Should Al Gore Run? By Robert Parry

In a full-page New York Times ad on Oct. 10, a group of grassroots Democrats, called DraftGore.com, published an open letter to Gore pleading with him to enter the race.

<snip>

Across the country, local draft-Gore groups have sprung up, preparing for signature drives to put Gore on the ballot in Democratic primaries, even as the clock on registration deadlines ticks down.

<snip>

The urgency that these rank-and-file Democrats feel about a Gore candidacy derives, in part, from the inadequacies of the current crop of presidential hopefuls who are seen as lacking the foresight, the experience or the gravitas that Gore offers.

<snip>

In a Dec. 8, 2003, article, New York Times columnist William Safire dubbed Sen. Clinton “a congenital hawk” whose mantra on Iraq was “failure is not an option.”

It was not until George W. Bush’s approval ratings went into freefall in late 2005 – and Sen. Clinton was eyeing the Democratic presidential nomination – that she began repositioning herself as a war opponent.

By contrast, Gore was one of the few politicians of national stature who vocally opposed a preemptive war against Iraq amid the war fever of the time. In a speech in San Francisco on Sept. 23, 2002, he described the dangers of the Bush Doctrine’s muscular unilateralism and the harm that could result from charging into Iraq.

More here -> http://www.consortiumnews.com/2007/101007.html

Should Al Gore Run?






Nothing else brings this pain back as swiftly as the bleak reminder of this injustice in Florida on December 12, 2000.

I hope it does him, also.

Please, Al...

If Gore's supporters are going to act like this, I won't be pleased with the company.

We live in a society designed around fossil fuel. We are about to be squeezed by the effects of the scarcity of fuel. And when we see how vulnerable we are to the loss of oil independence, we see that what we are about to face is nothing short of disaster. We're looking at the next couple of years. Not a century away. Walmarts require a fossil fuel infrastructure that has tentacles that extend thousands of miles. We invited the destruction of our communities so we could have these big box stores that leave us vulnerable to cheap oil. We destroyed our agriculture to make fuel dependent cities. And that is only a brief glossing over part of the basics of the problems we are about to face.

We need Al Gore to help America maintain it's calm during what is going to be a very turbulent period. He will be prepared to move ahead with a sense of purpose. Whereas, a Republican is more than likely going to pull out guns and enforcement when the people begin to panic.

I'm not being conspiratorial nor doom and gloom. Go look at my latest post in the Environment forum, and watch the video, if you want an eye opener. Everyone should look at it. I'd like to get that thread onto the greatest page for everyone to see.

“Only from the Oval Office can you wield the kind of influence needed to move countries, policies and corporations to bring about meaningful change. The period of consequences you talk about is upon us in many other equally critical areas as well. Our Constitution is being trampled and our most cherished civil liberties are in grave danger. The Executive Branch is not accountable to anyone. …

“Thousands of Americans are dying needlessly in Iraq while our reputation in the world has plummeted to an all-time low. The war on terror is backfiring as our enemies grow stronger and our resources are drained in an endless and unwinnable war. …

“You were the first American political figure to brave political waters and warn us of the perils of starting a preemptive war in Iraq. You were right. But time to reverse the damage is running out. Given your experience, insight and the respect you enjoy among world leaders, you are uniquely positioned to bring this war to an end and restore America’s good name.”

The letter concluded: “Mr. Vice President, there are times for politicians and times for heroes. America and the Earth need a hero right now – someone who will transcend politics as usual and bring real hope to our country and to the world. Please rise to this challenge, or you and millions of us will live forever wondering what might have been.”

Whether or not Gore heeds this appeal, many Americans will live out their days wondering what better course the nation might have followed if those five Republican justices had simply allowed the Florida recount to proceed, if they had left the decision on national leadership in the hands of the voters.

RUN AL RUN!

candidates dropping out for health reasons. It just seems too goofy right now.

and decides to run. It won't be easy and we all who have begged him to run have a big job to help him if he does. If he is willing to join the madness so am I.

The one thought I have had over and over again is, why would Al Gore allow so many people to have hope, when he could have easily stopped that hope by stating a firm No, I will not run. Period.


That is so out of character for him, that I have to believe he will.

is required to get him elected.

I'm dead serious.

