That would have been the gentlemanly gesture. The decent thing. The least he could do. But Gore did less than least, calling several hours after the world, including Lieberman, already knew of his endorsement through the media.
Gore's backhand doubtless stung all the more in light of Lieberman's own loyalty in declining to run for president until Gore had made his own intentions clear. Only when Gore declared he wouldn't run in '04 did Lieberman declare himself.
Posting comments on his Web site about the Gore endorsement, Lieberman has taken the familiar high road:
"I was proud to have been chosen by Al Gore in 2000 to be a heartbeat away from the presidency - and am determined to fight for what's right, win this nomination and defeat George W. Bush next year.
"I have a lot of respect for Al Gore - that is why I kept my promise not to run if he did. Ultimately, the voters will make the determination and I will continue to make my case about taking our party and nation forward."
Ironically, part of the reason Gore picked Lieberman as his running mate in 2000 was because of the Connecticut senator's reputation as an honest, honorable and principled man. Gore needed Lieberman, who had been an outspoken critic of Bill Clinton's marital vagrancies, to help cleanse him of the Clinton taint.
Without question, Lieberman lent moral stature to Gore's presidential bid, imbuing the ticket with an air of decency from which Gore benefited.
By his betrayal of Lieberman, Gore may have squandered his moral equity and exposed his ambition for what it is: All about Al.