Gore: "I don't expect to ever be a candidate for president again."

[calmblueocean]

Gore is going to be on "This Week" tomorrow, and the early word is that he declares

"I can't imagine any circumstances in which case I would become a candidate again."

and:

"I have no plans to be a candidate for president again. I don't expect to ever be a candidate for president again. I haven't made a so-called Sherman statement, because it just seems unnecessary."

Gore's denials have gotten stronger and stronger, and while he doesn't yet categorically 100% rule out running in 2008, saying "I can't imagine any circumstance in which case I would become a candidate again," is practically the same thing. I really want Gore to run, but I'm starting to get the feeling he means it. He doesn't want to run again, is comfortable living the life he has now, and nothing is going to change that.

Al Gore is, in my opinion, the best man on the planet to lead this country right now, but if he's not going to run, maybe we should be investing our energies in another candidate. What do you think? Is Al planning to run, is he merely "convinceable" (and what will it take to convince him?) or should we take him at his word and look somewhere else?

[saltpoint]

1. For my part, I don't ever expect to be third basemen for the Detroit

Tigers, either.

It's possible that Al doesn't hanker for the post, but my guess is he's real interested and the repeated denials, craftily worded to allow several air holes, actually work to increase expectation by others that Al's a candidate.

If the U.S. House flips blue in November, I say Al's in.

And just for the record, Gore's greatly qualified and has a very legitimate shot at being president.

I don't think I'd fare so well trying out for the Tigers.

[sweetheart]

2. .

yes

[IndyOp]

3. If we don't win the House & Senate - defending against election fraud -

then it does not matter whether Gore runs or not.

I am currently *pro-Gore-Presidential run in 2008* - but reminding myself constantly that the ONLY way this is going to happen is if we win House & Senate.

Else the House & Senate will make sure the election WILL be stolen in 2008.

I'm just sayin'

:kick:

[skipos]

8. Winning the senate is possible but take a look at each race

Here are the possible dem pickups as far as I can tell

PA - Casey will win for sure
MT - Burns will probably lose. Morrison does better against Burns than Tester though
MO - The race is pretty even in the polls
OH - Brown usually trails in polls
RI - Whitehouse usually trails Chafee in polls, beats Laffey
TN - Ford doesn't beat anyone in the polls, but only trails Corker by 4%
VA - There was a poll with Webb trailing Allen by 7%, which is a pretty good start, but I will be amazed if he wins

We have to win 6 of those to take the senate and I think that is kind of far fetched at this point. Just because most Americans think Bush is a shitty president, it doesn't mean they'll go out and vote for democrats.

[AtomicKitten]

4. I think people should back off now.

He's got a brilliant movie out now and clearly wants to separate politics from it. Let him bask in the glow of this successful endeavor. There is still plenty of time. Why give the a-hole Republicans the nod to start their campaign of hate and smears early? Let 'em pound Hillary.

We've waited six long, ugly, horrible, gut-wrenching years. I can wait a bit longer to hear the best news America would have in a long, long time, that President Gore intends to throw his hat into the ring and finally move into the White House.

[Autonomy]

5. I don't think we have much to do with it

He'll run if he decides to run. I'd like to see him give it a try, personally. But it's really way too early to even start a 'draft Gore' movement.

[JI7]

6. maybe he just wants people to stop asking him whether he will run again

it's not something most people will say yes to at this time even if they planned to run. he might want the focus to be on his movie and the issues it brings up rather than about whether or not Gore will run.

[burythehatchet]

7. as soon as I hear "I will not run for pres"

I'll change my sig line

[NastyRiffraff]

9. After seeing An Inconvenient Truth...

I pray he changes his mind, if he's really set against it. However, I do understand why he wouldn't want to run.

But Al.....the country...the world....NEEDS you.

[DesertRat]

12. Same here

An Inconvenient Truth was incredible and yes, we NEED Al Gore! After seeing the movie, it's hard to believe that he won't run. And if he does, I'll do whatever I can to help him get elected.

[badgerpup]

10. Somebody else (not me) brought this up here a few weeks ago...

...that if he doesn't want to be President, he would be excellent for the post of Secretary of Energy.
Now THERE'S an idea... :bounce:

[liberaltrucker]

11. Thank God

At least we'll have a fighting chance in 08.

