WASHINGTON -- Former U.S. Vice President Al Gore is apparently on the hunt for votes in the 2004 presidential race. He criticized the Bush administration on just about every ground at a recent dinner hosted by the Congressional Black Caucus. The greatest moment of unintended hilarity came when he said Attorney General John Ashcroft "is not respectful of civil liberties."
Unfortunately, that's true. Gore even was right when he argued, "One of the tests of our nation is whether in times of grave challenge, we have the courage to be true to our deepest principles."
But it's bizarre to see these fine sentiments come from someone in the Clinton-Gore administration, which perfected the practice of jackboot liberalism. Start with Attorney General Janet Reno, just defeated in her quest for the Democratic nomination for governor of Florida.