NYTimes -- In Bowing Out, Gore Took His Own Advice

He said there was a "slow dawning of what I felt was the right thing to do." He had been in New York all week with his family, rehearsing for his appearance on "Saturday Night Live," and began having discussions that he had not expected to have until the holidays.

He said that he had made up his mind on Friday morning and called Lesley Stahl, a reporter on the CBS program "60 Minutes" and asked for time on the Sunday broadcast. He did not discuss his decision in advance with former President Bill Clinton or with Terry McAuliffe, the chairman of the Democratic National Committee.