Ask any average American man-on-the-street to name the US Presidential candidates for 2008 and, chances are, he will recall Hillary Clinton, Barrack Obama, John McCain – and Al Gore. Wait a minute: Al Gore isn’t running for President. Well, maybe not yet: but a whole lot of Americans think he is or, at least, are hoping he will.
Al Gore is the stealth bomber of the 2008 US Presidential campaign. He is not officially visible on the election radar, but his presence looms, large and powerful. Should he eventually decide to run – and some political pundits think he will – he will arrive on the election stage like a force of nature; and scare the crap out of his rivals, both Democratic and Republican.
You think I’m exaggerating? Think about it? In terms of recognizability, Al Gore is probably the most well known US politician, after George Bush. After the release of his Oscar-winning documentary ‘An Inconvenient Truth’, the man has achieved near rock star status. During his current coast-to-coast tour to promote his new book, ‘An Assault on Reason’, he is being inundated with chants of “Run Al, Run” from frenzied supporters. This coming July, his ‘Live Earth’ concerts – featuring world famous rock bands – will give him a global audience stretching from New York to London to Shanghai.
So why is Gore acting coy? My personal hunch is that he is quite content to let Democratic hopefuls, Clinton and Obama expend millions of dollars of campaign contributions, even before he throws his hat in the ring. With still 20 months to go before elections, some people are beginning to wonder if they started their campaign prematurely – and if they will peak well before November 2008.
Non-candidate Al Gore already has a lot going for him. He could very quickly get together a formidable organization. He has all those people who have worked with him in the past; and all those who have become involved in his work on climate change. Neither would he have much difficulty in raising campaign financing. After ‘Inconvenient Truth’ and the Oscar, Hollywood already considers him one of their own. He also has many well-heeled supporters in Silicon Valley; among them Steve Jobs, the co-founder of Apple Computers.
As far as his Presidential ambitions are concerned, Al Gore is currently in the neither-confirm-nor-deny mode, so beloved of White House Press Secretaries. Without seeming to lift a finger, he is managing to generate the kind of hype advertising executives can only dream about. Asked last week if he would rule himself out as a candidate, Gore said, “I have no desire to slam the door shut.” What his true desire is will probably not be known till October – which is about as late as he can leave it, if he is to contest the primaries. I hear the betting on his candidacy is reaching astronomical proportions. I’ve put down a hundred bucks, but I’m not telling which way. Gore does not have a monopoly on guessing games.
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Comments: 34
Of course, some are chanting a Gore/Obama ticket. We'll see. And then there is the dark horse, Richardson. He's gaining some in the polls recently.
This is the most exciting bid for the Presidency I've witnessed in a very long time. How does it look to an "outsider"?
He came across as much more human in his movie than he ever had as a candidate.
We get to see - time will tell.
I think maybe his focus has been on environment and perhaps could have been used elsewhere. While the environment is a global issue, so is the war, so is Darfur... I also think Gore has taken too much time in the spotlight of late. He's so busy with his book tour and making friends in Hollywood, he has let his political life dwindle a little. I'm afraid that if it's him on the ticket, the election will once again turn into a "lesser of the two evils." That's how George W. won the first time (supposedly). I hope it doesn't happen again.....
Thomas, A Danish paper ran a scoop today that Bill is contemplating a divorce with Hillary? Is this also in the US rumor mill? I mean, it wouldn't in any way surprise me; just that it could become food for the gossip mill prior to the election.
As for Bill divorcing Hillary, it won't happen. Period. No one could truly believe that, and especially with Hillary's campaign in full swing.
If the temperature of their rhetoric is any guide, the GOP is scared s---less about running against Hillary, and will do all they can to smear her ahead of the primaries (as they did to John McCain in 2000) to keep her from being the Dems' nominee.
Even if it's true -- BFD is what I say. To those who consider a candidate's marital track record relevant to the contest, I say: "Ask Rudy about his."
As to Gore's screaming Bush "betrayed" the US, Gore should know all about betraying the US. He and Clinton helped give the Chinese equipment which doubled the range and tripled the throw weight of the their nuclear missiles. This is the same kind of thing for which the Ethel and Julius Rosenburg were EXECUTED. At least the Rosenburgs' did what they did for idealogical reasons. Clinton and Gore did what THEY did for CAMPAIGN CONTRIBUTIONS.
http://www.gather.com/viewArticle.jsp?articleId=281474977006863
If the GOP wants to play the "na na, we have a celebrity" game (hey, it worked in California), there are plenty of stars with higher name- and face-recognition than Fred whatsisname. George Clooney, for instance.
By far the best speech I've seen confronting our nations slide toward . . . well, dare I say; DICTATORSHIP, was one by Mr Gore. It was positively riveting. His work on climate change began long before it became well known, and he traveled the country ALONE on commercial airlines giving talks to small groups and modest audiences. He was often ridiculed for what was considered a hopeless quixotic pipe-dream. Well looky here, the windmills are coming alive.
Frankly, I think the dems best chance to win in 2008 is Obama. He appeals to more of the nation than Hillary or Gore and I think he appeals to more people than the candidates the republicans are presenting. I almost think Obama can arrive at a better consensus among the nation than any of the candidates. I look forward as things ramp up to learn more.
Maybe some vote counters got blisters or paper cuts, but I bet 3,300 of 'em didn't come home in coffins.
There's always hope . . . and you know why.
Here's something I wrote on this topic: