The Maverick Tribe

Al Gore's endorsement of Obama today opened to mixed reviews, with many mocking it for its anti-climactic and uncourageous timing.  Myself, I don't begrudge Al Gore playing it safe this time around.  He is now a senior statesman, regarded by many as the rightful heir to Bill Clinton's legacy, stripped of his crown by the Bush thugocracy.  His endorsement of Howard Dean in 2004 turned out to be the beginning of the end for Dean.  Given this bitter history, he had reason to remain neutral during this year's Democratic primary.

I saw some of the speech this morning and I'm expecting the highlight of it to be the sequence introduced with the appeal:  "Take it from me, elections matter".  What followed were generous helpings of the usual legit anti-Bush grievances:  Iraq, Katrina, economic woes, environmental degradation... and then this:

If you care about food safety, if you like a “T” on your B.L.T., you know that elections matter.

If you bought poisoned, lead-filled toys from China or adulterated medicine made in China, if you bought tainted pet food made in China, you know that elections matter. After the last eight years, even our dogs and cats have learned that elections matter.

Al Gore, are you kidding me with this shit?  So bad tomatoes are Bush's fault?  As if there isn't enough Bush bashing material out there, you have to make a stretch to contaminated vegetables and Puppy Chow?!

I can practically hear the gleeful derision coming out of the conservative blogosphere as I type this.  Al Gore, still bitter about 2000, is now throwing rotten tomatoes at the president, they'll say.  This, of course, will overshadow all the important stuff, and any possible bump to Obama.  Nice job.