If you’re a Democrat looking for a reason to abandon Al Gore, here’s another one: he’s tipping his pitches. I was thinking the other day that I can’t remember a speech that triggered so much well-written, dead-on-target commentary – from friends, not just foes – in such a short span. OK, there have been some big targets, like Clinton’s August 17, 1998 non-apology, Gore’s 2000 convention speech or Pat Buchanan’s speech to the 1992 GOP Convention. But like a pitcher who’s seen the same team too much lately, Gore is now facing a united front of politicos, pundits, editorialists, and bloggers who know his whole routine and his characteristic failings so well that they can see them coming a mile away when he launches into a speech. People know what notes to take, and they come away with an endless bag of put-downs for the man. Put another way: everybody knows by now how to hit Gore.
I’ve already linked to a ton of these; just check out Jonah Goldberg and Charles Krauthammer and you will see what I mean. Even The New Republic, a neophyte at Gore-bashing, had this to say: “And so you’re back from outer space. I just walked in to find you here, with that sad look upon your face. I should have changed that stupid lock. I should have made you leave your key. If I had known for just one second you’d be back to bother me.” Oops, what Gore’s longest-suffering supporters said was that his “speech . . . consisted of neither honest criticism nor honest opposition. Rather, it sounded like a political broadside against a president who Gore no doubt feels occupies a post that he himself deserves. But bitterness is not a policy position.”
Get off the stage, and bring on a new guy so everyone can say, “what’s his angle?” and the optimists can project upon him their earnest hopes for the Party, and us right-wing nut cases have to go fill a new clippings file. Instead, Gore winds up, and everyone in the park knows the eephus pitch is coming. Or, in this case, the spitter.