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Clinton Passes Political Torch to Gore
President Bill Clinton on Tuesday passed the leadership of the Democratic Party to Vice President Al Gore, describing his deputy as "the right person to be the first U.S. President of the 21st century."
Addressing a joint rally with Gore in Monroe, Michigan, Clinton said that "every good thing that has happened that came out of our administration in the last eight years, Al Gore was at the heart of it."
He said, "He (Gore) has been a leader for the new economy, a leader for welfare reform, a leader for education, a leader for lowering the crime rate."
Gore thanked Clinton with a bear hug and promised to keep the U.S. economy strong if elected president on November 7.
"Bill Clinton worked hard to get this economy right, and I'm pledging to you here today, I am not going to let the other side wreck it and take it away from us. We're going to keep the prosperity going," Gore said.
After brief campaign speeches, Clinton with his wife and daughter exited the rally stage to the back. After watching them leaving, Gore and his wife waded into the crow to start his campaign on his own.
The two men headed in different directions -- Clinton going on vacation in New York and Gore heading to the Democratic National Convention in Los Angeles where he will accept the party's presidential nomination on Thursday.
Clinton, who opened the convention Monday with a ringing endorsement of Gore, flew to the small town of Monroe for the rally which was billed as a symbolic passing of party leadership.
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