Bloomberg Came Out for Gore

Bloomberg came out for Gore, here. Since Gore is pretty much not running, I can't tell if that makes it more or less likely that Bloomberg will waste half-a-billion dollars in a chimerical campaign that I think, but the polls don't, will elect a Republican. Anyway, I spoke to Gore last night at the opening of the Tribeca Film Festival, where he was hosting a series of shorts that were commissioned by SOS for the 7/7/07 concerts for climate change. (The highlight, by a mile, was Rob Reiner's Spinal Tap reunion, though I have to say, surprising myself, Jon Bon Jovi was really good singing Leonard Cohen's "Hallelujah," that one good song of his, and "Here Comes the Sun.") Anyway, Gore and I talked about his forthcoming book a bit, the Moyers program last night and some other stuff, but there is just no "I'm running" vibe coming from this guy. Sure he could announce if he wins the Nobel, which looks to be a pretty good bet right now, but I don't think he will. He can't, as some have suggested, announce on 7/7. That's a global event, and it would look awful. And he can't announce if no clear winner emerges after New Hampshire, because the calendar won't allow it. And he can't announce if "the front-runner" stumbles because there's no real front-runner anymore. Obama is winning the money contest and nearly tied in the polls; Edwards is a strong and credible third, is doing really well in the early states, and could easily win a general election. So there's no need to ride to the rescue of his party. Nope, the only reason for Gore to run is that he really wants to -- and thinks he should be -- president. And so far, I'm sorry to say, he really doesn't.

Read the whole Altercation here.