The Ostroy Report blog: AL Gore Could be Our Next President

[Larkspur]

http://www.ostroyreport.blogspot.com/>http://www.ostroyreport.blogspot.com/

Is former vice-president Al Gore gearing up for another run at the White House? Rumors are swirling in Washington that Gore plans to take on New York's Sen. Hillary Clinton for the Democratic nomination in 2008. He's recently launched his new television network, Current, and is back on the speaking circuit. In fact, he'll be the keynote in D.C. next week at a huge Democratic National Committee fundraiser.

He's got a real shot here folks. For one thing, he's been against the Iraq war from the get-go. Hillary Clinton voted for it, as did Senators Joe Biden (D-DE) and former 2004 presidential candidate John Kerry (D-MA). All three will surely vie for the '08 nomination. The latest polls show that a majority of Americans want the U.S. to bring home the troops now. This growing anti-war fervor will be a major factor in the next primary election, and can bode very well for the former veep.

Additionally, Gore is Mr. Environment, and has been preaching the global warming gospel for 20+ years. Most recently he preached to the proverbial choir at the World Environment Day conference in San Francisco, a five-day U.N. gathering to promote pro-environment practices. A growing chorus of scientists believe the recent frequency of strong Category 4 and 5 hurricanes such as Katrina and Rita may be linked to global warming. They believe that rising global temperatures warm the oceans, which in turn fuel hurricanes and intensify their power. On this issue, Gore just might have a groundswell of very interested listeners for a change.
<SNIP>

Goddess, I hope C-SPAN or someone from the DNC records Gore's speech and posts it on the web for us to view. And I can't wait for his feature-length documentary due out this December on his environment presentation that has received high praise from those who attended.

[still_one]

1. I believe he will run

[dogman]

2. What happened to 2006? N/T

[WI_DEM]

4. it's coming up next year, and we'll be there

fighting and working as always.

[dogman]

9. Congratulations!

I had no doubt, I was just referring to the mantra we hear when other 2008 possibilities are mentioned. On the serious side I do wonder what Gore is doing for 2006 candidates. Or is he going to be held to a different standard?

[Guaranteed]

17. You mean, other than speaking at this huge DNC fundraiser? nt

[dogman]

21. Yes

That has not been good enough for other 2008 possibilities. I have no problem with Gore as a candidate, but he should have to meet the same standards as the others. I welcome any Dem who is willing to show up and lead, there haven't been many. If he is ready to come out of hibernation he is most welcome.

[Guaranteed]

22. He has shown the strongest leadership of any Dem in the past three

years.

[dogman]

23. You forgot IMO

What has he led? to where?

[drummo]

30. What's this stupid obsession with pols leading people?

Are Americans sheep or what?

You cannot hear this "leadrship this leadership that" talk in other modern democracies. Only in America. People in other countries do not need pols to know where to go or what to think.

I want someone in the Oval Office who can manage the federal government not someone who will lead me. Thanks, but I can lead myself.

[dogman]

31. It's not about you as an individual.

There is a whole body of government and the nation as a whole. Right now we are being led into a desert.

[drummo]

40. And the government and the nation are not made of individuals?

Of course they are. You can only lead 300 000 000 people if you lead all of them. Which comes down to leading 300 000 000 individuals.

[dogman]

68. You said you are leading yourself.

If we go in 300 000 000 different directions we aren't going to get too far or accomplish very much,are we? It takes leadership to get a majority headed in the direction that brings progress.

[JNelson6563]

72. Here's how it works Drummo

See, it's a lot easier to sit around and wish for a hero who will show up and be so fabulous all things will just fall into place. The alternative is gruntwork party building type of work. Pretty unglamorous, and nowhere near as fun as sitting in our comfy homes at our computers throwing stones at those willing to actually be out there busting ass for the cause.

Julie

[crispini]

82. Well, I totally agree with party building.

But it really would be nice if there was one voice that we could sort of coalesce around. That's what *I* mean about a leader. Right now, Howard Dean says this, Hillary says that, Reid says the other thing, Pelosi says something else. I mean, I don't know what position that should be -- in an election year it quite naturally coalesces around the candidate. But right now it sure would be nice for one strong voice to be saying some of the same things we are saying in the public sphere. Dean seems to be trying to do some of that but for whatever reason it's not getting out there as much as it should. That's what I understand when I hear people on DU saying thinks like, "We need a leader." We do. We need a unified message.

