The surprising divorce announcement from Al and Tipper Gore has saddened people who know them, but friends and experts say there were subtle cracks in their marriage that were easy to miss.
Together, the two had weathered the near-death of their son in a 1989 car accident, Gore's vice-presidency, his loss of the presidency to Florida's notorious chad ballots, and then his reinvention as an environmental crusader.
But as their marriage passed the 40-year mark, their paths and expectations diverged, former Gore campaign manager Tony Coelho said.
"She went and did her thing," he said of Tipper Gore. "She was supportive, but she didn't share the world stage with him."
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