The Scene At The Endorsement

NYTimes: "I have come to the conclusion that among all of the candidates, Howard Dean and you have managed to do a better job of igniting enthusiasm at the grass roots all across the United States of America," Mr. Gore told the crowd, adopting Dr. Dean's language and emphasizing supporters' ownership of the campaign. "And that's what we need to rebuild the Democratic Party and to rebuild America."

Describing the nine-candidate field as "great" and saying, "I don't think the stakes have ever been as high in our lifetime," Mr. Gore urged Democrats to halt infighting and "close ranks" around a candidate — the one smiling behind him — whom he later praised as "the only major candidate who was right" about Iraq.

"That war it is not a minor matter to me," Mr. Gore said here, veritably barking each word. "I realize it's only one of the issues, but my friends this nation has never, in two centuries and more, made a worse foreign policy mistake. The only major candidate for the nomination of my party that had the good judgment, experience and good sense to feel and see and articulate the right choice was Howard Dean."

Instead of the campaign theme "We Can," the men entered the ballroom to a remixed Elvis tune, "A Little Less Conversation."