Recent Reading

Here are a few articles that prove that people (and not just fanatical bloggers like yours truly) are still hoping for a Gore ticket for the Dems:

• The Case for Gore Obama
  
• Gore Fest
  
• Al Gore for President? Party Like It's 1924!

The chatter continues...

Dem primary is dragging on and on

An interesting opinion piece in the NYPost yesterday about how Gore could save the party. Yes, a slim shot, but with the "kitchen sink" and the venom-and-fang approach of Hillary and the I'm-above-all-that-silliness approach from Barack, does that leave us with a horribly divided Democratic party (if Clinton gets the nom) or an easy list of insults from which McCain to pick from (if Obama gets the nom)? What's option C?

I wish Clinton would cut it out, but my opinion of her has been well-documented on this blog. I can't say I'm all that surprised by her tactics these days.

Even the pundits won't count him out

CNN's Cafferty thinks there still may be room for Al in the presidential race. Why not, says I? I'm still hoping, even though he's told the AmericaForGore group to back down. I'm an optimist, what can I say?

The Dems CAN'T let this be a close election in November. If the country doesn't start showing a real predilection for either Obama or Hillary (ugh. Hillary.), it'll be a much closer race than it should be in 9 months.

Newsweek chimes in

Newsweek's Michael Hirsh has some interesting points aboutwhy he think Al Gore needs to be in the Oval Office.

Highlight:

I asked Donna Brazile, his campaign manager from 2000, whether there's any way Gore could still become president. "America might decide to turn to a 'recovering politician' in 2008, and Al Gore is ready to lead day one. I'm still a dreamer," she said by e-mail today. Gore, interviewed by CNN in Oslo, said cautiously that "I haven't ruled out the idea of getting back into the political process at some point in the future. I don't expect to. But if I did get back, it would be as a candidate for president, not in any other position."

For those words right from Al, check out my post on the video.

Gore on CNN: It would only be as president

He did say he doesn't expect to get back into the political process, but he WAS specific about if he did, he'd go for pres...

Rumors still circulate

The Nashville City Paper's Steve Gill put pretty succinctly what a lot of Dems are now thinking... Hillary's popularity is widespread but shallow and not really a shoe-in to win the election if she's nominated -- a fact that itself is resting on delicate glass. Obama would be a wonderful VP or probably a great president in about 8 years, but he's just not ripe yet. Edwards, sad to say, probably doesn't have the following to get the nomination. That would leave the DNC practically begging Gore. Could it happen? I still think so. After all he's been through in respect to politics and all that the "race" these days encompasses, though, can you blame him for sticking to the sidelines now? I can't. But I still think his time will come to lead us.

Golden Opportunity -- another article pointing Al's way

OMG, don't look at the time stamp. I was all set to shut this puppy down for the night when I came across this article, Al Gore's Golden Opportunity, published in the Korea Times. Arthur I. Cyr compares Gore to Nixon (in good ways) and states the precedent for Gore continuing to test the waters and dip his toe in when the temp's just right.

The Rock of Chickamauga

TownHall.com blogger William Rusher made me snort milk out my nose at this one:

You can bet your bottom dollar that he wants the job -- wants it so much his chest aches. After all, he has pursued it all his life. And now the stars seem aligned in a way that points inexorably toward that one glittering goal. There is, in fact, only one serious obstacle. And there she sits, like the Rock of Chickamauga: Hillary Clinton.

His argument comes to an abrupt halt, though, without much evidence or backing. My opinions on Ms. Hillary have been stated (I'm not a fan and don't believe the country backs her as much as the polls say we all do). If it's between Hillary and a Pub in November 2008, maybe I'll just leave that particular field blank on my ballot.

I'm not saying she'd be awful. She may just turn out to be a fine leader (I hope the First Husband helps her out a lot, in this case). But I wouldn't want to be responsible for putting her in the Oval Office.

