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CNN Live At Daybreak
Al Gore Returns To Political Spotlight in Tennessee
Aired February 04, 2002 - 05:16 ET
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
CAROL COSTELLO, CNN ANCHOR: Al Gore is back. He's back. He said so this weekend in comments to the Tennessee Democrats' meeting in Nashville. He's promising to help get Democrats elected to office and to help train young people for the party.
CNN's senior political correspondent Candy Crowley talks about the former V.P.'s return.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
CANDY CROWLEY, CNN CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): Trim of body and beard, Al Gore worked the crowd, looking for all the world like, "oh come on, he looks like a candidate." He sounded like one, too.
AL GORE, FORMER VICE PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES: For everything there is a season and tonight, as this new election season opens, I intend to rejoin the national debate.
CROWLEY: Add in that this is a fundraiser for Democrats in Tennessee, the place Al Gore calls home, the state he loved but lost, and you just had to ask...
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: End the suspense for us.
GORE: End the suspense?
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Yes.
GORE: Well, I'm announcing Leadership '02.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: How about '04?
GORE: I, I'm not going to announce that tonight. I haven't made up my mind on that.
CROWLEY: Still, after a year of mostly being seen, Al Gore has made up his mind to be heard.
GORE: First of all, it is now clear that our nation's present economic policy is simply not working, especially not for the people who depend on it most.
CROWLEY: And heard he was. In his first full critique of the Bush White House, the man who might have been there took on the administration's economic, energy and environmental policies. As an aside, Gore seems to have figured out a way to use the C word so obviously missing in his campaign.
GORE: I'll say this, whatever anybody wants to say, I believe Bill Clinton and I did a good job on the U.S. economy.
CROWLEY: Those who should know say the former vice president is fully committed to helping Democratic candidates this year, a commitment that, as it happens, will earn him a lot of political chips should he need them some time in the future. Similar events are expected throughout the campaign year as Gore increases his political visibility.
(on camera): So does he want to run for president or doesn't he? Someone who's been talking to the former Democratic nominee says he wouldn't be doing all of this unless he were serious about keeping his options open. And with possible rivals roaming New Hampshire and Iowa, it's time to put a place marker on the table.
Candy Crowley, CNN, Nashville, Tennessee.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
COSTELLO: So stay tuned.
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