Al Gore calls Trump's strategy of undermining mail-in voting 'despicable'
Former Vice President Al Gore on Tuesday said it is "despicable" that President Trump is attempting to undermine mail-in voting ahead of the November election.
During an event with Reuters, Gore accused Trump of trying to dismantle the United States Postal Service in order to "deprive people who are scared of the pandemic from voting by mail," and likened this to Trump putting his "knee on the neck of democracy." Trump has also been sowing doubts about the integrity of the election that is still months away, and Gore said he seems to have "no compunctions at all about trying to rip apart the social fabric and the political equilibrium of the American people."
When Gore lost the 2000 presidential election to George W. Bush, it all came down to Florida, and the final result wasn't decided until December. Gore said Americans need to prepare for the possibility that this year's winner won't be announced on Election Day, but even if Trump loses and he refuses to accept the results, "it's not really up to him." According to the Constitution, Trump's term is up on Jan. 20, 2021, and the Secret Service and military leaders would answer to the new president.
The Week
Escape your echo chamber. Get the facts behind the news, plus analysis from multiple perspectives.
Sign up for The Week's Free Newsletters
From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.
From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.
A free daily email with the biggest news stories of the day – and the best features from TheWeek.com
Catherine Garcia has worked as a senior writer at The Week since 2014. Her writing and reporting have appeared in Entertainment Weekly, The New York Times, Wirecutter, NBC News and "The Book of Jezebel," among others. She's a graduate of the University of Redlands and the Columbia University Graduate School of Journalism.
-
NY attorney general asks public for ICE raid footageSpeed Read Rep. Dan Goldman claims ICE wrongly detained four US citizens in the Canal Street raid and held them for a whole day without charges
-
Trump’s huge ballroom to replace razed East WingSpeed Read The White House’s east wing is being torn down amid ballroom construction
-
Trump expands boat strikes to Pacific, killing 5 moreSpeed Read The US military destroyed two more alleged drug smuggling boats in international waters
-
Trump demands millions from his administrationSpeed Read The president has requested $230 million in compensation from the Justice Department for previous federal investigations
-
Trump nominee in limbo after racist texts leakSpeed Read Paul Ingrassia lost Republican support following the exposure of past racist text messages
-
Trump begins East Wing demolition for ballroomspeed read The president’s new construction will cost $250 million
-
Appeals court clears Trump’s Portland troop deploymentSpeed Read A divided federal appeals court ruled that President Trump can send the National Guard to Portland
-
Millions turn out for anti-Trump ‘No Kings’ ralliesSpeed Read An estimated 7 million people participated, 2 million more than at the first ‘No Kings’ protest in June



