Clinton, Gore 'clear the air' on election loss

WASHINGTON - A few days after former Vice-President Al Gore conceded the 2000 presidential election, he and former President Bill Clinton had what sources described as a "blunt" exchange, the Washington Post reports.

In what sources close to both men described as uncommonly blunt language, Gore forcefully told Clinton that his sex scandal and low personal approval ratings were a major impediment to his presidential campaign, the Post said.

People close to Clinton told the newspaper the former President responded with equal force that it was Gore's failure to run on the Administration's record that hobbled his ambition.

Before the White House showdown, which lasted for more than an hour, Gore and Clinton had barely spoken for a year, the Post said.

Only Clinton and Gore were present for the meeting, which Gore initiated and which never appeared on internal schedules distributed to White House staff, according to the Post.

A Clinton adviser described the tone of the meeting as "tense" while a Gore aide called it "cathartic."

One Democrat who has worked closely with both men called the session "very, very blunt," the Post said.

The report said that where descriptions differ is on the conclusion of the meeting.

Sources who heard descriptions from either man said the meeting essentially ratified what for many months had been an unspoken truth between them: their relationship suffered irreparable harm in the wake of the Monica Lewinsky scandal and Clinton's lies to Gore and the nation about it.

The report quoted one Democrat as saying Gore "seemed eager to get things off his chest."

The report said the two camps had not come close to finding common ground on why Gore lost the election.

According to the Post, a senior White House official close to Clinton scoffed: "I don't think the fact that they lost four out of four debates had anything to do with Bill Clinton."

Aides close to Clinton told the newspaper that he was mystified and at times angered by Gore's refusal to run on the strong economy and other issues in which Clinton felt both he and his Vice-President deserved credit.

They said that just as voters made a distinction between Clinton's personal conduct and his job performance, Clinton believed Gore could campaign on the record without being tied to the presidential scandals.

Clinton spokesman Jake Siewert and Gore spokeswoman Kiki McLean both said their bosses would not comment on a private conversation.

The two camps around both men have also become estranged, the Post reported.

Sources told the Post that former Clinton chief of staff John Podesta was angry that Gore aides had allowed Clinton to take blame for damage left in the Executive Office Building, even though most of the mischief took place in the Vice-President's office.

- REUTERS

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