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September 25, 2002Al Gore, Post-Modernist If theAl Gore, Post-Modernist If the past is merely an unstable narrative and reality simply a construct, then Al Gore is an exemplar of Pomo thinking. For the 'new' Al Gore, in process of reinventing himself for the next Presidential campaign, has created a new narrative to describe his very own past and in the process deconstructed----Al Gore!! What a man!, What a mind! "Back in 1991, I was one of a handful of Democrats in the United States Senate to vote in favor of the resolution endorsing the Persian Gulf War, and I felt betrayed by the first Bush administration's hasty departure from the battlefield," Gore told an enthusiastic crowd at the Commonwealth Club. --Al Gore 9/23/02 "I want to state this clearly, President Bush should not be blamed for Saddam Hussein's survival to this point. There was throughout the war a clear consensus that the United States should not include the conquest of Iraq among its objectives. On the contrary, it was universally accepted that our objective was to push Iraq out of Kuwait, and it was further understood that when this was accomplished, combat should stop." --Al Gore 4/18/91 Posted at 12:12 PM by
 
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For what it's worth, the Daily Howler looked at these two statements, and concluded that Gore was actually complaining about the abandonment of the Kurds. According to the Daily Howler, the 2002 quote from Gore continues: "even as Saddam began to renew his persecution of the Kurds of the North and the Shiites of the South—groups we had encouraged to rise up against Saddam."
So, the 2002 statement in whole should read,
"I was one of the few Democrats in the U.S. Senate who supported the war resolution in 1991. And I felt betrayed by the first Bush administration’s hasty departure from the battlefield, even as Saddam began to renew his persecution of the Kurds of the North and the Shiites of the South—groups we had encouraged to rise up against Saddam."
Posted by: Frank Lynch on October 6, 2002 11:50 AMSo Gore was shocked that, when we left Saddam in power, he promptly misused that power (again). I would like to hear what he thought about that in 1992, '93, etc... But OK, to move the debate along I'll assume that this statement, no matter how opportunistic it appears by itself, wasn't his first public acknowledgement of Saddam's agreement-bending.
Under that stipulation, Gore isn't a liar - but is an idiot.
Posted by: markm on October 27, 2002 12:15 PMUnusual ideas can make enemies.
Posted by: Snow Robert on December 9, 2003 08:24 PMSuits and religions rupture if you force them on.
Posted by: Wilson Vanessa on December 10, 2003 12:35 PMIt is only the most intelligent and the most stupid who are not susceptible to change.
Posted by: Weinberg Gregg on December 20, 2003 04:18 PM