[JNelson6563]

85. We need a unified message

and that can only come with our leadership getting together on that. Maybe soon all Dems will see Bush is done for and will quit carrying water for that cabal.

Hope springs eternal. :toast:

Julie

[Guaranteed]

41. Watch his speeches:

http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=view_all&address=104x4861295

If you listen to what he's saying- and *when* he was saying it, it's pretty clear.

His vision has been broader than Dean's, earlier (and probably broader, as well) than Clark's, and much, much stronger than Kerry's, Clinton's or Edwards'.

While not crossing the line into far-leftist land, to boot.

[Samantha]

66. He led a lot of people like me through the Bush* darkness

in hopes of seeing the light again at the end of the political tunnel. If Al Gore had not made the speeches he made during these last five years, especially the one condemning the pre-emptive attack on Iraq, I would have had NO HOPE this Country stood a chance of returning to what it once was.

And that is where Al Gore led me. I believe he has helped many others in the same way. I believe through his words the rest of the world also heard a spark which suggested that one day the Bush* reign of terror would end. With it would go the neocons. If the rest of the world has any hope that this Country can be what it once was, that hope springs from the words of Al Gore and Jimmy Carter.

[dogman]

69. And that's a good thing.

He has represented failure to me. He dropped out and left us in the Bushes as far as I'm concerned. He has since come back to life and has given some good inspired speeches, they just strike me as too little too late. If he had devoted the same energy to running against Bush as he spent running from Clinton, I think he might have been more successful. He based his strategy on winning FL and it belonged to the enemy, I think that too was a fatal mistake.

[Samantha]

91. I guess we will just have to agree to disagree

I think Al Gore, though a statesman and a man of high personal integrity, is also human. He had faith that the Supreme Court would do the right thing in considering the 2000 election question. (I had no such faith). Five political Republican judges could not rise above their own political persuasions and do the right thing. Their failure to do so pulverized this Country and its people. In that aftermath, this Country has sunk to depths I could not have dreamed it would spiral into. I believe as a human being, that despite all of his best efforts, Gore was in a place where none of us have ever been. Echoing in his ears were the words of David Bois, "There is no appeal from Supreme Court."

From whence he came, Al Gore has a navigation system that drives him to always do the right thing. But when the right thing, in other words, the legally-dictated action, propelled him and us into a direction we were never intended to head, what is the solution that will turn things around. I do not think the answers came quickly for Gore and I for one cannot criticize him for that.

As I have said in many other posts here, Al Gore ran this Country during the impeachment process when Clinton was too depressed to do so. Additionally, he had eight other spheres of interest, which in acting as a co-president of the country, a deal offered in private to him by Clinton for agreeing to run in 1992, for which he was responsible. Add to that the difficulty of mounting a political campaign for president, during which some of the base was abdicating over the sexual improprieties of Bill Clinton, and one has a motley mixture of difficult responsibilities almost more than any one man can handle. But Gore DID handle it, he helped pull the Country through the impeachment crisis, he maintained his own end as far as meeting his responsibilities and he mounted a winning election campaign. That accomplishment at that time makes him in my book a political superman. I look over the field and I really don't see too many people on either side who could have waded through those waters and persevered as did Al Gore. When he received his official thanks for all his efforts via that per curium Supreme Court opinion, it appeared to devastate him. The fact he went into hibernation for about a year to contemplate the events and to cultivate a plan for the future is totally understandable. I am not going to criticize him. If you choose to do so, that's entirely your prerogative.

I personally see a small hope for our future twinkling on the horizon simply by virtue of the fact rumors are swirling Al Gore might run again. I pray he does.

[WI_DEM]

3. If Gore runs all bets are off

I could certainly support him. But wouldn't that be something Gore vs. Clinton?

[daninthemoon]

5. Gore gets my vote over Hilary any day. I like Hilary, but Gore is the

man. (No sexism intended) Besides, he already won once.

[sasha031]

8. we need him more than ever

the courage he has, I love Al Gore.

what I would worry about is the MSM and their lies.would they start with their fabrications again, would the public believe them.

[soleft]

He'll likely have Dean's full support

and mine too.

People may have thought Gore was wooden, but he was no phony.

[Larkspur]

13. I know that Jim Dean, Howard's brother, is not happy about HIllary

I think that Jim would support Al Gore and I definitely think Howard will too, but because he's the DNC Chair, Howard won't be able to show it. Look to what Jim Dean and DFA do when it comes time for the race to the 2008 primaries to begin.

