FWIW: Al Gore as President

[whometense]

http://www.nysun.com/pf.php?id=48953

...Right now, for example, state senator of Massachusetts, Jarrett Barrios, who campaigned for Mr. Gore in 2000, acknowledges that the chance for Mr. Gore getting into the race looks slim. Nevertheless, he calls a presidential run by Mr. Gore "my dream candidacy." Mr. Barrios explains, "He doesn't have to decide right now. He may well have an Academy Award and a Nobel Prize in the run-up to his decision." For Mr. Barrios, Mr. Gore's travails over the years and policy work have bestowed on the former vice president "substance of character."

A former Democratic candidate for governor in New Hampshire, Arnie Arnesen, who is the host of a weekly political talk show in the Granite State, WZMY's "Political Chatter," says New Hampshire's interest in Mr. Gore is strong. "If Al Gore came to New Hampshire, 2,000 people would be here to hear him in a heartbeat," she says, noting that Mr. Gore's "environmental message is resonating."...

...Theories abound as to why Mr. Gore doesn't just go ahead and run for the presidency in a straightforward fashion. One is that his psyche — already damaged by two heartbreaking defeats over the years, one for the nomination in 1988, and the other, the wrenching election that ultimately ended up in the United States Supreme Court in 2000 — couldn't risk defeat again. Another is that he refuses to chance the unique humiliation of losing to his internal rival in the Clinton Era White House, Ms. Clinton. A third is that as a lifelong student of American politics, he is merely waiting for his high-profile rivals to expend their ammunition on each other while he basks in the spotlight in Hollywood and, possibly, Oslo. The third seems closest to reality.

After almost two decades in presidential politics, Al Gore has finally hit upon the best way to run for president — by saying he's not.

Blog post: http://gitell.wordpress.com/2007/02/20/gore-running-for-president/

Gore Running For President?
February 20th, 2007 by gitell

Officially, Al Gore is not running for president. But I think he might be.

Al Gore has already gone through two painful presidential campaigns, 1988, when he was defeated by Michael Dukakis, and 2000, well, we all remember what happened then.

Through those campaigns Gore was robotic and impersonal and he didn’t look like he was having a very good time.

He’s having a good time now and he hasn’t had to set foot in the frozen tundra of New Hampshire or Iowa. Instead of being at a meet-and-greet in some small town next Sunday, he’ll be at the Academy Awards. He could even win a Nobel Prize — all the while selling tickets to his movie, selling books and promoting his anti-global warming, Live Aid-style concert, Live Earth.

In my New York Sun column, I speak to Jarrett Barrios, a State Senator from Cambridge, MA., who campaigned for Gore in 2000, Hillary Clinton-supporter Steve Grossman, and New Hampshire talk show host, Arne Arnesen, all of whom have interesting things to say about a candidacy by our former vice president.

[beachmom]

1. Gee, dare I speculate who Kerry would endorse if Gore threw

his hat in the ring? That Dean thing is SO water under the bridge by now. And Kerry is an issues guy -- and Gore is pretty damned close to him on the two big issues of our day -- Iraq and global warming.

[whometense]

2. We think alike.

While I was reading this, I was thinking that the Kerry endorsement would be a no-brainer.

If he can't be president himself, I'd guess there'd be no question as to who would be Kerry's second choice.

[blm]

3. I'm with Gore if he runs - I could see a Gore-Kerry ticket.

Kerry has the bucks and an infrastructure in place. It would be a great FU to the Clinton Coverup wing of the Democratic Party.

[Firespirit]

4. That'd be sweet

but even if Gore ran, I just don't see it happening. Wouldn't Kerry still be prohibited from running as VP if he ran for the Senate?

Right now I consider myself pretty strongly decided for the '08 primary, but things can change. Gore entering the race would be one thing that would change my preference. If he got in, I'd like Gore/Edwards, Gore/Clark, or Gore/Obama (Gore/Dodd would work too I guess).

[TayTay]

5. That one might get a quicky 'dispensation' from the Mass Legislature

Because it would be imposed from without instead of asked for within.

[ginnyinWI]

9. Al would have a second chance to get it right.

(the veep choice, that is.

[kerrygoddess]

6. When he was interviewed last week

about the concert series he's organizing he said he was not running:

Former US vice president Al Gore has ruled out a bid for the White House in the 2008 elections and will carry on his fight against global climate change.

“I have no intention to run for president,” Gore said in an interview conducted in Los Angeles and broadcast Thursday by the BBC.

“I can’t imagine in any circumstance to run for office again,” said the former Democratic vice president under then-president Bill Clinton.

I ran across the news story Monday - it obviously did not get any traction in the blogosphere because some folks have speculated he would make an announcement at the Oscars. More here - http://blog.thedemocraticdaily.com/?p=5344

[TayTay]

7. I doubt very much he will run as well.

I doubt that either of the last two nominees will ever run for that office again. I just don't see it happening.

[whometense]

8. I also doubt he will run.

Considering the excellent work he is doing without getting used daily for Rovian (and Clintonian) target practice, I can't imagine why he would run. But I wouldn't be sorry if he did.

[ginnyinWI]

10. it's a shame that it's just so hard to run these days.

Many a good statesman has been lost. Back in the old days when our country was new, candidates would just put their name up a few months before the election, and would never campaign for themselves.

[whometense]

11. I truly think it is a shame.

Anyone with a record is primed for attacks, so we get the meme that a "fresh face" (i.e. someone with no experience) is best. That means best for campaigning, not best for governing.

I'm not a huge Al Gore fan, but the way he was treated last time by the media was disgustingly unfair, and I can't see how anyone could blame him for not wanting to step into that vortex for a third time. But what does it say about the process that the more you know about government the less likely you are to get elected? And that the more money you raise the more elbows you can throw?