I don't think Gore is a magic charm at this point

[Kurt_and_Hunter]

I spent most of the last year hoping for Gore to enter the race. My theory was that when tyranny takes over a country the restoration of liberty often involves a leader returning from exile because everyone who remained behind is tarred with a vague suspicion of collaboration. "Hey, how did you survive, anyway?"

This is somewhat unfair, of course. (De Gaulle's mission in returning to France was to liquidate the French communists who had formed almost the entirety of the French resistance. The Iraqi exile community was a craven, greedy bunch of weasels, etc.) But the archetype remains of the exiled or deposed rightful leader returning to set things aright, like Richard returning from the crusades to depose the pretender John at the end of Robin Hood.

And I wanted that for America. It seemed the most just outcome.

I stopped hoping Gore would jump in a few months ago when I realized that he would most likely lose the primary and, if he somehow got the nomination, would be just about the weakest possible general election candidate. (It was when I realized that Gore's negatives in Florida are in the 50s that I finally threw in the towel. There's little argument for his candidacy if he would lose Florida for real this time.)

It is obvious to me that Al Gore is the right man for the job. The only problem is that the American voter just don't like Al Gore. If Gore cured cancer and won American Idol people still wouldn't like him.

Despite being out of the political mix and having a year of incredible press, and continual triumphs and accolades, and having universal name recognition, Gore is no better regarded than Hillary Clinton, a fundamentally unlikable partisan who has had dung shoveled on her from both right and left for a solid year. If that doesn't convey the magnitude of the problem, try this... Rudy (The Ghoul) Guliani is viewed more favorably than Al Gore.

And there's nothing Gore can possibly do to improve matters. God knows winning the Nobel Peace prize won't help much. What American who is impressed by the Nobel Peace prize doesn't already like Gore?

If Gore announced he would go to about 18% in the primary race... equivalent to Fred Thompson. He would be in third place. I doubt Gore could challenge Obama at this point. And his high national negatives would jump higher. Candidate Gore is certain to be less popular than Citizen Gore because 1) partisan figures are intrinsically less popular than private citizens, and 2) Al Gore is a poor politician. No one can dispute that... Gore certainly doesn't.

The fact that about half the country voted for Gore in 2000 is irrelevant. About half the country voted for Kerry in 2004, and today Kerry is about as popular as OJ Simpson. The last Kerry favorability poll seems to be from January of this year... Favorable-22, Not Favorable-48, Undecided-23, Don't Know Him-6. (CBS News Poll 1/1-3/07) http://www.pollingreport.com/k.htm One can note that the last Kerry poll was only two months after the "bad joke" incident. Okay, the previous May he was at 26-38-21.(CBS 5/4-8/06) As George C. Scott said at the beginning of PATTON, "America loves a winner and will not tolerate a loser." (And Americans reserve special contempt for teams that "find a way to lose." The fact that Gore got the most votes and still didn't win marks him, in the American psyche, as a super-loser... a bad luck talisman.)

So that's my bottom line on Gore. If he jumps in I will support him for what he represents while hoping he doesn't get the nomination. I cannot stand John Edwards, but Edwards is more electable than Al Gore. Obama, Clinton, and Biden are more electable than Al Gore. Bill Richardson is gaffe-prone, unfocused and non-presidential looking, but he is still probably more electable than Al Gore.

And that's the sad truth of it. The American people are assholes. But it is the height of folly to run a campaign on the theory that they are not assholes.

[JuniperLea]

1. Thank Goddess for "hide thread"... eom

[incapsulated]

2. Prepare to be flamed

On this subject, people quite literally cannot handle the truth.

[Kurt_and_Hunter]

5. I don't give a shit. I am tired of people thinking "good"="real"

If I could push a button and make someone president it would be Gore by a mile, but he's a bad candidate.

I will say what I think is true. Others will say I'm an idiot.

But it's better than saying things I don't believe to curry internet-favor.

[incapsulated]

6. Actually, you are lucky

You posted this in the GDP.

Try it in the GD and you will be lucky to escape with your life, lol.

I agree with you but really, there is no discussing this rationally, here.

[melody]

8. I think the people know the truth -- that's the reason why you "two" keep attacking Gore supporters

First it was "he'll never run" and now that people are suggesting he might it's "he won't
win".

Go ahead and embrace whatever you need to believe -- the polling numbers are clear and strong
for Gore.

[incapsulated]

10. I think I've posted twice on this issue

And why the "two" in quotation marks? Are you saying we are the same people, lol?

Trust me on this, I barely have the patience to read such long posts, let alone get an alt to write them.