With Dean's Internet fundraising machine behind the rejuvenated and redeemed Al Gore, Hillary will have serious problems. What I see happening is the Powers-that-Be supporting a compromise candidacy of Gore/Hillary Clinton '08. I could live with that ticket, but my heart will be with Al Gore, not Hillary Clinton.

[FreedomAngel82]

57. Definitley!

Look at what happend with Paul Hackett!

[Hippo_Tron]

43. I don't think that the DNC Chair can publicly take sides in the primary

But privately I think that Dean would certainly want Gore to win.

[FreedomAngel82]

56. Exactly

Gore is anything but wooden. He's great and has so much heart and passion and I like someone who takes the job seriously as being president. If Gore runs I would love that! In 2000 I loved him and Clinton and wanted to vote for Gore but wasn't old enough yet. :( I'm still proud my first vote was for Kerry/Edwards but I would also love to vote for Gore. :)

[Toots]

19. How about Gore and Clinton?

A Gore/Clinton ticket....Unbeatable....

[Guaranteed]

20. It would make for an amazing bumpersticker, that's for sure.

I don't know about Senator Clinton, though.

[Scout1071]

36. I disagree. GORE/CLARK is the dream ticket.

IMO.

[adigal]

37. I'm with you -

our dream ticket:

Gore/Clark

[CitrusLib]

46. If Clark wasn't the Presidential nominee, I wouldn't want to see him as VP

It would be a waste. He'd be one kick-ASS Secretary of State.

[FreedomAngel82]

58. I think he would be perfect for that

For VP I'd like Edwards or Feingold.

[orion9941]

6. Hmmm...

I still don't think Hillary will run for President. Not that she doesn't have aspirations for it or anything...I just think that she is smart enough to realize that now is not the time to run.

Gore on the other hand...while I would LOVE to see him run...well...I'll believe it when I see it. In the meantime I seriously believe that we must focus on 2006 instead of 2008. Alot is going to happen between now and 08 and trying to figure out who will run in 08 is like playing fantasy football at this point.

[FreedomAngel82]

59. Yes

Anything can happen in 2006 so who knows. :) But it would be nice to have a real president Gore. *sigh* I also have a "gut feeling" Hillary won't run in 2008, but that's just me.

[HereSince1628]

7. I'd be surprised, but Nixon pulled off a comeback in '68

I hope Gore won't have to campaign about ending civil unrest and promise to end the war to get elected.

[LiberalEsto]

10. Reading this cheered me up immensely

but don't get your hopes up about the mainstream media. They go out of their way to ignore Gore. Why? Because he is the legitimate president, and the media backed the Pretender who claimed victory in 2000 (and again in 2004). And because Gore would be the strongest candidate against whatever rethug gets the nomination.

Hillary is a lightning rod -- many hate her the way they hate Jane Fonda. And to me, she is far too much of a DLC-middle-of-the-road accommodator to the rethugs.

My choice would be a Gore-Clark ticket.

[NYCGirl]

12. Yeah, but the press LOVES a good comeback story. NT

[bearfan454]

11. Can Al Gore beat Diebold ?

Well ?

[Robeson]

65. Sshhh....

...We're not supposed to talk about that 10,000 pound gorilla in the room that want go away....

[bleever]

73. Only if we help.

We can win.

NGU.

[lojasmo]

14. The only person I can think of that I would work hard for.

Or at all, really.

[npincus]

15. please, please... let it be so

[bunny planet]

16. Please let it happen.

Gore is the one. I think he should run with General Clark as his Veep.

[dweller]

18. Dream Ticket

imo.
dp

[soleft]

24. Has Gore made any statements as to gay marriage/civil unions?

[renaissanceguy]

25. In 2000 he came out for civil unions

during one of the debates with *.

[Larkspur]

27. Get his book "The Spirit of the Family"

http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/tg/detail/-/0805068945/qid=1127492969/sr=8-14/ref=sr_8_xs_ap_i14_xgl14/103-8113487-9416626?v=glance&s=books&n=507846

He has photos of gay families in a positive light. Gore definitely believes that love makes a family.

Gore supports gays and said that they can create loving families. In 2000, he supported civil unions, but not gay marriage http://issues2000.org/Al_Gore.htm#Gay_Rights . Don't know if he has changed his mind on that issue.

