Al de Gore?

Faced with intractable opposition to his plans for political reform, Charles de Gaulle retired in 1953 to his Colombey estate, wrote his wartime memoirs, maintained his contacts and awaited the crisis he knew would occur because of the inherent weakness of the Fourth Republic.

In 1958 it happened. Charles de Gaulle held a press conference to let the country know he was "at its disposal" and, just 10 days later, his offer was accepted. He won an election, extricated the country from its Algerian morass, forged the beginnings of a united Europe, righted a declining economy and won a referendum on a new Constitution establishing the Fifth Republic that survives to this day.

After a wretched "loss" in 2000 (consider how many different small matters had to go wrong -- the butterfly ballot, the purging of voting rolls and intimidation of black voters, the presence of Ralph Nader on the ballot, a Supreme Court committing the ultimate right wing activism, a decision specifically stating it was not to be precedent, and so on), Al Gore similarly left politics while maintaining his contacts. He wrote two books, won an Emmy Award, the Nobel Peace Prize, and produced an Oscar-winning film from a serious slide show on global warming.

Like Barack Obama, Gore was right about the Iraq War from the start. Although he patriotically kept silent for awhile about Bush being asleep-at-the-switch prior to 9/11 so the country could rally, he eventually called him out about that first instance of gross negligence and incompetence. When he was Vice President, with a broad national security portfolio (unlike Hillary, he actually HAD security clearance!), they caught the millennium terrorist who planned to blow up the LA Airport.

While many urged, pleaded, cajoled and even begged him to enter the 2008 Presidential primary race, he maintained that he was not "good at that stuff" (although none of the events that denied him his rightful victory were of his doing), and decided against it.

As the country blunders to the close of its most disastrous presidency ever, the stars should be aligning not just for a Democratic 2008 election victory, but, more importantly, to usher in another progressive age as the empty rhetoric, false idolatry, cowardly aggression and phony piety that was the culmination of all the right wing dreamed for this country came crashing down on all our heads.

And yet, the stars seem to misalign again. Out of a talented crowded field, two appealing, enormously well-funded candidates have emerged to lead that new progressive era. The electorate appears to be divided 50.1- 49.9, and the anomalies of superdelegates and unseated delegations jumble even that calculation. Regrettably -- that is, to the wide electorate who desperately wants only to turn the page -- neither is likely to desist.

The Clintons scored their comeback by launching a scorched earth strategy, specifically aligning themselves with McCain over Obama. While Obama will probably show his superior character, his inevitable counterattacks -- and, key questions that now must be raised by reporters and superdelegates on her taxes and White House records and Marc Rich, etc. -- are not likely to boost her chances in the fall election either.

The Democratic electorate is split. While 50.1% and 49.9% of the delegates and electorate will find it difficult for their candidate to retire in favor of the other, would it not be true that ~85% or more would enthusiastically embrace Al Gore?

Time for "Al de Gore" to "put himself at the disposal of his country"?

Comments

[DRHoen]

Holy crap, there's seems to be a lot of support for this.

[lovethesinner]

What a "bon idea" Pierre. Gore as de Gaulle! "Manifique!" (cue the accordion)

I heard Mark Shields state, unoquivacally, that a vice-president may run for a third and fourth term. So, that's an option, too. (unless Marc is being michevious) But, your so right, a combination of the two, Gore/Obama or Obama/Gore has such a powerfull ring to it:

"Out of Iraq, save the planet, and restore our standing in the world."

Now that's a sexy slogan!

I've been favoring Webb as Obama's vice-president, just because he turmps McCain's macho street cred by having a kid in Iraq, and by the "mavrick" mystique he earned when he carried a hand-gun, (nickle plated Colt 45 automatic-standard Army issue) into his office in the Capitol building.) There's something sort of mythical about the event on Capito Hill. (makes Cheney look like a chubby Larry Craig)

But, there is nobody who would unite Democrats after all this Lee Atwater style politics like good old Al de Gore. Nobody I'd rather let step in front of Obama, or, in additon to Webb, behind him.

I still like that gun, though. I'd love knowing the image of that nasty little bull dog was somewhere close to Barack. Plus, he gives a good speech, himself, Webb does. He gives you the impression there's a line somewhere in the middle distance you don't want to cross. Sort of Irish, kinda. (I think he's probably Scotch-Iri­sh... okay, I'm guessing) Ah, hell, we'll go with the topic "du jour": a GUARANTEED lifetime of sixteen years)

(think about it.)

Gore/Obama in '08

[research]

Gore as VP? Maybe.

[mawrm]

I'd push this option as well. A Gore/Obama ticket would be unstoppable and in some ways very ironic since IMHO it should have been McCain to face Gore in 2000 had it not been for the Bush nasty smear campaign and entrenched family politics against him - sounds familiar?

This eliminates the experience argument, the vote for war argument, the foreign policy argument. A Nobel Prize Winner for President! Plus Gore will not have to build a campaign from scratch - he would have the Obama grass-roots movement behind him.

This would COMPLETELY mess up the Republicans.

[lovethesinner]

Wouldn't it? (heh, heh)

[orifox]

Um.

Hi.

Yeah, um. I hate to say this
but
um

Al Gore's not in the race. And, um, you know, he said he's, um, that um, he's not getting in the race.

