Admit it. While you waited to see if the Clinton marriage would finally crumble under infidelity, competition and ambition, you never saw the end coming for Al and Tipper Gore. Why would you? They were just like us; normal and sincere to point of embarrassment.
The Gores did not have his and hers Ivy League educations, his and hers law degrees, his and hers sinks at the White House and his and hers global causes. They did not rescue a Continent from a tsunami or warn North Korea about its aggressions against the South; they didn’t battle jet lag to give eloquent speeches all over the world while their contemporaries focused on weddings for their children and the weekly contest of golf or bridge at the Club. We knew no marriage could possibly survive the Clinton brand of ambition, so it was only a matter of time before one of them said “enough”.
The Gores on the other hand seemed grounded with favorable odds for their marriage outlasting many of the political marriages in Washington.
Unlike the Clintons, the Gore marriage wasn’t controversial or polarizing. It wasn’t cool or sizzling hot like the Obamas. Who can look at that icky kiss Al Gore gave Tipper on the stage of the 2000 Democratic National Convention and not feel like teenagers compelled to tell their parents they’re really gross? We gave the Gores a pass on that one because while they weren’t the least bit sexy, they at least seemed genuine.
No one knows a marriage except the two people in it and as one who divorced under public scrutiny I can say it is a waste of time to speculate what went wrong with those two after 47 years. They might not yet know it themselves and if they do, it’s their business only.
Tonight on Hardball on MSNBC, Chris Matthews said it best. ”It is not sad. They are entitled to their decision”. I agree. Divorce is usually a little more sad for one party than it is for the other but the couple arrived at that point together.
Still, the prospect of a Gore split rattles the earth a little. While the world waited with a collective yawn for the seemingly inevitable separation of Bill and Hillary, another ship was quietly hitting the shoals. Not even close friends apprently saw it coming.
This was the tortoise and the hare race to divorce court and once again, with all eyes on the hare, the tortoise got there first.
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{ 4 comments… read them below or add one }
I was very saddened by this news. 40 years is a lifetime and if you make it that long you should be able to enjoy the golden years together. The fact that there are 4 grown children and grandchildren adds to the sadness. Adult children can be very torn. I think there’s more to this story than we know. I don’t believe it’s really a mutual decision. I’ve read lots of comments on the internet and most agree that it is sad news and they wish them luck.
How many people have stayed together when they should have divorced?Maybe it’s because people live longer now than they did before penicillin. Whatever, It’s their business.
Any time people divorce, it is sad news. I wish them the best – and agree that it is their business.
This situation reminds me of my favorite saying …. “Those who cannot weather the storms, miss the calm that lies beyond.”
Sad.