Post Monday, December 30th, 2002
How Gore’s withdrawal hurts the Democratic nominee in 2004
Here’s how Al Gore’s withdrawal from the 2004 presidential race could hurt the eventual Democratic nominee. If Gore had stayed in the race and the nominee had beatenhim, the nominee would have earned a reputation as a giant-killer. His stature would instantly soar and he might have been able to narrow the stature gap with president Bush.
However, without Gore in the race, all the Democratic candidates are largely unknown to the American people. The field is like the “seven dwarfs” Democratic fields of the past. In a time when voters are worried about terrorists bombing their neighborhoods, are they going to trust such a candidate?
And how Bush’s advisors help Bush in 2004
Given a choice between George W. Bush and John Kerry for president, Kerry might be competitive as a wartime leader. However, consider the advisors Bush has surrounded himself with - Dick Cheney, Colin Powell, Condoleezza Rice, Don Rumsfeld. These people inspire confidence. When Kerry (or any other Democratic nominee) is considered alongside president Bush, Bush’s advisors will certainly be part of the consideration. This is one of those rare cases where a president benefits simply by surrounding himself with the right people.