Dear Al Gore, Forget Your Ex-Boss.

Dear Vice-President Gore,

I'm a fan. I deeply respect your tireless work on behalf of our earth. However, I can't help but wish you'd bring some of the determination and drive you have for that cause, to the cause of the Democratic party--both of which I think are extremely intertwined.

As you know, people are asking, "Where is Al Gore and his endorsement?" Many feel that if you--a respected heavy weight in the Democratic Party--would weigh in on the primary race (and at this point you obviously have no one to endorse but Obama), that it would certainly help the remaining group of reluctant super delegates and those who have yet to vote, to make up their minds. The stage is set for you to play a large and extremely important role in unifying this seriously fractured party so we can all get on with the most important task at hand and that is to get a Democrat in the White House. The lives of our military depend on it. The lives of innocent Iraqis depend on it. Our earth. Our economy. Our health care system. My God there is just too much at stake right now for you to continue to just watch the race like everyone else--something I heard you say you were doing in a tv interview last week.

I can understand you wanting to stay out of the fray. On the one hand Hillary's husband hired you for the biggest job of your life (at the time). And on the other hand, he played a large part in keeping you from getting an even more important, bigger job due to him sticking that cigar up that young woman's vagina and lying like hell about it. You, no doubt, have a long, painfully complicated relationship with the Clintons and I'm sure you'd love to not complicate it any further by coming out to endorse against your ex-boss's wife. But that's not how things are playing out and I think it's time for you to step up to the plate.

I'm sure you don't want your support of Obama to come across as sticking it to Hillary (and by proxy, to Bill). You're too decent of a man for that. And perhaps a few months ago, it might have. But not, now. Even though she's out there trying to get supporters (to help pay down her considerable debt----money that could be going towards the more all important national campaign), we all see the writing on the wall. Hillary is out there confusing the hell out of too many people for her own reasons.

At this point, most people (and history, I'm confident will bare this out) would see your endorsement of Obama as you doing the right thing by your Party, the American people and really the world. There's just too much at stake now for Hillary to carry on possibly turning so many Democrats into potential McCainites.

Stand up. Be our hero. Endorse Obama. Let all of the mamby pamby super delegates follow suit and let's escort the Republicans out of the White House so we can save our soldiers, our economy, our standing in the world, our environment and our souls.

Just do it.

Comments

[kira181]

Dear Jennifer: Maybe Gore doesn't think Obama would be a great president. Maybe he'd see your heartfelt open letter as just another chance to gratuitously Clinton-bash. Maybe he can relate -- having been bashed by the media himself -- and he doesn't want to play anymore. Maybe he's flashing back to the last time he fell for the "Be a statesman! Give in graciously!" pleas of the media and didn't fight for his rightful presidential win. Just maybe...

[suzym]

Maybe the convention will be deadlocked and he'll emerge as the nominee! It's my farfetched dream that this will happen. But maybe not endorsing is a subtle way of leaving that door open? I prefer Obama over Clinton, but Gore over both. He's already won a presidential election (I don't care what Scalia says) and I would have no problem letting him off the hook for not campaigning for the last year and a half in this one. His campaign to promote awareness of the climate crisis has been invaluable, but he could do much more as president. Are you listening, Al?

[burnt]

"I can understand you wanting to stay out of the fray."

Yes, but you are (perhaps not willfully) ignoring the reasons. Mr. Gore has given his statement. That you do not respect that is more telling of you than anything else.

He has devoted his efforts towards a cause that is above politics. It is a just cause, if we are to believe all the evidence that supports what he presents as a "near" future. He is almost the only individual with his stature, to strip the lies away from those who would spin us into oblivion. He has stated in no uncertain terms that sitting out the primary is his choice.

Please! If you have any respect for the effort he has made to bring global warming to the forefront of the world's attention, do NOT make these unnecessary demands upon him. Allow him to stay above the fray. The cause he represents requires a strong voice no matter who wins the Democratic Party primary.

I say this as one person who has consistently spoken out against a Clinton candidacy, so even though I would normally support what you suggest, we NEED Mr. Gore to act when he is ready... and NOT before. Please respect his wishes. Know that they embrace an understanding of the needs of us all.

alienated in Seattle

[OSUMercutio]

I think he should wait until June 4th (after the last primary and caucus). If he does it now, it will just energize Hillary Clinton and her supporters. She'll claim "the boys are ganging up on me again"... But after the last primary, he will have no excuse.

[Krikkit]

Despite the fact that Al Gore has rightly gained a whole lot of prominence this past year, he's lost a bit of lustre for me. The man spent years telling people to become engaged in the process, even writing a book about taking back our democracy. Yet when push comes to shove, he has decided to remain wholely disengaged from the process. I expect better than that from our leaders, of which he has been an important one.

Unless he reverses this course of detachment from the process, his Nobel may just be his going away prize as he sinks into obscurity. Or perhaps he simply prefers to luxuriate in his riches. Blech!

[OSUMercutio]

Politics chewed him up and spit him out. While he did run a poor campaign in 2000, it was still discouraging to see him lose to a retard primarily because his boss got a blowjob.

[patmancando]

What crap! The only thing the BJ had to do with Gore's campaign is because of his puritanical set of morals, he didn't ask Big BIll to campaign for him........and he lost. Maybe it was because Donna Brazille, a current Obama supporter, gave him bad advice, but ultimately it was his campaign. Bill Clinton left the White house with a 68% approval rating and would have been tremendously helpful to Gore, especially in some areas of the country. His choice, his loss, but ultimately it was the country's BIG loss. So all you Hillary/Bill haters think Gore would endorse Obama. Maybe he has grown up in the last eight years and realizes the Clinton/Gore team did some really wonderful things for this country in the 90s and he was lucky to be a part of it. Maybe, watching Bill Clinton schmooze all those rural populations to the point of winning by 60% in areas he campaigns in has made Gore regret he didn't have Bill campaign for him in 2000, I don't know, but one thing I do know is that if he endorsed Hillary, he would be smeared by the Abaminations, who would spew nothing but vitriol, venom and hatred at him for not bowing down the Messiah, Saint Obama. It is the typical Obamanut reflexive reaction and response. J.Edwards has been on both ends of that scale in the last few weeks.
From the ball-less wonder to the appropriate person for VP/AG.

[trevor01]

Obama needs Gore? I thought, based on the blogs here and the MSM that Obama already had all the votes and endorsements he needed to sew this thing up. Thanks for the faint hope you've inadvertently given me this evening.

[missjabez]

I have a feeling that Gore is through with politics, and who can blame him after his experiences with the Clintons? Most importantly, he had the 2000 election stolen from him. Gore seems happy being an environmentalist. Let him move on. It would be great if he endorsed Obama, but he should not be pressured to do so.

[seawolf77]

Yeah you have done your part to send us another loser in the parade of Dem candidates. Well done!

[MPeter]

Thanks for such a powerful and honest article Jennifer. We truly need Al Gore to step up. We need him to speak for the party, this country and for his own legacy. Millions of Americans in general, and democrats on particular are waiting to hear from him. Mr. Gore, you have the ability to help heal this party and country. Plaese, do your part. We have done ours and brought Obama to the brink of the nomination. It is your turn. Thanks Jennifer. Your plea is honest and very touching. Thank you..