Gore’s waistline – is he in?

How lucky! The first political post involves food.  Eleanor Clift, writing in the new issue of  Newsweek, wonders whether Al Gore is running again, as he’s lost a little weight. Officially, she was told, no he’s not. She’s not buying it. The door is open, said a Gore friend who hopes he will run.

While looking at Oscar night photos (see left), I  mentioned to someone that Gore looked as if he hadn’t missed a meal in his life. A real chunk monster. Clift, of course, is more tactful, noting that “Gore has always been a voracious eater.”

I remember this same speculation, years ago, about Ted Kennedy. As it transpired, he was merely in love with Victoria Reggie, his wife of fifteen years now.  No, I’m not suggesting Gore’s in love with anyone but Tipper — how crazy is that ?— just saying there are other reasons for dieting, not least among them better health.

But if he is running, this is not Manhattan or Hollywood. It’s New Hampshire, where it’s not a sin to eat more than mesclun for lunch. Nobody would hold Gore’s weight against him. They would hold his record against him and his blind allegiance to Bill Clinton during the, um, spot of bother.  There’s a difference between loyalty and toadyism. And even though NH became a blue state last year, Gore could face resistance from the all-important Independent voters here. Of which I am one, in the truest sense.

Speaking of Independents, John McCain, the darling of the Indies and the media seven years ago, returned to my area yesterday. The local rag says 200 people showed up for him; we had a quite a snowstorm. He’s certainly back in the Repbulican fold, at least for now. He supported President Bush’s troop escalation plan for Iraq and called the Democrats’ plan folly.

I think I’ll start a parlor game: count the chins on Al Gore.

Tagged as: commentary, NH primary, political news