Vice President Joseph R. Biden heaped praise on Al Gore Tuesday night, saying he was the rightful winner of the presidency in 2000, and did a noble act by conceding the office to President George W. Bush.
“This man was elected president of the United States of America,” Mr. Biden said at a Washington fundraiser for Senate candidate Rep. Ed Markey. “No, no, no. He was elected president of the United States of America. But for the good of the nation, when the bad decision in my view was made, he did the right thing for the nation.”
“I’ve served longer than all but 13 members of the United States Senate,” he said, according to the pool report. “I can’t think of very many who would put his country first like that, at a really, really, really difficult time. There’s an awful lot of folks Al and I both know who have run for president and still haven’t gotten over it.
“Al, you set an example for this country that is going to live as long as recorded history, about the man who won by a decision that I think constitutional scholars now and in the future will conclude was an ill fated decision,” Mr. Biden added. “The way you stepped up, it was amazing.
Vicki Kennedy, the widow of Sen. Edward Kennedy agreed: “In my house we still call [Mr. Gore] president,” the White House Dossier reported.
• Jessica Chasmar can be reached at jchasmar@washingtontimes.com.
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