An interesting take on things from the NY Times:

The move carries obvious potential rewards, but equally obvious risks, for both men. The sudden marriage of such a seeming odd couple could wind up being seen as so politically expedient as to seem almost unprincipled, playing into the public's worst perceptions that campaigns are about power and winning, not big ideas.

"It plays into Republicans, who want to re-fight the last election and run against Democrats as not having firm moral values or beliefs," one Democratic strategist said. "They're going to use it against Gore, saying he threw out everything he believes in, and they'll use it against Dean saying he sold out. The No. 1 picture in both Democratic and Republican direct mail is going to be Gore and Dean together."