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CNN Sunday Morning

Al Gore Is Back

Aired August 12, 2001 - 08:00   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.
KYRA PHILLIPS, CNN ANCHOR: We begin with U.S. presidential politics and the adage that defeated politicians never really go away, they just reinvent themselves.

Case in point, former Vice President Al Gore, who has taken the first tiny step of what could be his political comeback. CNN's Mike Boettcher has our report.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

MIKE BOETTCHER, CNN CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): He's grown a beard and gained a few pounds, but more significantly, he made a small step back into public life, if only for a few seconds.

AL GORE, FORMER VICE PRESIDENT: We're keeping the focus on these young people here and...

BOETTCHER: As the co-sponsor of a bipartisan political workshop with former Republican Tennessee governor Lamar Alexander at Nashville's Vanderbilt University, Al Gore said he wanted to talk about that and that only.

The political workshop was closed to the media and Gore aides sought to downplay the former vice president's as a Gore event, a return to the stage.

But, as he returned to the conference room, the defeated presidential candidate made it clear that his political presence would again soon be felt.

GORE: I think that it's safe to say that everybody in the room there is going to be in the 2002 elections for their respective candidates and parties, me included.

BOETTCHER: Some Democrats have complained that Al Gore should not have effectively gone underground after his defeat; that he should have led opposition to President Bush's more conservative policies.

But a Vanderbilt political scientist believes Gore had to step back.

JOHN GEER, VANDERBILT UNIVERSITY: If he'd have been on stage making lots of public speeches against some of the Bush moves, like on the environment and some other things, he'd have come under a lot of criticism for sour grapes.

BOETTCHER: Will he run again in 2004? Gore wasn't saying, and neither were his former top aides.

DONNA BRAZILE, FORMER GORE CAMPAIGN MANAGER: Well, you know, if you look at the recent polls, the vice president -- right now, if the election was held tomorrow, the American people are still split right down the middle between Al Gore and George Bush. I think he's used this time wisely to rest and to reflect and to get ready for the future.

BOETTCHER: As advertised, his appearance at Vanderbilt was not a Gore event announcing his return to politics, but it was an important first step in that direction.

Mike Boettcher, CNN, Nashville.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

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