And uh, also, you know, there are millions of people who just voted for people OTHER THAN Al Gore?

Um, well, uh, do you play alot of Dungeons and Dragons or something?

There's no Easter Bunny either.

And. Um. Yeah. Um. And also, you remember that guy JOE LIEBERMAN. Um. Yeah, lets take a moment to remember Joe Lieberman.

Also, there's no Santa Claus.

Gore should NEVER have conceded. But he did. And, that's the kind of politics that we don't need any more of.

Go Obama 08. Let's move on. Something new and exciting is calling. Ok?

[ReasonIsMyReligion]

Obama would have conceded too.
It was the right thing to do at that point.

[ProudLiberalDan]

If Obama would have conceded, he would have shown why he is not worthy to be the nominee today.

Al Gore should have led national demonstrations all the way to inauguration, rendering George W. Bush's ill-gotten political capital utterly worthless.

I certainly think Obama would have fought for every vote and not just rolled over as the election was being stolen from him.

[ProudLiberalDan]

"Go Obama 08. Let's move on. Something new and exciting is calling. Ok?"

Gee. A slick opportunist, who is DLC-to-the-bone, and gives good speech, is something new and exciting? That's the OLDEST political trick in the book. It's right out of Huey Long's playbook.

I'm a professional actor. I'm not impressed by the ability to give a good speech. I can give a good speech. I know actors who could play Barack Obama in the biopic. What I care about is action.

Barack Obama wasn't even progressive or liberal enough to offer a universal health care plan, even in name, has already promised to give away the store to conservatives in some naive post-partisan poltiical arrangement, and uses right-wing framing of issues like health care and social security.

Gee, a DLC-Democrat who gives a good speech. Sounds like Bill Clinton in 1992 to me.

No thank you.

Bring on the brokered convention and a Gore/Edwards ticket.

[Egghead]

I would. I would completely, totally, accept Al Gore. That's what I wanted from the beginning.

I don't really know if Gore should ask either Hillary OR Obama to be veep. I'm afraid that would be more divisive than ever. What I would *really* like to see is Gore/Dean, though as DNC Chair that isn't happening. Still, it would be great. Gore could do the hopeful, idealistic presidential thing, and Dean could go ahead and BE the attack dog. It looks fine from a VP candidate.

This would be much better than a Hillary/Obama murder-suicide.

[itmaybetoolate]

Please, god, please let Gore be the nominee!!!! I am with you johnboogeying.

[peterg76]

If Clinton and Obama come out in a tie, there would be a certain logic to both of them withdrawing and endorsing Al Gore for re-election.

Better yet, impeach Bush and Cheney and make Al Gore acting president. (The world could have 9 years of President Gore instead of 8!)

[Boadicea]

Six little words:

From your lips to God's ears.

[jungpatawan]

Gore / Obama!

[RISEUPAMERICA]

YES!!!!!!!­!!!!!!!!!!­!! I would totally support A Gore/ Edwards Nomination!!

[ProudLiberalDan]

That's what I wanted at the beginning of the season before any candidates officially declared.

To quote one of the remaining DLC candidates,

"YES, WE CAN!"

How do we start the national petition drive to ask the Superdelegates to throw open the Convention by refusing to vote for either Obama or Clinton, so we can draft GORE?

[williehorton]

Stop trying to cheer me up, doggone it!

[JXB]

He was the most qualified out of all candidates in any party in 2000 to lead the nation, and he remains the most qualified in comparison to all candidates today. He is also even more needed now than in 2000.

[ObGyn]

No way. Maybe Obama/Gore, but not Gore/Obama. Obama has won fair and square in spite of the Clintons controlling the entire DNC apparatus. If Obama is not #1, I say, destroy the DNC forever. If the DNC cannot find a way to remove Hitlery who is handing the presidency to the Republicans in a year in which Democrats are so energized, destroy the party. That’s my two cents.

[ProudLiberalDan]

But, according to the rules that Obama agreed to, he will not have a majority from pledged delegates on the first vote. If the Superdelegates voted "present" or for Gore on the first round, and neither Obama nor Clinton win a first-ballot majority, ALL the degates are free.

I never thought I'd want a smoky-back room convention, but it's the only thing to save us from this beauty contest of tokenism the DLC and media have provided us.

[whimsicalpig]

oh, you are so right,

we were manipulated into this fiasco of a primary contest because a black man vs woman contest would be great for keeping public interest high in this year-long primary season.

now, if our party elders are smart enough to extricate us from this trainwreck then we stand a chance.

if they aren't smart enough, than perhaps we shouldn't be aspiring to the white house because we are definitley underqualified.

[ProudLiberalDan]

The only way this whole campaign season could be redeemed for me is if we have a brokered convention and Gore is drafted as the nominee. I don't want either of these two DLC-to-the-bone candidates as the Democratic nominee, regardless if they make history as the first __________ nominee of a major party.

It won't happen, but I'm with you.

I'll be the first one to sign a DRAFT GORE petition now. If I never see either one of these two remaining DLC candidates agin, it will suit me fine. Funny, Gore lost (or rather won, but it was stolen from him) the election as a DLC Democrat. Now he has all the fire and intelligence and humor he didn't have then.

DRAFT GORE

DRAFT GORE

DRAFT GORE

[ReasonIsMyReligion]

Amen.

And....

Draft Romney's and Duhbya's kids.