A Silver Lining For Second Place
There can be only one winner in this year's presidential election. 60 Minutes II Commentator Charles Grodin has some advice for the candidate without a governorship to fall back on.
Governor Bush seems to be making preparations as though he expects to be moving into the White House in January. Of course, if he loses, he'll still be governor of Texas.
Al Gore, on the other hand, who at the latest count has received more votes for the presidency then anyone in the last 16 years, will be out of a job in January if he loses.
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First, I'd put that at the top of my resume: "More people voted for me for president than anyone else in the last 16 years. I speak Spanish. I can type."
In 1801 Aaron Burr felt he had lost the election for president, because Alexander Hamilton, who wasn't running, had spoken out against him. Later, when Mr. Hamilton refused to take back his "despicable opinions," Mr. Burr challenged Mr. Hamilton to a duel and killed him.
In those days if you came in second, you become the vice president. Al Gore would probably prefer the duel.
Of course, today if we had a duel every time someone expressed a despicable opinion, we'd have a duel of the day. There's a reality-television ratings winner right there: "Tonight Ralph Nader and Al Gore: pistols at 50 feet."
Even without the duels, reality is getting stranger and stranger.