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Mrs. Overall

(6,839 posts)
Tue Jul 31, 2018, 09:58 AM Jul 2018

What did Al Gore do when an anonymous source sent him materials from inside the Bush campaign?

He *immediately* turned those materials over to the FBI.




Twitter Text:

Judd Legum
@JuddLegum

Just a reminder that someone stole George W. Bush's debate prep book (and videotapes!) and sent it to the Gore campaign and they immediately turned all the materials over to the FBI
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What did Al Gore do when an anonymous source sent him materials from inside the Bush campaign? (Original Post) Mrs. Overall Jul 2018 OP
and donnie would call him stupid for having done so. unblock Jul 2018 #1
given where we are now, cab67 Jul 2018 #15
It is REALLY hard for a leopard to change it's spots. n/t Stonepounder Jul 2018 #16
Would we really be better off if gore won and was then impeached for electoral shenanigans? unblock Jul 2018 #20
I doubt he'd have been impeached. cab67 Jul 2018 #21
Always hard to speculate. My guess though, is unblock Jul 2018 #23
White wingers would just laugh at his integrity. Of course, bush's prep book was mostly blank with Hoyt Jul 2018 #2
Would? Did. It was "playing hardball" when they stole and used Carter's JHB Jul 2018 #6
But but but. Both sides are the same! Roland99 Jul 2018 #3
Emphasis: IMMEDIATELY no_hypocrisy Jul 2018 #4
and, the Bush material probably didn't matter that much NewJeffCT Jul 2018 #11
Democrats care about America. Republicans care about republicans. spanone Jul 2018 #5
+1 ffr Jul 2018 #8
Why would Trump Jr have contacted the FBI?! jaxind Jul 2018 #7
Al was an honorable, decent, smart man karin_sj Jul 2018 #9
Me, too. Harker Jul 2018 #10
There are more than 4,000 American families calimary Jul 2018 #13
& when CARTER's material was sent to RAYGUN, George WILL kept it & used it!1 UTUSN Jul 2018 #12
It was probably a setup by the Bush campaign, anyway. C Moon Jul 2018 #14
Thanks for a reminder of my political awakening. saidsimplesimon Jul 2018 #17
is there any chance keepleft101 Jul 2018 #18
saw this Petition to get Al Gore to run in 2020 keepleft101 Jul 2018 #19
And I'm sure he didn't exclaim, "I love it!" George II Jul 2018 #22

cab67

(2,963 posts)
15. given where we are now,
Tue Jul 31, 2018, 12:21 PM
Jul 2018

I almost agree. Gore did the honorable thing, but I sometimes wonder if we'd be better off had he been a little less courteous.

unblock

(51,974 posts)
20. Would we really be better off if gore won and was then impeached for electoral shenanigans?
Tue Jul 31, 2018, 12:46 PM
Jul 2018

Keep in mind that there was every reason to think it was a trap.

cab67

(2,963 posts)
21. I doubt he'd have been impeached.
Tue Jul 31, 2018, 12:51 PM
Jul 2018

This wasn't very long after the impeachment of Clinton. Republicans ended up in much worse shape after that. They'd have found other ways to impede him, like they did with Obama.

unblock

(51,974 posts)
23. Always hard to speculate. My guess though, is
Tue Jul 31, 2018, 01:01 PM
Jul 2018

It was a trap. Had he not promptly returned it, the shrub campaign would have reported it stolen. Ultimately, gore would have had a scandal on his hands shortly before the election.

It wasn't worth it for the limited benefit of debate notes.

 

Hoyt

(54,770 posts)
2. White wingers would just laugh at his integrity. Of course, bush's prep book was mostly blank with
Tue Jul 31, 2018, 10:04 AM
Jul 2018

a few pictures of goats or something.

JHB

(37,132 posts)
6. Would? Did. It was "playing hardball" when they stole and used Carter's
Tue Jul 31, 2018, 10:17 AM
Jul 2018

In 1980 someone with White House access (could have been any number of people giving briefings, or maybe a Linda Tripp-esque WH staffer) scooped up a copy that had been within their reach and gave it to the Reagan campaign.

Conservative pundit George Will was the stand-in for Carter in the debate practice sessions, so he knew and was completely cool with it.

Knowing what points Carter would bring up and what his lines of argument and counter argument would be certainly made it easier to feet up Reagan's "There you go again" zinger.

no_hypocrisy

(45,774 posts)
4. Emphasis: IMMEDIATELY
Tue Jul 31, 2018, 10:15 AM
Jul 2018

Gore and/or staff didn't make copies.

They recognized the materials were radioactive and got rid of them immediately.

They told the world what happened even if it elicited doubt.

NewJeffCT

(56,827 posts)
11. and, the Bush material probably didn't matter that much
Tue Jul 31, 2018, 11:45 AM
Jul 2018

I remember the media making a big deal out of Gore sighing over Bush's lack of knowledge on many issues. That would have happened with or without the debate material.

jaxind

(1,074 posts)
7. Why would Trump Jr have contacted the FBI?!
Tue Jul 31, 2018, 10:20 AM
Jul 2018

After Trump Jr gets invited by Russians to a meeting about dirt on Hillary, why in heavens would he contact the FBI if he and his dad are in on the whole conspiracy to work with the Russians for Trump to get elected??! I truly believe that Trump et al and the Russian government were all in on this together!

karin_sj

(805 posts)
9. Al was an honorable, decent, smart man
Tue Jul 31, 2018, 11:25 AM
Jul 2018

It makes me really sad to think of how different our country (and the world) would be if the presidency wasn't stolen from him.

Harker

(13,880 posts)
10. Me, too.
Tue Jul 31, 2018, 11:39 AM
Jul 2018

Modern republicans have been installing marionettes since Reagan. And using increasingly undemocratic means.

calimary

(80,700 posts)
13. There are more than 4,000 American families
Tue Jul 31, 2018, 12:16 PM
Jul 2018

whose Thanksgiving dinner tables would still be fully seated. Instead, every single one of those families faces an empty chair. Forever.

War dead from the Iraq War that NEVER would have happened.

One of the last things the Clinton administration did for bush/cheney was to advise them about how critical an issue terrorism was going to be. And they turned up their noses at those urgings. Because - eeuwww! Democrats! They’re the OUTGOING. Who needs to listen to THEM anymore? And besides, Sore Loserman. Sucks to be them. Or as cheney himself had the gall to say, “the adults are back in charge.”

And those “adults” left wreckage, ruin, sky-high unemployment, a devastating recession, an increase in poverty, screwed-over workers, war crimes, and a destabilized Middle East behind as they were walking out the door (unpunished and NEVER having been held to account for the damage they did).

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