Vice President Al Gore efficiently spent his eight years of service preparing for his presidential run. Indeed, it seemed as if every time a Clinton administration scandal covered the front pages of the papers, Gore was as removed as possible. The situation became so well-known Vice President John Hoynes would even mimic it on “The West Wing.”

When the 2000 election finally neared, Gore’s eight years of not-so-quiet campaigning to become the Democratic nominee paid off. Most of the party was too intimidated to run.