Imagine this: a President of the United States
with vast domestic and international experience
who would aspire to unify the American people,
uplift a reformed American politics, and inspire
friends of freedom and democracy everywhere.
Imagine: a President who would assume office
with commander in chief quality experience who would be trusted on
matters of war and
peace; and with a temperament that respects
the breadth and diversity of the American
Family and brings people together in common
cause.
There will be other candidates for President
who have much to offer and would deserve enthusiastic support. In my
opinion, Al Gore
is unique because of the extraordinary breadth
of his experience, his ability to get ahead of the
curve on cutting edge issues, and his vast
knowledge that war and peace issues should
be decided with integrity, clarity, and the full involvement of the
American people, Congress, and allies.
Beyond all of the individual issues is this: the
kind of America a Gore Presidency would bring,
which would let loose the positive and creative
energies of a good and great people, versus
the kind of America George Bush has brought,
which is what the overwhelming majority of the
American people want to end.
Unlike virtually every major Democrat in
Washington Al Gore was dead right about
Iraq from day one. This commends him for
the Presidency for two reasons, both equally
important. The first reason is that with decades
of national security experience he was wise
enough and smart enough to know that the
Iraq War was a tragic mistake. The second
reason is profound: Al Gore had the courage
and clarity to speak out clearly, forcefully, and
unequivocally without the maneuvering and
positioning that led virtually every leading
Washington Democrat to be dead wrong.
Iraq alone should not be disqualifying. But this
is the defining war of our times, and evaluating
who should be leader of the free world and
commander in chief, the fact that Al Gore was
completely right and courageously straight is a
monumental plus.
When George W. Bush took office, he was a
man of enormous self-esteem but virtually zero
knowledge of the world, zero understanding of
foreign nations, zero understanding of military
strategy or military life. When Al Gore was a
young man he had vast curiosity about the
world that continually expanded his knowledge
throughout his life. He was not a war hero, but
accepted the obligations of service, joined the
military and had more world experience and
war experience returning from Vietnam than
George Bush did the day he took the oath of
office as President.
Al Gore has been in a military family, respects
military leaders, knows military issues, has
experienced sacrifice in service, knows that
American diplomatic leadership is essential
to world security, would never send our troops
to war without adequate support, and learned
from long experience that mobilized support
from democratic allies is vital for diplomatic
and military initiatives.
If Al Gore becomes President and commander
in chief on the day of his inaugural he would
be one of the most qualitied leaders to ever
assume the Presidency. Years in the House
of Representatives, years in the United States Senate, eight years as
one of the more active
and respected Vice Presidents. Deep and
serious involvement for decades in military
strategy and global economics, an enormous
body of first rate leadership in protecting the
environment, advancing new technologies, and
advocating a pro-America energy policy that
aggressively promotes new energy sources
to protect our security and our consumers.
These are not merely position papers, or bogus
internet petitions that are little more than fund
raising tools of the consultariat class. These
are areas of leadership that comprise a lifetime
body of work: serious, substantive and real.
These are initiatives of meat and potatoes, of
impact and depth, that required substantial
intellectual content, developed throughout thirty
years of work, involving major collaboration with
excerpts in the field, and often collaboration with interested
Republicans and independents.
Since leaving the Vice Presidency, Gore could
have made a small fortune through less noble
pursuits, but has continued his life pattern of
major leadership well beyond his opposition to
the Iraq War.
Inconvenient Truth is a perfect example. He
tapped decades of work with environmental
leaders and scholarly knowledge; he worked
with Hollywood in a higher pursuit of a major
documentary that combined major intellectual
quality with major public impact.
Gore combined his knowledge of environment
and energy with his interest in financial markets
and global economics, through Generation
Investments which brings together enlightened
money with socially conscious business.
Gore has spoken passionately and eloquently
about the Bill of Rights, human rights, political
freedom, checks and balances and American
Constitutional democracy. Others have spoken
out as well, but in considering which candidate
best articulates the American idea I commend
Gore's sweeping speech at Constitution Hall and other strong, detailed
statements on these subjects.
Al Gore understands from many decades of
real world experience and a lifetime body of
work in the House, the Senate, and as Vice
President that we have three branches of
government, two major political parties, key allies around the world,
and that ALL must
be respected and involved on the great issues
of security.
We are not a country with a French King who
says "L'Etat C'est Moi" or a Nixonian President
who says "I am the law". We are not a country
where intelligence is distorted, where war is
used for partisanship, where opponents are
called traitors, where the Bill of Rights is
bartered away, where Guantanamos are
justified, where Congress is treated with
contempt, where Courts are bypassed and
ignored, where the American people are
insulted with a politics of fear, where allies
are demeaned, and Washington is turned
into a capital of courtiers, sycophants and influence peddlers.
Al Gore does not blame the American people
by suggesting we have psychological trauma
because we know things have gone terribly
wrong. Al Gore embodies the American people
and the real America. Imagine the kind of country we will be, with a
President who believes these things, based on decades of hard
leadership, substantial experience, and achievement from a lifetime body
of serious
work.
There are other good candidates that will
emerge. In my humble opinion, the man
and the moment come together. The mission
is clear, the moment is now, and the man is Gore.