[Peace Patriot]

13. I had a little fantasy the other day that Al Gore was going to do...

...something very unusual, like: Run for President but accept NO campaign donations, and do NO TV commercials--because our political system is so corrupt, and all the zillions of dollars raised just go straight into the pockets of the enemy--the war profiteering corporate news monopolies who bear equal responsibility with Bush, Diebold and ES&S, for the train wreck this country, and our planet, are headed for.

He would just announce it: I'm running. Vote for me. I won't play this corrupt game any more. Please join me in reforming American politics. This is a word of mouth campaign. This is a true citizen campaign. Do it, America! ELECT SOMEONE AS PRESIDENT WHO WON'T BE BEHOLDEN TO ANYONE BUT THE AMERICAN PEOPLE!

The corporate news monopolies would HAVE to cover it, because he's Al Gore. And he would HAVE to be included in any debates, because he's Al Gore. And he has NO name recognition problems, so he doesn't have to do ads; he just has to get his name on the primary ballots. Do whatever free TV he can; use radio; do interviews; make another movie; give speeches, self-finance his own travel and a small staff. Refuse to play corporate rightwing "talk show" games. Ignore all their crap; say it's crap. A TRULY REVOLUTIONARY CAMPAIGN!

I think he would win by a landslide.

My other idea for a landslide big enough to beat the machines is Gore/Kerry '08: The Restoration Ticket.

[rocktivity]

14. "Expect?" Parse goes the weasel!

:bounce:
rocknation

[Toots]

15. The heartache is just too much and I can't blame him.

I also wish he were the leader of this once great land.

[Julius Civitatus]

16. Stephanopolous and friends spent the show debating if Gore would run

Not a word about global warming, the Iraq war or any of the issues that Gore brought up during the interview. None. They don't matter.

Stephanopolous, George Will, and the rest of the despicable chattering bobbleheads in his round table spent the entire debate on whether Gore would run, if he was sincere, if he looked sincere, if he sounded right, if he would run with Hillary, if he would run against Hillary, etc.

ABC's Claire Shipman brought a new level of airheadedness to the discussion, with her nasty demeanor against Gore, evaluating his gestures, how he sounded, etc.

This empty debate about forms, trying to decipher gestures, and making wild speculations about the future was disgusting. Again, NOT A WORD ABOUT THE REAL ISSUES. NONE!

The only time they brought real issues to the discussion (global climate, Iraq) was to speculate if Democrats would "use" them as political items for their campaign strategy against the Republicans. It was all about the surface, nothing about the content, pure speculation about futuribles devoid of any meaning or importance.

This was a really disgusting display of what's wrong with the MSM, what's wrong with the Sunday morning pundit circle-jerks, and what's wrong with the beltway culture.

:banghead:

:grr:

[hatrack]

17. And that's why I don't watch those shows any more . . .

Waste of my time, waste of talking heads' time, though personally profitable.

Chattering magpie assholes.

[NYCGirl]

18. That's why Gore is not saying anything substantial about running right now

Because it subverts what he really wants to talk about.

[Jai4WKC08]

19. Ummm... no offense, but...

I think we need to be "investing our energies" in 2006.

If we don't win back the House or Senate (preferably both, of course), who knows what shape our democracy will be in by 2008? And who knows, if we don't get some election reform, whether any Democrat can win in 2008?

Don't get me wrong. I think it's ok to discuss 2008. It needn't take significant time from real "on the ground" campaigning for Congressional candidates. And I think it's a good idea to plan ahead. And as someone who supports Clark, I just like writing about him when I have a down day like today.

In answer to your other question, I think Gore is leaving the door sufficiently open that he can change his mind. I think he can be talked into giving it another go. But otoh, I also think he truly enjoys what he's doing, the difference he's making, the sense of accomplishment, and the freedom to set his own agenda, in a way he has never enjoyed the electioneering part of politics. So he could still go either way. How's that for a non-answer from someone who knows no more about what Gore really thinks than what I read in the papers and hear on TV?