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Gore campaigns for Obama in West Palm Beach

By Mark Hollis / South Florida Sun-Sentinel

WEST PALM BEACH - Former Vice President Al Gore returned to South Florida today to stump for Barack Obama, sprinkling reminders of the 2000 election into the final-days' drive for votes.

"So, where we're we. It's been eight long years," Gore said to a crowd of about 200 Obama enthusiasts at the Palm Beach County Convention Center.

Gore and his wife, Tipper, aimed to churn out early votes for Obama by stoking memories of vote recounts, legal wrangling and election troubles that made Florida ground zero for a 36-day battle that ended with George W. Bush ascending to the presidency instead of Gore.

"Eight years ago, we were making progress and solving problems, and we were headed in the right direction," Gore said. "Now, eight years later, well, you know the story."

Sticking to themes of the Obama campaign, Gore said the nation's economy has faltered. "It started on Jan. 20, 2001," he said. "I know. I was the first one laid off."

While he also struck on environmental themes, the main message Gore is delivering is to say elections can be close and that a strong early voting turnout can help Obama in his fight with Republican John McCain.

"We are in the final days of this historic campaign, so don't let anyone take your vote away from you," he said. "Make sure that every vote is voted. And take it from me, every vote matters."

Gore's rally was held only about a mile from where Palm Beach County's 2000 election ballots, with their hanging chads, were recounted and studied.

"We know it was the curse of the butterfly ballot that brought chaos to the world," West Palm Beach Mayor Lois Frankel said. "It started here, it must end here. Nobody knows better than the folks in this room how close an election can get."

Supporters at the rally included Katie Kelly, 23, of Lake Worth. She wasn't old enough to vote in 2000 but she said she remembers the acrimony of that election. She said she's angry about the result of that election, and said she fears that votes won't get counted this year.

"I just hope it doesn't happen again," Kelly said. "I hope whoever wins does so because they get the most votes, not the best court fight. People don't want to put up with all that (legal fighting) a second time."

The Gores are scheduled to talk to Obama supporters in Pompano Beach this afternoon.

"It's so good to be back," Tipper Gore said. "Come on Florida, let's finish the job you started eight years ago and elect Barack Obama and make sure, without a shadow of a doubt, that we leave nothing hanging and we get the change we need for the state and the nation."