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Former Vice President Al Gore has kept a safe distance during this primary season. He has not endorsed either candidate as of yet, despite calls from the party that he step in as a mediator between the two candidates. This mediating / reconciling role is one Gore has wisely been reluctant to accept. An Obama endorsement would appear like a personal attack against Clinton, and would make it difficult for him to maintain influence in the general election should she emerge as the party nominee. Casting his support for Clinton, however, is not a likely option given reported friction between the two, and given the near-eventuality of an Obama primary win. One of the curious things about this primary is that both candidates (particularly Obama) have tried to center their campaign around the larger theme of hope, yet as the primary season winds down, many party members are looking outside of the candidates to bring about 'hope' for the election. With such long campaigning timelines, it is inevitable that there will be candidate fatigue, and that ultimately the campaign tactics will become more negative and personal. But there seems to be a desperation about this campaign, on the part of the candidates and how they are interacting with each other, and on the part of the party primary voters, who feel so strongly about not losing another election to a republican. Enter Al Gore, fresh from Oslo, a political martyr thanks to Bush, and enjoying the nostalgia of being a member of a presidential team from better times, and it isn't hard to see why people look to him with hope. Staying removed from the politics of the primary, however, is precisely why he maintains the stature he does. Once he gets involved, he'll become another Nancy Pelosi or John Kerry - not very relevant. So Gore is in the interesting position of having influence, because he chooses not to exercise it. His best bet would be to stay out of the primary politics, and officially support the nominee in the general election. He should be in a better position in that scenario to help secure a democratic win for the presidency, and to advance the causes for which he is passionate.
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