And Al Gore Helps John McCain into the White House

So John McCain is moving towards a more moderate position so he can build himself up for the general election. And the way he is doing it is quite fascinating if not surprising.

First, his advisers can read polls and recognize the daunting right track/wrong track polling headwind that is gusting in their face.

Differences between Bush and McCain will be "discussed at great length," promises one aide.

"He'll be direct about it. He's never gratuitous, never disrespectful, but there are going to be policy breaks where it couldn't be clearer." Two areas of difference McCain will highlight: global warming and spending.

And why would John McCain be trusted on climate change? Perhaps because Al Gore is saying he should be trusted.

Gore's spokeswoman, Kalee Kreider, declined to comment on the Obama offer and was complimentary about the presidential candidates, including Republican Sen. John McCain of Arizona.

"Former Vice President Gore thinks that both candidates are very strong. Both of them have offered plans to address the climate crisis ... as has Senator McCain," she said.

I asked Kreider why she is praising McCain, considering that Bush lied in 2000 about his intent to deal with climate change. Here's her response.

The key threshold issue for most NGO's and people working on climate, ourselves included are: Does the policymaker, work, support, vote in favor of, introduce legislation for mandatory reductions in pollution or not. McCain has, Bush has not.

And there we go. If you want to know why John McCain is trusted, it's not just that he has a base in the media. Democratic Party elders - including Barack Obama and Hillary Clinton - just fall all over themselves to praise him (he's met the commander-in-chief threshold how, exactly?).

Al Gore has tried extremely hard to build a movement without politics, and it just isn't working. As a candidate, he tried to run without attacking Bush, and as a global icon, he has launched an apolitical TV channel and hosted a bunch of mega-concerts that didn't really advance the argument on climate change. And now that Republicans are poised to use climate change as an excuse to siphon money off to industry, Gore is jumping on the McCain bandwagon.

Better party elders, please.

Follow Matt Stoller on Twitter: www.twitter.com/matthewstoller

Comments

[thedirtman]

I hope everyone will forgive my frankness, but McCain has been the lone star on the dark side for a long long time on this issue, along with possibly Schwarzeneggar. Still it would be hard for McCain to muster a responsible front on global warming if he is tying up American money in Iraq and tax cuts. If you want to hit him on global warming, that is his weak spot.

[bdd]

President Elect Al Gore,
IS THIS TRUE????

[bobdob]

This is pretty standard stuff these days. The new thing with all the environmental non-profits is to brag about how many Republicans donate to their organizations. Green is going corporate, and corporations are going green. It's all an opportunistic PR ploy for the wingers, of course, but the orgs don't mind as long as they get the money.

Gore is hedging his bet. No matter who wins, he wants them on his side. In the financial business, it's called diversification.

[2lib4oh]

Gore is trying to take a principled stand on the environment, not play politics.
We don't need to "own" every issue. Nixon started the EPA and Bush wrecked it.
It is a neutral issue that we should all agree upon. Don't make this partisan.

If Obama is elected he could bring McCain in to work with him on getting environmental
changes made. Its a win/win situation. Its called collaboration.

[stlswest]

I think it's great if McCain has tried to back global warming. Climate change really shouldn't be a partisan issue. I'm an Obama supporter and have had a look at McCain's (via his website) position on global warming. It's mediocre at best, lacking clear goals. When you look at Obama's position, he is a lot more thorough, with concrete goals and objectives. My point is, that if both of these candidates want to make global warming an issue, then more power to them. I think Obama can beat McCain in that arena and overall for that matter. As for Al Gore, I think it's awesome that we have a champion for global warming who is trying to make the issue apolitical. That's what we should be working towards on more issues than jus this one.

[TheShoveler]

Stoller and Kos (sorta like Laurel and Hardy, Abbott and Costello, Martin and Lewis, Rowan and Martin, you get the idea): The next step, we trash Al Gore for pushing Karl Rove's talking points. We mow down anyone who stands in our way. We, the almighty Netroots, will ram Obama down your throats and you will damn well like it. Well, I can't wait for Day One, when they swear McCain in, because he's too old and sick to live out his term anyway. But maybe then we can begin to restore some sanity to Democratic politics

[BushBites]

Well, face it, Gore is the original Liebercrat.

In fact, I doubt we'd even be talking about Joe today were it not for Gore.

I'm not too surprised.

[2lib4oh]

Don't be so childish. Gore is much more than Lieberman. He has a just cause that is not self-centered. He will need the cooperation of both parties to do anything about
Global Warming.

[JamesA1102]

Matt seems to be so blinded by his own partisan bias that the can't appreciate the good Gore is doing to save the planet. People like Matt think environmental issues are just something to gain advantage over the other side rather than a real problem that we all must deal with. He is the kind of smug seft-rightous liberals who give the rest of us on the left a bad name. Thankfully we have leaders like Al Gore and Barak Obama who can see beyond the old rules of politics in an effort to unite all the people.

