What About It, Al?
I know it's not a great job. And I know you didn't like it the first time. But that was because of Bill and Hill. They won't be there. I will.
Here's the deal: we'll redefine the job. I know, I know -- everyone says this, but I mean it. I'll throw every power in my possession behind you and together we'll attack global warming, save the environment, and create a twenty-first century energy policy. We'll be partners in every way.
In return, you'll be vice president of the United States and everything I need in a running mate:
You're white.
You're experienced.
You're older than I am and younger than John McCain.
You're qualified to be president, and yet I have no fear of being upstaged by you.
You were right on Iraq.
You're from the South.
You have an Oscar, an Emmy and a Nobel Prize.
And more than any politician, you're an exemplar of change because you changed yourself.
What about it, Al?
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Look, Al will never give up his carbon trading empire for another shot at being #2.
Why take a pay cut of multiple millions of dollars a year for a job that isn't worth "a pitcher of warm spit?"
Al Gore, more than any other Democratic candidate, is ready to be President on "day one." That should be the primary criteria for Sen. Obama, not the political strategy of race, age, region, etc. Gore only has to agree to the job for one term. However, if your President (or presumptive President) asks for your service for the good of the country, then Gore would be hard pressed to turn down the job.
There's one VERY good reason that Gore might take it: with nothing to prove and no future political ambitions, it would free him to exercise Cheney-like powers in service of the cause to which he's dedicating his life.
Gore is not capable of Cheney-like powers. I think he HAS a heart.
WRONG NDO!!!!!!
Al Gore would initiate the Eco-stapo!
Imagine being arrested because you left your light on, wasting energy! Al Gore never got over losing to Bush (YES, he LOST. Losing TN is all his fault. The election was his to lose, and he did a fine job).
Gore's power grab in the name of the enviornment would make Cheney look like Mother Theresa (sorry, Mother Theresa)!
Of course, the envior-police would be our freinds, right?
WAKE UP!
Cabinet posts for environment: Al Gore, and for health: Hillary. Let Obama pick a VP who is actually ready to take over on Day One.
Bottom line, the vice president could become president--not necessarily through a tragedy, but in the course of time. Gore should accept. It would be a great gift to the country and it would ensure that global climate change would be on the front burner.
I don't get it. Al Gore? Really? And Ms. Ephron lists her top positive reason for wanting Al Gore is because he is "white"? Does that comfort others also?
"sigh"
Thank God, your back, I was afraid they made you go away!
It would be nice to have Al in there, but unfortunately, I don't think it will happen
:(
I love how everyone has this vicarious Al Gore-ishness. Comments like, "why would he stoop..." and the like. Heck it's the Vice Presidency. You get written about in history books. If you did it twice you'd get even more attention. Maybe he just wants Obama to win so that US climate policy can really change with Democratic control of the Exec and Legislature. Maybe he just wants the extra 400k a year with no expenses, a mansion and all the publicity he wants or doesn't want? Maybe he figures he might just get to be President.
The point is, we're playing Rush Limbaugh/Carnak trying to impute motivation. Nora's case is simply that Gore would be an excellent strategic choice for Obama. I agree with her. Let's hope Gore is listening.
"The point is, we're playing Rush Limbaugh/Carnak trying to impute motivation
We don't have to "impute motivation
When a politician denies they're interested in a office, they're not especially credible. You have to know this.
Gore understands that he can effect more change as a private citizen (and he has) than as a public servant; even if it's the second highest office in the nation (world?).
Jimmy Carter also "got" that.
That's a great idea. I say we keep making Al Gore the Vice President for every Democratic nominee until Gore dies of natural causes.
So really, " What say you Al?"
Get real, Nora. Why on earth would the very wealthy and happy nobel laureate stoop to accept the job that one of his predecessors once described as not worth a warm bucket of spit?
Maybe he would do it because he loves his children, his country, and his planet more than the ample adulation of waking up the population to the world's biggest crisis.
AND, in 8 years he'll be three years younger than John McCain is now...
Thanks for writing this, Nora!