[FreedomAngel82]

61. With me and that

I think it's all the same just different language. As the old saying goes: a rose called by any other name is still a rose. What matters I think is they get equal rights in the eyes of the law. Why should I be more important to the government since I'm white and straight?

[Historic NY]

26. I prefer a Gore/Edwards, Gore/Dean or Gore/Clark.......

before I'd take a Gore/Clinton ticket. Hillary is a lightening rod that we don't need.

[bmbmd]

28. Gore-Gephardt

delivers Missouri and Iowa. Probably Ohio.

[Larkspur]

32. Gephardt is a war crimminal along with my senator, Lieberman

No way would I want that old fossil, Gephardt on the Gore ticket.

At least Hillary had the good sense not to pose in the Rose Garden next to Bush after voting for IWR.

[CityDem]

35. Just like Edwards delivered N Carolina

VP nominee rarely delivers a state. LBJ was probably the last.

[mandyky]

63. Gore/Dean

I love it!

[Upfront]

78. Gore-Dean

Sounds good.

[theplutsnw]

87. That is my dream ticket for sure!

[ElectroPrincess]

29. Yes, I would vote again for Al Gore :-) ... that I can agree to

[kma3346]

33. I wish he would run

He deserves the presidency that he rightfully won in 2000.

[Wordie]

34. He has a LOT of plusses (some negatives, too), worth considering! eom

[many a good man]

38. Can Gore carry TN?

That killed him in 2000. Can't he move to Ohio or Florida or something???

[drummo]

39. Tennessee no. Ohio maybe.

Florida yes. And if he has that and every other states he won in 2000 he is president.

[Sick_of_Rethuggery]

74. Tennessee is possible,

especially for Gore -- latest survey usa polls show Tennessee giving Bush a net negative...

[AlGore-08.com]

93. In his column this week, Lamar Alexander mentioned Gore's mercy flights

This is the same guy who's paid for billboards around Nashville (and other parts of TN as far as I know) celebrating medals won by local soldiers in Iraq.

He wouldn't be talking about Gore if it would lose him his next re-election. And what little he does say is very positive:

http://www.chattanoogan.com/articles/article_73098.asp

(snip)

In Maryville, Al Gore flew a planeload of evacuees from New Orleans into one of Tennessee’s most Republican counties. Nobody asked about anybody’s politics. Everybody just pitched in to help.

(more, but not about Gore... )

[Hippo_Tron]

42. I'd take Gore over a lot of the bunch that we have now

I'm not going to deny the fact that Gore did a horrible job in 2000. But I think that after reflecting on that election (I would say his loss, except that he didn't really lose), he has really become a different man and certainly a better one.

I think that he'd be much better than Bayh, Biden, Hillary, Lieberman (god forbid), Kerry, and Edwards. I think that some combo of Gore, Clark, and Feingold is the way to go.

If Gore is gong to win, however, there's some things he needs to do this time that he didn't do last time.

1) Tie himself to the Clinton economy...

I disagree with a lot of Clinton's DLC policies (and I think that Gore does as well), but if there was one thing that you couldn't bitch about under Clinton, it was the economy. This will be ESPECIALLY useful after 8 years of shrub. People will be saying "shit, maybe I should've voted for Gore in 2000".

2) Get some new strategists...

Gore's campaign team in 2000 sucked, end of story. Kerry's campaign team also sucked until he put Lockhardt and Sasso in charge. Hopefully Carville will also be willing to work for Gore if he is the nominee. I know that he's pretty much jumped on the Hillary bandwagon, but hopefully he would be willing to work for any dem in the general election.

3) Work on his speaking and debating skills...

The speaking is not so much a problem. Gore has very much improved his speaking and his ability to get a crowd excited. Is he at the level of Bill Clinton or Mario Cuomo? No, he's not, because he simply wasn't born with it. But I would say that the whole "Al Gore talks like a Robot" thing doesn't really apply anymore.

The debating is another thing. History tends to show that if Democrats are going to win the election, they need to win the debates. If the GOP nominee is somebody like Bill Frist, George Allen, or Rick Santorum (gasp), Gore needs to be able to blow them out of the water.

In this regard, especially, the possibility of McCain being the GOP nominee in 2008 concerns me. McCain isn't an ideologue and is also articulate and thus he makes an extremely formidable debater, compared to most Republicans.

If Gore can do these things, then I would say tha the's got a great shot for 2008.

[Guaranteed]

44. Great post.

I wouldn't worry about McCain being the nominee. If he's nominated, he'll just win. Nothing we can do about it. But the crazies in his party hate him.

