bitch to the Today show the next morning.

[truthspeaker]

3. yep

[reknewcomer]

17. I don't think that leap can be made with the evidence presented

I fail to see any overwhelming evidence to make such a claim.

[Ediacara]

22. If Gore was calling every five minutes for a couple of hours

It's entirely dishonest of Lieberman to say "not even a phone call" on the Today Show. Ok, he might not have refused the calls and might have been genuinely busy THE WHOLE NIGHT, but for him to imply no call was attempted is, well, a lie.

[reknewcomer]

23. That's a big "If"

I suspect there may be a lie but the question is who is telling it?

[tsipple]

4. Think Jano Will Call Karenna a Liar? :-)

Did the Lieberman camp think they could really get away with this PR stunt?

Lieberman's story didn't pass the smell test then, and it stinks rotten now. Geesh.

[PaDUer]

7. Holy Joe, what a joke..

he certainly changed my opinion of him, but I never really cared for him even when Gore chose him as a running mate. What was Gore thinking then?!

[JackSwift]

5. Lieberman refused to take the call because

he knew damn well that Gore would be telling him, and he wanted to play the martyr. Another betrayal of Gore. Another Lie by the Ber Man to the American people.

Holy Joe, time to go.

[reknewcomer]

18. Interesting claim

Perhaps you have some evidence to back up such a verdict?

[Jacobin]

21. I believe it, because Holy Joe is a schmuck and an

opportunist and a whiner and a republican

[sendero]

6. Al Gore...

... did not and does not owe Joe Lieberman a damn thing.

This whole issue is about as important as what Dr. Phil said on Oprah last week. It is a total nothing.

[SOS]

8. Howard Dean

1. organized a letter writing campaign to get Gore's endorsement. Gore received 2,500 personal letters.
2. Talked to Gore once a week on the phone for over a year.
3. Went to visit Gore at his TN home, stayed for a private dinner.
4. Gave full attention to Gore's views on the environment, including a showing of Gore's presentation on the issues.

Lieberman:
1. Talked to Gore once on the phone in two years.
2. Disparaged Gore's NYT op-ed piece in public.
3. Said he was "too busy" to talk with Gore on any topic.

And Lieberman expects what?

[tsipple]

10. A Remarkable Contrast!

Excellent list, SOS!

I'd also add that Dean incorporated reference to the 2000 Florida debacle in nearly every stump speech.

[Media_Lies_Daily]

14. Excellent list...thanks!

[Fleshdancer]

9. sounds like it was a case of bad timing

I doubt Lieberman would purposefully refuse a phone call from Gore on the off chance that he could gain sympathy votes for claiming Gore didn't notify him in advance about endorsing Dean. In fact, I can't imagine Lieberman ever turning down a phone call from anyone now that I think about it.

He was campaigning, he couldn't be reached, the story leaked before Gore wanted to...just a case of bad timing.

[Media_Lies_Daily]

13. "Bad timing"? You bet...bad timing for Joe that Joe got caught lying...

...which is a typical, and quite predictable, NeoCon practice.

[reknewcomer]

19. Joe got caught lying?

More claims without any proof.

[dolstein]

11. Why didn't Gore just send an e-mail to Lieberman's blackberry?

NT

12. if he'd done that

Then Lieberman would have complained because Gore had broken up with him in an email instead of with the personal touch of a phone call...

[dolstein]

15. That's not what I meant -- what I meant was . . .

that Gore should have let him know by e-mail that he was trying to reach him. I really find it hard to believe that Gore simply wasn't able to get ahold of Lieberman. And frankly, what nobody seems to focus on is the fact that the Dean people leaked the story in the first place, knowing full well at the time that Gore hadn't yet spoken to Lieberman.

[beyurslf]

16. Actually I heard it was a Gore staff member who leaked.

Dean didn't even tell Trippi until just before.

Who cares anyway. Gore doesn't owe Joe anything. JOe should thank Gore for giving him national stature in the first place.

BTW: how do you get that Dean counter on the bottom of your post?

[SEAburb]

20. This is just damage control spin

I take this with a grain of salt.