Inside Politics

Gore lore

Now that former Sen. John Edwards has endorsed Sen. Barack Obama, someone else is lurking like the ultimate Democratic trophy for either Mr. Obama or Sen. Hillary Rodham Clinton.

Who will win Al Gore’s most weighty and most majestic endorsement?

There’s already a “Gore Watch” under way among select pundits, though Mr. Gore has suggested he won’t utter a peep until the primaries are finished. Mr. Obama recently said he had spoken “periodically” to the global warming scion. Mrs. Clinton has said little about the man who was once a stalwart in the old Clinton White House — back when “Don’t Stop Thinking About Tomorrow” blared from every loudspeaker.

It is a “Maalox moment for Hillary,” noted Lucianne Goldberg, a figure from the Monica Lewinsky scandal who now runs a conservative chat site.

We won’t have long to wait for the big news, according to the Daily Kos, which has projected the most likely dates for Mr. Gore to go public with his favor.

“Obama has proven to be so clever with stealing Hillary’s thunder he has Al Gore in the bag and is just waiting for the right moment to announce it,” noted the political blog.

The projected dates? It’s either May 21, June 3 or June 4 — following the final primaries in Kentucky, Oregon, Puerto Rico, Montana and South Dakota.

“An endorsement by Gore now, combined with all of the contests being finished, would perhaps seal the deal and cause Hillary to drop out immediately,” the Daily Kos said.

Conventional thought

The moment of truth for all giddy Democrats is just 101 days away, according to the Democratic National Convention Committee (DNCC), which released a few details about the bash in Denver — which begins Aug. 25.

Every one of the 650 official buses and motor poll vehicles are hybrids powered by flex fuel or biofuel. There will be 900 “Green Team” volunteers “to assist with our comprehensive recycling, composting and waste minimization program,” said Leah D. Daughtry, chief executive officer of the DNCC.

But hold your ears, folks — media buzz will be deafening: While there’s 675,000 square feet of space devoted to the convention itself, an additional 200,000 square feet has been given to the press — all 15,000 of its members.

Our hospitality

The Tennessee Republican Party “welcomed” Michelle Obama’s visit to Nashville for a fundraiser last night with an online video that takes the Democratic presidential front-runner’s wife to task for saying she hadn’t felt proud of her country for more than 20 years, the Associated Press reports.

Mrs. Obama was campaigning in February when she said: “For the first time in my adult life, I am really proud of my country.” Mrs. Obama was born in 1964.

The four-minute video posted on YouTube at https://www.youtube.com/tennesseeGOP is built around the remark, replaying it six times and interspersing it with commentary by Tennesseans on why they are proud of America. The video also takes aim at the Obamas’ former pastor, the Rev. Jeremiah A. Wright Jr.

“I’m proud of my country because of the freedom of religion, so if my pastor goes on a wild political tirade, I can just walk out,” says a man identified as Tate R.

Obama spokesman Hari Sevugan said in a statement denounced the ad as “a shameful attempt to attack a woman who has repeatedly said she wouldn’t be here without the opportunities and blessings of this nation.”

Combatants

“Janey” may soon go marching off to war, writes George Neumayr of the American Spectator yesterday.

“Should Barack Obama win the presidency, it is safe to say that he would allow liberal pressure groups to push for an end to the ban on women in combat. That door is already ajar thanks to the Bush Pentagon’s PC nudges. But under Obama it would be kicked wide open.”

“Obama, recall, at last summer’s CNN/You Tube debate said that he opposes a draft, but that if one occurred he would conscript men and women equally. None of the Democrats on stage could come up with a principle to reject that suggestion from the questioner,” Mr. Neumayr wrote, going on to Mr. Obama as saying: “If women are registered for service — not necessarily in combat roles, and I don’t agree with the draft — I think it will help to send a message to my two daughters that they’ve got obligations to this great country as well as boys do.”

“If the Democrats find themselves with the power to end the ban and send the bill to him, he would no doubt sign it,” Mr. Neumayr said.

Waving waivers

Sen. Judd Gregg has called for a little civility on the borders. Yesterday, the New Hampshire Republican offered an amendment to the 2008-2009 Supplemental Appropriations bill to provide the State Department with the authority to issue visas to members of the African National Congress (ANC) without obtaining waivers.

During the apartheid regime in South Africa (1948-1994), some were found guilty of “terrorist acts” by the government and the ANC was never designated a terrorist organization by the U.S., Mr. Gregg explained. Those convictions still trigger the U.S. Immigration and Nationalization Act, which automatically denies visa applications and requires a waiver to be issued.

“Everyone agrees that Nelson Mandela and other ANC members who courageously struggled against apartheid rule should be allowed to visit the U.S. without embarrassing delays caused by visa waivers,” the lawmaker said. “While relations between the U.S. and South Africa are good, the visa hassles and delays for ANC members are unnecessary irritants. Imagine the outrage if similar restrictions were imposed by our friends and allies abroad on those who struggled for civil rights in the United States.”

Newfangled nuptials

What new facet is cut into the presidential race now that the California Supreme Court has overturned a ban on gay marriage?

“Politically, I suppose this is bad news for the Democrats, but not nearly as much as in 2004. For one, it’s not coming out of a candidate’s home state. How lucky was John Kerry to come from Massachusetts in the year of Goodridge?” asked John Weigel of Reason.com.

“For another, John McCain voted against the Federal Marriage Amendment: He can’t demagogue this, and he won’t. And finally, the issue’s simply becoming less volcanic as the issue is normalized. The way things are going, Mitt Romney will be leading a pro-gay marriage campaign by 2016 or so.”

• Contact Jennifer Harper at jharper@washingtontimes.com or 202/636-3085.