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

[larry278]

Timespeak isn't American English; it's a debased form of pidgin English. Please print English translations of material from TIME used by HP.

[REZBOO]

Joe Klein is a trouble maker with a pulpit. Stupid ideas floated by undercover neocons. Someof us know what you're up to Joe.

[beright]

Now that's a lot of BS. Al Gore gets his dream job from the blood, sweat and tears shed by Obama and Clinton. That's a ruthless suggestion. If that happens, Gore better dig into those deep pockets of his and give all us our money back. As for saving the world, naw, Gore's out to steal the presidency just as it had been stolen from him. I sort of feel sorry for Clinton and Obama, they got sooo used ... as did we all. Joke's on us, right Gore?

[vallon]

The Clintons wouldn't listen to Al Gore, especially in the role of peacemaker. Despite the impressive and dignified way that our Lost President has conducted himself since 2000, Gore is still considered a former employee by the Clintons; someone who should have come out in support of Hillary long ago.

[kfdan]

Gore may very well be respected but he'd serve better as an Ambassador than a V.P..

[hydenorhare]

Besides, surely you don't think Hillary would roll over (sorry about the word picture) for Al Gore, do you? And if Obama accepts such a thing after over a year of active campaigning he's not worthy of the office either.

[BarryChamplain]

OR...

Al Gore could SHOW the Party what it means to put Self aside, and do what it takes to unite the Party and the nation.

He could agree to be Obama's vice-presidential running mate.

Oh, yeah, I know. Never happen.

Exactly why it would be the shocker, the defining moment. Only flat-out election theft would beat THAT Democratic ticket (but bear in mind: that could well happen).

[hydenorhare]

"...unite the Party and the nation."
Unite the Party? I doubt it. Not after all this. Unite the nation? You bet. There will be a national groan as soon as he opens his mouth.

[OhDear]

Oh knock it off.

[peacekitten]

it would have to be Gore/Obama because Gore has already served two terms as a vice president. somehow i doubt mr. obama would have a hard time accepting the honor of being a running mate to someone as respected as al gore. they would make an excellent ticket for this country as a whole.

[pilotinfla]

why does the black man always have to be in the back of the bus?

[eurydice]

The thought of Tipper Gore as First Lady should make everyone think better of Michelle Obama.

Remember Tipper? She wanted to censor and ban Rock Music...

[chocco]

This is really about the implosion in the Democratic Party between the "Blue Dog/Conser­vative/Sou­thern/Corp­orate Loving/Tri­angulating­/Republica­n-lite" Dems and the "Yellow Dog Traditional" Democrats who fight for the little man, will not cave to Republicans, and do not believe in corporate welfare. When Al Gore ran for the Presidency, he said, " I will fight for you." but he didn't fight hard enough for himself. If he has really grown into the leader and fighter he claims to be, he will stand up and fight for Barack Obama. He will tell the Clintons that the civil war in the party must stop. He will be the diplomat who can broker peace and thus, victory. That is his role in the country's history now.

[WoodyCPM]

The only thing Gore need do is to endorse Barack Obama. He probably won't. Joe Klein needs to shut up. He probably won't.

[Lincoln]

Right! I wholly agree.

Obama would make a much better President than Gore, with all due respect to Gore.

Obama is more of a self-directed leader, more self-aware, more understanding toward others. He makes better contact with voters.

He's a man with very good judgment, who reads the reality and thinks things through. Joe Klein doesn't understand this. Many still idealize Gore, but they'd be better off with Obama, in my judgment.

[SonofLiberty1]

Like using Cocaine is terribly good judgement?

[tcpgh]

I've been saying for a year that Gore/Obama would be the perfect, unbeatable ticket.

[BigBen]

I am a long time Clinton fan and a supporter of Hillary but I will support Obama for president if he is the nominee of the party. Al was the butt of press tirades just as Hillary is now and they convinced the public that he was not honest just as they are doing with Hillary. I cannot see the press doing a flip flop to support him .McCain is the love of the press and only Obama will ween them off McCain.While I support Hillary I also admire Barack very much and will do all I can for him to win the Presidency if he is the choice of the party.

[DesertLight]

I just don't see why Obama has to take a seat at the back of the bus after all the work he did. Why?

[tcpgh]

True, but do you honestly think that Gore, who has already been VP and unfairly denied the Presidency, would want to be VP again? No way. As VP, this would also give Obama the experience some think he needs before becoming President. Also, I think many Democrats would be thrilled to see Gore finally get what he was denied and deserved.

[Markometer10000]

Why not Gore/Clinton and make Obama junior staffer at the EPA?

[ReasonIsMyReligion]

Cogito, ErGO GORE

[hydenorhare]

The timing is good. The AGW scam is falling apart at the same time they want Al to become even more visible. Hillary is this season's serial fabricator so it's a good time to remind everyone that this guy set the standard for fabrication.

[kevenseven]

Fallen apart much as Antarctica is falling apart.

Pretty soon we will be able to sail over the North Pole. That's progress!

[shades3]

Explain your statement re Al Gore:

[hydenorhare]

You mean Al Gore as serial fabricator? Or Al Gore as AGW god whose scam is falling apart?

[cindyward]

Cite the fabrications Al Gore made. The only one you'll be able to come up with is the old canard, "Al Gore said he invented the Internet." BUT HE NEVER SAID THIS. This was a classic case of right-wing talking-point distortion repeated over and over again until it become "the truth".

What Gore said was that he was instrumental in the creation of the Internet, WHICH HE WAS. He worked tirelessly to get the inventors of the Internet the government funding they needed to get their project off the ground while many others were skeptical about the practicality of such a network. He had the vision to see what the Internet could be and convinced others of its worth.

When you don't have to pay to use the Internet (except for access to it through an ISP), while we still have net neutrality (alas, probably not for much longer), THANK AL GORE. If private companies had funded the creation of the Internet, we'd all be paying through the nose just to post our comments! (Or maybe they would instead/also be censored ... think about THAT too ... )

[rzan]

This would mean the hell with the first woman or the first African-American. The white man comes to the rescue. This brokered deal would be a major insult and would, I think, make the Democratic party look even more hypocritical than it already does.

[kevenseven]

None of that article is worth a moment of your time. It is all bunk.

[appleknocker]

Time mag is the LAST place anyone should look for advice.

[Hawkeye17]

The Democrats are going to take Obama out and destroy the Party in the process.

[DesertLight]

You got that right!

[SonofLiberty1]

America could be ready for a real American who just happens to be black, it's just not Obama who can't even be patriotic!

But, if he does win, he may have a heck of a time getting anything done just like Jimmy Carter was an outsider he is even a worse outsider because he never tried to do anything in Washington.