Effectiveness of a grassroots campaign in the days of big money politics

Found this opinion article: Will 'Draft Gore' movement bring change? I have to say, I do understand the points and agree with a lot of them. Al Gore is in a place right now where he can let the proverbial mud slide off his back. What does he care if an article gets written about exaggeration? He knows his points and the data are getting through to the people he wants to hear them. But if he ran for president, all of a sudden, he'd be in the middle of all the crap that's being slung around. People would attack him (and his books and his movie and everything he's done and enjoyed doing the past 8 years) and he would be forced to care. Because he wouldn't enter the race unless he knew he could win. He wouldn't enter just to run again. It's too damn hard and time-consuming and exhausting and, frankly, the man has better ways to spend his time and money. He'd join the race to win.

That being said, I would like to reiterate that I think there IS a way to run a presidential campaign in the age of social media and the new millennium and trash the old ways of chucking crap at your opponents, all the while hoping they'll endorse you when they get kicked out of the race by your attacks. There's a nice, effective, community-oriented way to talk to voters; it doesn't have to be a dirty mud-wrestling battle. If anyone can figure out the details of that way, a real change in political tactic, Gore and his people can. How can you run a campaign you're truly proud of, while not wasting time and money and resources, while not viciously attacking opponents without due discussion, while not pandering to the lowest common denominator, while not extending the campaign season longer than it really needs to be? I'm halfway done Assault on Reason; I'm convinced the author of that book can gather around him the brightest minds of today and form a team with them to figure it out. It's a big problem. But so is climate change. And Al's figured out a way to educate millions of people around the world on that.

Michigan's a no-go for the ballot

Sometimes even a grassroots organization can't do the work of a dedicated team of political pros.

The general feeling in the Draft Gore movement right now, BTW, is that we wish he'd give us the nod that he's in or else definitively tell us to abandon ship. This stock "I have no plans to run for president" comment he gives isn't good enough. Because it doesn't mean he's not running.

Timing, as they say, is everything. And I still have confidence that Al and his team know what they're doing. I just wish they wouldn't stall too much longer, as the people he's going to need the most -- the people on the ground who have believed in him for more than 8 years -- are going to start abandoning ship.

I posted to the group the other day an article (Al Gore's supporters move on) that said that some Hollywood folks are going to start endorsing other candidates and what they thought of that and did they have a cutoff date and when that would be. Most said they'd stick with him for a while yet. Some people are giving him until the ballot deadlines in their state (Nov. 2 for New Hampshire). I got 40 responses, which I thought was telling. Morale seems to be waning, though, because I think a group so devoted to a man and his cause can only spin their wheels for so long before it seems like maybe we're not getting anywhere. Or that in order to get somewhere we need a nod from the Big Guy Al (;-}) himself.

I think it's getting to be time for him to make a definitive statement. And how I hope it's that he's heard all of his thousands of supporters and acknowledges that he can make the most difference in the world by being our next president.

As for me, I'm in this unless he says, as he did in 2003, something like "thanks but no thanks. I'm not running, please give up your efforts."

About Hillary...

I have wondered why Hillary Clinton's numbers seem to be so high. Public opinion of her -- in real people talk now, not polls -- is NO WHERE as high as the polls say she is. My husband and I even discussed this with a lovely British couple we met in France on our honeymoon in early September. They couldn't figure out what the allure and all the chatter was about her. We said, "It's really not as high as the polls will have you believe. She has a lot of negative strikes against her and, frankly, the country would never elect her."

I think the DNC knows this and wouldn't give her the bid. At any rate, I think the polls and the press are just fluttering over the fact that she's a woman and are ignoring the things she stands for. I love that there's such a strong woman candidate this year. I just don't think that Hillary specifically is right for our country right now.

I think the people of America can see that while she says she stands for healthcare, for example, she hasn't actually DONE anything in her years in office except take pictures of poor kids with runny noses. Oh, I forgot -- she voted for the war. I guess that's something! Is it just that she has the most money to spend and therefore gets the most attention?

Length of this campaign

I think one thing Gore & Co. have been figuring out this past summer is how to run a campaign that will get noticed and be in the political press spotlight, but that will be a campaign he WANTS to run. No dirty money, no corporate sponsors, no 15-second sound bytes, no bowing to the lowest denominator. He wants to reform campaign strategy. He said so in Assault on Reason. I don't think he necessarily meant he wants to reform it himself by leading an example of how a campaign could go, but all the better if he does. Lead by example. Wasn't that another point of his book? The leaders should be people you look up to and emulate. He doesn't need to waste time or money starting earlier than he has to. I agree that I'll let him and his skilled people know when that time is. They clearly know WAY more about this than I do!