K&R

this is an excellent piece..Run Al Run!!!

http://www.dailykos.com/story/2007/10/10/8383/4812

When will Gore announce? It's about Bali (UPDATED)
by Barcelona

Wed Oct 10, 2007 at 09:20:57 AM PDT

You read that right. When. Why am I so certain? I have of course no inside knowledge. None. Yet I've been certain that he would get in ever since I first saw An Inconvenient Truth, a year and a half ago. And my certainty has only grown since then. Am I delusional? Hardly. I just use a different primary premise for my opinion. Disclaimer: I am not an American. I can't vote in your election, though I've followed your politics almost obsessively ever since watching the 2000 election debacle live on television (Canadians have a front-row seat when it comes to watching you). No, my friends. The timing of Gore's entry is not so much to do with Hillary, ballot deadlines or any Hamlet-like hesitations on Gore's part as it is about a meeting of world leaders on climate in Bali in Decemberand all the meetings that will follow in the coming years and that will ultimately decide the fate of humanity on this planet. (SEE UPDATE lower down).

Barcelona's diary :: ::
Now first off, let me just address the doubters on this one. We've all heard your reasons and you're entitled to them. Fair enough. To take an example, one frequent rebuttal now doing the rounds (for the umpteenth time) is that Gore "hasn't the stomach" (dixit the doubters) for a run any more. Because he's "fallen out of love with politics". He said so himself. He's even written a book to explain why the system is so "toxic", so "broken", so "sclerotic" (all his words, absolutely). But to "logically conclude" from his devastating critique of that "toxic process" that Gore has "decided to stay out" (he has made no such assertion) is basically to judge him as a coward. For if he is truely convinced the system is as broken as he claims, and with the level of righteous anger he expresses, given his particular skill set and depth of experience of that system, for him to decline to attempt to fix it would be akin to a top-flight neuro-surgeon diagnosing a deadly but still-operable brain tumor and telling the patient he won't operate because he's fallen out of love with surgery...

So let's put that meme to rest right now, shall we? I think we can all agree that the proof is in. The man is a lion.

Anyone who can come out of the crucible of 2000 to face down the petro-denialists and singlehandedly put the arcane issue of global warming at the top of the international agenda is no shrinking violet. He's a giant-slayer and a hero. Face it: Al Gore has finally come into his own, as a human being AND as a politician. If you haven't heard him lately, he gives a barn-burner of a stump speech on Restoring Democracy, the Constitution and the Rule of Law in America.

But the main reason I'm so convinced he will run is the same reason he's been barnstorming around the world for the past five years trying to alert the entire human race to the unprecedented danger it and we all face. Because he takes what he calls a planetary emergency very seriously, so seriously he has made it the single driving focus of his life, his raison d'etre. It is that deathly serious, do or die, life-and-death issue that has liberated him to speak so much truth to Power and to speak out so forcefully not only on climate, but on Iraq, on the Patriot Act, on Warrantless Wiretapping, on the Unitary Executive, on the suspension of Habeas Corpus, on Torture, and on every other egregious power-grab by this administration, long before it was popular and long before any one else had the courage and vision to do so.

And it is the climate issue that will ultimately drive him into this race.

Dare I hope that this argument would even win over our friend RG?

:hi:

giggling i say that..

:hi: :hi: :hug: :pals:

fly

:silly:

:hi:

Please run, Al. You're the only one who can bring us back from the brink.

:bounce::kick::bounce:

:patriot:

:D

Gore Supporters’ Movement Lacks a Candidate

Nice summary of some of the efforts.
It's Go Time!.

Sonofabitch expects us to beg him to run.

But if begging is what it takes, then I'll gladly do it.

Run, Al, Run! Please!!!

:bounce:

what quality leadership can we expect from someone so petulant that he won't run unless he's begged? His reluctance to run does not speak well for him, in my opinion.

Had he made the decision to run earlier in year, I'd definitely would have supported a Gore presidency. As it stands, he is not doing US any favors.

Though the time is running frighteningly short and my hope is starting to falter, I can't completely give up until the deadlines are passed or he announces a firm "not running" statement or endorses someone else.

PLEASE, Al. Please. (Where's the :begging: or :groveling: emoticon when you need it?)

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9JE48XHKG64

Just can't trust the dude.

1. Gore has TWO MAJOR loves in his life -- the environment and the Constitution (hence his last two books).
2. No current candidate is taking either issue very seriously
3. Gore has cleared his calendar from Nov. 1st on -- almost no appearances anywhere, except for one in Isreal and one in Finland for the next MANY months. Compare this to his calendar where he has been booked daily for several years. Why would he clear his calendar???