Clinton Invokes Gore on the Trail
By Patrick Healy
Hillary Rodham Clinton
CEDAR RAPIDS, Iowa – Al Gore wasn’t by Hillary Rodham Clinton’s side as she delivered a speech on energy efficiency here this morning, but he was here in spirit: Mrs. Clinton mentioned her old rival a few times in her remarks, hailing his Nobel Peace Prize victory and embracing some of his ideas on the environment.
Indeed, Clinton advisers said that Mrs. Clinton and Mr. Gore had spoken about this speech over the last few days. The advisers emphasized, though, that the two have shared ideas about energy and climate policy in recent years, so the latest conversation wasn’t too unusual; they also spoke after Mr. Gore won the Nobel Peace Prize last month.
Asked if Mr. Gore had consulted on the speech or weigh in on a draft, Kalee D. Kreider, a spokeswoman for Mr. Gore, replied, “He has consulted on the global warming plans for a number of the candidates including Senator Clinton, Barack Obama, John Edwards, Governor Richardson, and Senator Dodd.”
Any instance of a Democratic presidential candidate cozying up to Mr. Gore – or any hint that Mr. Gore might be warming to one of them – is sure to draw some attention, given Mr. Gore’s popularity in the party and with many liberal primary voters right now. Some Democrats close to Mr. Gore believe that he is unlikely to endorse a candidate before the nomination fight is decided, but others say he could weigh in if he believes that one candidate is emerging with the best ideas.
The Clinton-Gore dynamic is especially intriguing, given the rivalry between Mrs. Clinton and Mr. Gore in the Clinton White House, and the tension between Mr. Gore and former President Clinton during the 2000 presidential race. Advisers to both men say their relationship has improved since Mr. Gore largely kept Mr. Clinton on the sidelines during the 2000 race, and that Mr. Gore and Mrs. Clinton have a collegial working relationship as well.
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http://thecaucus.blogs.nytimes.com/2007/11/05/clinton-invokes-gore-on-the-trail/