I get accused of "hero worshiping" Gore, which I don't think is right, but I do have immense respect for the guy, so I thought I'd say why.

Even now, I don't think people appreciate what a punch in the gut the 2000 election was for Gore. The previous eight years had been spent in the shadow of a pol who had the charm and magnetism Gore lacked, but Clinton did not share Gore's passion for the environment, wasn't willing to put his ass on the line for it, and his poor discipline and unforced errors left much of the rest of their shared agenda unfulfilled. 2000 was Gore's chance to finally control his own fate, to rise to the test for which he had been preparing almost his entire life.