Time Mag Cover: "How Al Gore Could Save The Democrats"

With Democrats beginning to voice fears about a long summer of two candidates sniping over electability, the name of unofficial party elder Al Gore has resurfaced. Gore was tossed around early and often as a potential nominee, complete with his own grass roots recruiting party. However, the former Vice President and Nobel laureate assiduously avoided exhortations to run.

Nevertheless, the Gore question is coming back. Joe Klein is the latest to make the case for Al Gore coming into the Democratic race in the case of a brokered convention:

"Let's say the elders of the Democratic Party decide, when the primaries end, that neither Obama nor Clinton is viable. ... All they'd have to do would be to convince a significant fraction of their superdelegate friends, maybe fewer than 100, to announce that they were taking a pass on the first ballot at the Denver convention, which would deny the 2,025 votes necessary to Obama or Clinton. What if they then approached Gore and asked him to be the nominee, for the good of the party-and suggested that he take Obama as his running mate? ... A prominent fund raiser told me, 'Gore-Obama is the ticket a lot of people wanted in the first place.'"

Meanwhile, Jason Horowitz this week tried to outline the timing of a Gore endorsement:

"If Gore were to weigh in, he would have to do so before the superdelegates begin breaking for either Obama or Clinton," said a former Gore adviser, after laying out the various scenarios that might prompt the former vice president to get involved. "The superdelegates constitute the last true contest in this race. And for many, Gore is someone they talk to, listen to, and whom a lot of them admire and respect. Having him make a closing argument for either candidate would carry significant weight with some of these last-man-standing voters."

And earlier this week, Rep. Tim Mahoney (D-FL) suggested that Al Gore as an alternate coming out of a brokered convention:

"If it (the nomination process) goes into the convention, don't be surprised if someone different is at the top of the ticket," Mahoney said.

A compromise candidate could be someone such as former vice president Al Gore, Mahoney said last week during a meeting with this news organization's editorial board.

If either Clinton or Obama suggested to a deadlocked convention a ticket of Gore-Clinton or Gore-Obama, the Democratic Party would accept it, Mahoney said.

(Hat tip Politico)

Comments

[NoFactsJustTruth]

Whiner Carville would then have to find something worse than the 'Judas' he stupidly tried to pin on Richardson, perhaps a 'Benedict Arnold', for a Gore-betrayal of 'the Clintons' self-assumed entitlement.

[TrueBlueMajority]

The Clintons would deserve it after the way they treated Gore: http://tinyurl.com/27pq25

[RISEUPAMERICA]

so would Barack HUSSEIN Obama Wright

[not one of the sheep]

Praise Al from whom all blessing come. Praise him all creatures great and small. Praise be to the savior and worship his mighty name, Al Gore. Whatever.

[WorkingClass]

Gore? Wrong gender. Wrong color.

[TiffShelton]

He aint even in the race. He has NO delegates.

[Peachallie]

DELEGATES? As Florida & Michigan voters were disenfranchised, it is time to dsitop the charade. The party chose to exclude two entire states, the main consideration is WHO CAN WIN.

[RISEUPAMERICA]

so you're a racist and a sexist...........NICE

[skepticalindenver]

Why are the media pushing this fantasy??? The chances of this happening are as good as Hillary winning 80% of the remaiing electorate and her picking Spitzer as her running mate.

[Marlyn]

forget it.

[fyddlestyx]

I agree. Forget it. This is an absolutely absurd suggestion at this juncture.

[RyanK111]

No matter how much I like him, Dems choosing anyone, Gore or otherwise, who was not part of the primary election, will work to undue the party just as much as superdelegates denying the popular vote will. The convention must choose who the people have chosen, simple a that. Obama should be the nominee barring a miracle for the Clinton campaign. Come to terms with reality.