Does this count?

Apparently Gore said on Norwegian TV, "'I don't have plans to be a candidate again,' the former US vice-president told Norwegian television. 'I'm involved in a different kind of campaign, a global campaign to change the way people think about the climate crisis.'"

Don't you think he would have addressed the huge grassroots movement in some way? Told us to stop our efforts, like he apparently did in 2003? And why would he do it on Norwegian TV, not American TV or (ahem) Current.com?

And why would he have released those 3 political videos on Current.com and also written Assault on Reason, which is NOT an environmental book but a political one, through and through?

The hype is almost a frenzy

People are talking about Gore in the White House. Especially now that's he's got the Nobel Peace Prize under his belt. Here are today's picks:

• Gene McIntyre's Statesman Journal blog entry
  

  There will be a lot of talk in the next several months as to whether a "fire-in-the-belly" exists in him sufficient to prompt entry into the race for president. It's suggested that Al Gore need worry less about checking his gut; rather, he should be focusing on the resume he's spent a lifetime building. It is now more impressive than ever. He is, after all, not only the "man of the hour," but arguably the most outstandingly prepared person to lead this American nation out of the morass at home and overseas in which we are now deeply bogged down.

  
  
• Other countries believe in him, too. This one's from Ireland: Could Al Gore clinch the US Presidency?
  

  Gore has said himself that he would have most influence as President," Ronhovde said. "Al Gore has been campaigning on global warming for years. Now it's time for a solution. That solution can only come from the White House."

  
  
• Award heats up Gore-for-president buzz -- All in all, this article comes to the conclusion Al probably won't enter the race unless something catastrophic happens with Hillary. But this is a good quote:
  

  "I don't think there's any doubt that Al Gore would be the best qualified person to be president of the United States," [Jimmy Carter] told MSNBC Friday.

  
  
• Check out this Gallup Poll video, posted yesterday. Of course, these polls don't mean a WHOLE lot at this point.
  
  
• It seems that each article that says "Al Gore probably won't run for president in 2008" end with something like the following disclaimer (from a CBS News opinion piece):
  

  The odds are that Gore’s Nobel Prize bump will go the way of the earlier rises in positive feelings. Still, with increased attention being given to climate change, and with Democratic voters now possibly taking a second look, who knows?

Another OpEd piece about America's belief in Gore

This one actually goes into specifics and pits Gore against the other candidates. It's a must read.

Do bookies know the score?

It seems silly to even put bookies and presidential election in the same sentence, but sometimes they have their finger on America's proverbial pulse. Check out this story about Gore's chances of winning.

Hope

He's too smart to rule anything out. He's certainly playing his cards like he's biding his time... Yet another story that points to the possibility that Al will finally get to serve the years we elected him for in 2000.

The winning ticket

will be Gore and John Edwards, I think. That's my prediction. Or hope. Or whatever you want to call it.

Barack's too junior, but will come into some major spotlight over the next 8-12 years. He's a great guy, believes all the right things, I ADORE his wife, but I think he's not tested enough to win. Give him a few years and you won't be able to NOT vote for him. I'd love for Barack to be our first African-American president; I think he just has to ripen first.

Hillary's too, well, Hillary. I think a great many people won't vote for her (thereby making the race closer than it has to be; the Dems don't want a close race) because she's dramatic and class, but not in a way that make people love her. Or, to put it another way, she's one of those women you love or hate and I'm not sure that is enough to stand up to whomever the Pubs put up. That being said, I think it's about freaking time a woman got this far into the race. She knows the ropes of the White House, which is a clear asset. I think her role in this election isn't to win the nod, though; I think she's in this election to shake up the election-weary voters and people who don't usually vote.

Who else do we know who knows the White House from the inside...? Lemme think... ;-)

Speaking of pontificating on the future, Paul (my fiance) thinks Gore will be pulled by his ears up to the stage at the Democratic National Convention and voted onto the ticket there. He thinks Al needs to be drafted. That being said, Paul's not known for his accurate predictions...