[AnAmericanWoman]

Al GORE has becomer an independant! He care only about one thing - his agenda on climate change. Bloomberg is an independant - he cares about only one thing - the economy. MLK III has become an independant - he only cares about poverty. John Edwards has become and independant - he only cares about health care. I'm FED UP with these Independants - although I was one myself before this campaign began -These four BIG possible endorsements all want to be chased and SOLD to the higher bidder on their pet projects! Sounds like another word for LOBBYISTS!

[BushBites]

That's an interesting observation.

Perhaps it is the beginning of the post-partisanship Obama talks about.

I have mixed feelings about it, since I was independent myself before Bush, DeLay, Hastert, Frist and Cheney came in and ruined the country, forcing me to take sides against the Repubs.

However, I can see where it might be a positive long-term trend.

[not one of the sheep]

Just another in a long laundry list of reasons not to vote for Johnnyboy.

[jubo]

Oh, the lighter side of Papa Web. It does not go very far...

[procrustes]

Oh, Matt. My difficulty is how to say what I want to you and get it past the censors. Here goes.

This is about the dumbest position on Al Gore I have read in a very long time. Al has his eye on the prize: meaningful action on global warming by the Untied States. If he trashes McCain, he is less likely to get the prize. If he offers praise when McCain does something positive, Al helps his cause.

Can you see this?

Al's concern is about saving the planet, not the Democratic Party. If we could get him nominated with Obama as the compromise (between victory and calamity) running mate, then we might be able to save the planet and the Democratic Party.

[GrainOSand]

Why would Dems bring a steak knife to a gun fight? The GOP does play hardball and it is time for that wing of the Dem party to come out in full force and meet nefarious tactics with superior counters and surprise annihilations. I am looking for this to happen, otherwise the GOP has a chance (a portion of the electorate is still gullible to BS) because the Dems seem to want to play footsie with a snake and then wonder why they get bit repeatedly. You must kill a rabid dog not try to pet it. As for Mr. Gore, being rich is a liability. Come on down out of that ivory tower to the streets so you can learn what true grit is. Lofty ideas without steel toe boots may get your ideas sunk by the wicked and those void of morality and therefore willing to do anything; you know --the GOP.

[Lazycrockett]

The left always fold. Don't know why, but they always do.

[leftofliberal01]

the reason is they are not left.....gore is not left...never has been....the media and
republicans (clinton's included) have you believing they are left....they are
center and right of center.....i get crazy every time someone uses the left word
to describe these people....

[Mike O.]

They fold because they're cowards at heart. Not one liberal posses the qualities that America needs in a leader.

This is why Rove's prediction of 20 years of Republican rule will, indeed, come to pass. Only 8 years in with 12 more to go! Hopefully all of the left-wing liberals will have moved by then!

God, guns and the good ol' US of A!

[Amminadab]

Are progressives now going to throw Gore to the pavement, too?

I don't know how dems are supposed to win while simultaneously trashing the coalition.

[KMKY]

Well, no, progressives are not, but writers who continually engage in false analogies will. The fact that this author can not see the good and the bad in all three of these candidates shores up the fact this author is irrational (I would love to be gracious, but this site has wasted my graciousness when it comes to Democratic-winning strategy). Dems (those who are more concerned about a Democratic candidate getting elected rather than a candidate they just like this year) should be able to see that Democratic loyalists (from the latte to the beer to the red wine and Crown Royal drinkers to those people who don't read HuffPo, watch CNN, or even Fox on a regular basis) are very concerned about everything from flag pins to union busting to Iraq to the post-Iraq war humanitarian commitment to climate change to education (I would love to hear about REPEALING and/or REFORMING No Child Left Behind).

[Jjc2006]

Apparently Al is not a kool aid liberal (who knew there could be such a thing) who goes along with the Obamingpost, the daily Obama and all the positions of the wise Jedi who are paternalistically leading is on the path where we can participate in the good vs evil game. There are no big tent, grays areas in the progressive movement. You are with them or against them. You either worshop Obama and hate Clinton and McCain and see them as evil, or you are thrown to the curb.

Of course to hate and mistrust McCain because of the media seems trivial to me. IMO, there are a lot of reasons to mistrust McCain that have nothing to do with the media. If being hated by the media counts as a positive then progressives should be loving instead of trashing Clinton because it does not take much of an IQ to see what the press does to her. And up until this week, there should have been doubt for Obama since MSNBC had been pouring all their love on Obama. But then some of us knew their game.
Poor Al he was trashed by the press in 2000 and lazy progressives let it happen. NOW they think they can blame Al instead of the press.

[rosal]

This has been the most horrible election for Democrats. Everybody is loosing their marbles, even Al Gore. Incredible! I wish it was January already.
We had a sure thing, now I won't be surprised if the old man wins. Pathetic!

[jdizl]

Hey Matt,

Just do us a huge favor and tip-toe the line of politics and the environment.
There's enough smoke and mirrors, he-said she said sidebar quicksand
propaganda going around this election that we don't need to start a "why is
Gore enabling McCain" rumor...

C'mon...
GW and the environment is something we all have a common thread to!
Besides, McCain is running on Iraq! If the general public is not wise enough
to decipher the facts on such a grotesque mismanaged affair by his political
party, well then we get what we deserve.