THURSDAY, APRIL 11, 2002 — Reunited. And it feels so good.

Those interested in Al Gore’s political future will know more after this weekend. In a little-noticed-or-written-about development, Gore is scheduled to appear at the Florida Democratic Party Convention in Orlando. Gore’s 2000 running mate, Senator Joseph Lieberman of Connecticut, will also be on hand. An informal Saturday meeting between the two men is in the works.

Democratic sources say that Florida delegates plan a floor demonstration on behalf of the Gore-Lieberman ticket, making the point that the team really won Florida in 2000. The convention will also feature speeches from Gore allies Democratic National Committee chair Terry McAuliffe and DNC Voting Rights Institute national chair Donna Brazile. "I am coming back to Florida for a simple reason — to remind the nation of the Democratic Party’s commitment to ensuring that every vote counts," said Brazile, according to a DNC press release. "After all, our get-out-the-vote efforts had more Floridians intending to vote for Al Gore and Joe Lieberman than [for] our better-funded Republican opponents."

The Florida convention is looking like a dry run for a 2004 Gore-Lieberman ticket. For the first time since the Supreme Court ruled in favor of President George W. Bush in January 2001, Gore will be at an event that highlights the tumultuous Florida recount. Judging by his Florida schedule, the fact that he won the popular vote in 2000 will serve as the foundation of any Gore presidential effort in 2004.

Until now, Gore has been wise to give Bush his space and not harp on Florida. His doing so has lent him a statesman-like dignity, which he often lacked as a candidate. Gore, however, should be forewarned: any campaign effort that focuses too heavily on Florida will be doomed. Today, in the wake of September 11, the Florida election battle seems like a relic from a completely different era. Gore would do better to stress his foreign-policy and diplomatic credentials — he voted for the Gulf War in 1991 — and his differences from Bush on economic matters. Whether he’s wise enough to do this will become clearer after the Florida convention.