Lastly, Mr Gore's combination of populist rhetoric and centrist policies presents him with a way round that occupational hazard facing all vice-presidents: how to distinguishyourself from your predecessor, without losing the credit for his achievements, or seeming disloyal.
What better way to demonstrate your capacity to work with opponents and distinguishyourself from Mr Gore, who has a reputation for divisiveness than to appoint a man who was, until recently, trying to bash the living daylights out of you?