Edit to add, you will also never hear me say I would spend a year hoping for Gore to run, I'm no Gore fan.

[melody]

11. Yes, I know you're not a Gore fan ;)

With that, welcome to my ignore list.

[incapsulated]

12. Like I said...

Can't handle the truth. Can't even handle someone NOT being a fan of Gore, lol.

How do you manage making it through the day?

[Bread and Circus]

3. Short version: Americans are idiots and don't know a good thing

when they see it.

[Maat]

4. I agree that there is a plethora of dufuses around.

I'm surrounded by them here in RRR-Land (Radical-Religious-Right Land) out here in the Murrieta/Temecula Valley in Southern Cal.

I'm in a very discouraged mood today - so, I'm inclined to agree with this (but, no one listen to me today).

:(

We used to have a saying in social work, "Something's wrong if you're working harder than the client - for improvement in HIS life."

The American people have to recognize how low this country has sunk, and want to make it better.

That hasn't occurred.

So, I'm best off making a good environment for my buddies, family and I - to the best of my ability (that should be my focus).

[melody]

7. All the "oh, my god, he might actually run and knock out my candidate" threads are out

Go right on hoping ... if Al runs, the nomination is HIS. Any suggestion to the contrary is
ill-advised.

[Kurt_and_Hunter]

13. I'm curious -- not snark-- why do you think so?

I can name a thousand reasons Gore *should* be the standard bearer, but I don't see any path to the nomination if he announced tomorrow. As a for instance, what candidate wins the Dem nomonation with almost zero black support? Would Gore shake many black votes away from the 50-50 Obama-Clinton black base? No Unions would rush to endorse Gore because they wouldn't smell a winner, and Gore has nothing special to offer labor that they don't get elsewhere. I don't see any compelling case for Gore with the elderly. He would get apalling press because the media loves to snark-off on him.

Gore appeals most to strong anti-war and environment. So is the theory that he would destroy Obama and Edwards' candidacies right out of the gate? I have never seen a datum that would suggest that.

Six months ago, perhaps, but at this point a lot of people have made real emotional commitments to candidates.

[melody]

15. I've read *easily* ten posts today recounting the same poll numbers and perspective

I've written at length about why Gore has a lock on the nomination if he announces.
Do a search for some of my posts and you may find them, if you're that interested.

[Kurt_and_Hunter]

16. I have read exactly zero such posts... not saying they don't exist, but I have not seen them

If you immagine conspiracies, I cannot stop you.

If others have posted similar things then it wouldn't surprise me because if I can come to a conclusion others can as well. Had I seen any posts on the same topic, let alone ten, I would not have bothered.

t has been obvious to me that Gore is no shoe-in for months, but today was the big "Gore is running" day, so it seemed appropriate to throw in my two cents.

If you are suggesting I am boosting for a candidate out of fear of Gore, you are both wrong and paranoic.

All I have noted is a glut of "Gore will run" posts, which seem odd to me because they presume an easy path to the nomination. And I am tired of people saying Candidate X is sure to win because "I like him", so the American people will rush to agree with me.

I cannot recall the American people ever agreeing with me.

[melody]

19. If you wish to ignore conspiracies, you're just as blind ;)

Life is filled with conspiracies -- including concerted efforts to pepper major message boards
with given pro-candidate/anti-candidate memes.

[cali]

18. nobody has a lock on the nomination

and at this point a lot of people are invested in their chosen candidate.

And nothing you could have written- if it says that Gore has a lock on the nom- could possibly be pesuasive, as you don't have a crystal ball.

[melody]

20. Obviously, everything is my own opinion, from my own POV

No one has a crystal ball.

[RiverStone]

9. a poll is a poll is a poll....

Results are in the eye of the beholder and remember, the Corporate/MSM has an agenda. We are not talking science here. But since you tossed out theoretical evidence Gore would not do well, I'll do the same which states just the opposite:

Michigan voters favor Gore, Thompson

http://www.detnews.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=2007708150398

N.H. poll puts Gore over Clinton

http://washingtontimes.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20070627/NATION/106270092/1001

Though I don't think Gore will run, if he did I think he would totally kick ass in the primaries, and easily win the General - IMHO. :)

[kimmerspixelated]

14. I couldn't disagree more with your assessment.

And I think you are wrong about the facts. ...and that Kerry is thought of as worse than OJ??? HAHAHAHA. This has to be a joke! Do you work quietly for the other side?

[Kurt_and_Hunter]

17. You are correct. That is indeed what is called a "joke."