I would be the happiest person on earth if Al Gore or John Edwards would be chosen as Obama's VP running mate!!
What star power. charisma, excitement, and intelligence both Al Gore and John Edwards would bring to the VP.
Yep, both Obama/Gore and Obama/Edwards are dream perfect tickets!
I cannot imagine anyone as boring as Sebelius or Nunn or Rendell or various other unknown governors being advantageous.
Please choose John Edwards, since it is unlikely Gore will accept!!
A few more reasons: 1) Obama needs someone like Arianna who can explain why positions called liberal are no longer ones subscribed to by just liberals, but are often in the public interest and welfare, like protecting this planet so the scientific illiterate and politically irresponsible don't get their way; and not going to war on lies and misinformation. 2) Obama needs someone to buffer him from the Clintonian drive for money and power. Deval Patrick and his beloved Romney aids have shown what happens, never mind the primary debacle. 3) With roughly 20 years left in your life Mr. Vice President, so tell me, what is more important than this position to help Obama and fight for the viability of the world. Sure we will here incessantly from the Heartland Institute shills. But it is fair to ask you to debate what many of us do share with you and where better to do it than next to Barack? Join the Pelosis, Kennedys, Hagels, Snowes, Boxers, and even the Specters - you need no learning curve, you know where the doors lead. Is there time for anything else? And bring Wes, Bill, Howard and Donna with you.
I think that Gore would make an excellant VP, as would Edwards and Biden. Please not Hillary or some unknown governor.
Gore was ELECTED president.
Well, it's not about 'balance-of-power,' -- that much is certain, as Congress tells us who to vote for, then tells us to hate everybody we voted for, and/or that our votes don't matter anyway; -- just like all the assassinations, where they tell us instantly 'who dunnit,' but if it's one of your own loved ones, it doesn't matter -- just like, Ruslana Korshunova, instantly ruled a 'suicide' -- but if it were one of your loved ones, they'd just go lock-up the most hated person in the neighborhood -- any excuse will do.
That entire branch of government, the LegisHative branch, is completely out of control.
Why not? Sooner or later politics will have to include some winners who are not egomaniacs, but really care about what happens to the US and to the rest of the world. If the (relatively) selfless won't serve in less than the top capacities, we are doomed.
Right, Al Gore was one of the many Democratic presidential candidate who lost. And history shows that Americans have never given a loser a second chance. The only way Al could therefore hope to be President would be by somebody actually picking him for VP. The same goes for all the endless list of other former Democratic presidential candidates who did not make it: Gary Hart, Geraldine Ferraro, John Kerry, George McGovern, Ted Kennedy, Dukakis etc. etc. etc. right down to Al Gore and Hillary Clinton.
Gore didn't lose. bush, his dirtbag brother, and his SCOTUS buddies stole the election. Don't go rewriting history.
tbone99... get over it.
Gore LOST. He deserved to LOSE. A sitting VP with a popular Admisistration like the Clinton's had should have eaten up the Shrub, spit him out, and won by a landslide.
He didn't even win his home state. So, NO, he was not ELECTED President. He LOST. Not from the Supreme Court, but from his SUPREME EGO. His debating skills were horrific, his Donna Brazile makeover was a joke, and so on. Loooozzzzeeer.
attack global warming, save the environment, and create a twenty-first century energy policy.yea
it's a shame you don't have any idea what you're talking about. Perhaps you should do a little more research on the concept of the carbon footprint. Not all energy usage is created equal.
justmywords, I think it's hopeless. There's something in the water or air or god knows, but the stupidity just goes on and on and on. And we scratch our heads and wonder why we have such bad leadership. When it's down to accepting the "lesser of two evils", people deserve what they get. Too bad for the other 96% of the people on this rock. I say make the Presidential race a lottery where anyone gets a ticket for a buck and odds are you'll come up with something better than the seemingly idiotic voting public or the Republicrat party comes up with.
Are you related to Rush or Savage? Just wondering.
Well, it sure would round out Obama's new image as a gutless centrist.
Al is your first choice? Really? Do you adopt such low standards because it means never having to be disappointed?
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