More likely, we need to worry about Giuliani, it's beginning to sound like.

[Hippo_Tron]

48. I think that Giuliani would lose in a landslide

Giuliani had his moment in the sun just like Bush did. Bush's approval ratings have since dropped about 40-50 points.

Fundies would NOT turn out for Giuliani unless they put somebody like Sam Brownback in the VP slot (which is probably what they will do) and even then, it will be hard to get them out.

Giuliani has had four chances to seek a Senate seat or the Governor's mansion since 2000 and he has declined every time. Surely he must not have been very confident in his chances. If he can't win statewide, then I would say that he has little hope of winning a national election. Plus his personal issues may become a problem and we all know how the GOP loves to use personal issues.

Regarding McCain, I agree that he would definately be the most formidable opponent that we could possibly face. If the GOP is smart, they will nominate him. The sad thing is, that as far left wing as I am, I would seriously have to thing about who to vote for if it were McCain vs Hillary or McCain vs Bayh. Truth be told, I like John McCain a lot more than I like Hillary and Bayh, but my main consideration against him is the Republican slime that he would inevitably put in high offices if he were elected.

However, if our nominee is somebody good like Clark, Feingold, or Gore, then I believe that we would have a good shot agianst McCain.

[Larkspur]

84. All you have to do to defeat a Prez candidate McCain is show the picture

of him eating cake with bush while New Orleans drowned.

McCain is toast if you use the truth against him.

[FreedomAngel82]

62. Dunno

He did gain Florida hon. Remember? Even Carter said so. Gore only lost Tennessee by four percent. We now have a democratic governor so anything is possible and Gore is a little more different then 2000.

[StudentOfDarrow]

45. Very nice.

Recommended.

[Guaranteed]

47. Makes me smile. nt

[Lugnut]

49. If he runs

He'll get my vote again.

[Borgnine]

50. God, I hope so.

He's the only possible Democratic candidate that I can really get excited about. I wanted him to run again in 2004, but in retrospect it was probably best for him to sit that one out. Now that people are really understanding what Bush has gotten us into, Gore could be seen as the reset button we desperately need.

[AJH032]

51. GORE/CLINTON

I would love that ticket. And the freepers would HATE it.

[lildreamer316]

52. Gore/Edwards. That is all.

[sepia_steel]

53. I'll be quite pleased if he runs :) Ecstatic, even. eom

[FreedomAngel82]

54. I hope they carry it too

I would love to see that. :) I hope he does run. It would be great!

[shance]

55. PLEASE RUN AL GORE!!! YOU'VE ALREADY WON!!!

Seriously, he shouldnt even have to run again.

We should take over the White House and put him in ourselves!!

[ourbluenation]

60. LOVE IT! Let's talk his cabinet..Kerry = sec of defense

swiftboat that!

[Dr Fate]

64. I like Al GOre- he will make the primaries fun as hell.

I think he rocks- if he just stays "Al GOre" and ignores the Donna Brazille types- he will be great.

[patrioticliberal]

67. I pray

[roguevalley]

70. HOOO-AAAAH! GORE/CLARK 2008!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

[Singular73]

71. I absolutely hate most liberals.

But I love Al Gore.

PLEASE Gore, PLEASE run.

The guy has backbone.

[CrackpotAmerica]

75. I do believe I shall give the man a second chance

I have been listening to Mr. Gore since October 2004.

I did not vote for him in 2000 and chose Nader for my own stupid and "I'm so mysterious and different" reasons.

You can read about that here:

http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=show_topic&forum=103&topic_id=156382

Anyway, Mr. Gore has truly revealed the depth of his character and love of our wounded nation. I believe that I would vote for him in 2008.

I should say that I am not looking forward to casting my vote for Hillary Clinton, should she win the primary for reasons too complex to discuss right now. However, if it comes down to it, I shall do anything it takes to remove the executive branch from the Republicans.

:kick:

and nominated for Guernica!

[AmBlue]

76. It'd be GREAT if he runs, BUT....

I hope he chooses the VP he should have chosen the first time around: EDWARDS, EDWARDS, EDWARDS!!! Gore/Edwards '08!!!

What was he thinking with Lieberman...... ay yi yi...

[democrank]

77. I`d be proud to support

a Gore/Clark ticket. Both these men have given superb foreign policy speeches and best of all....neither supported the invasion of Iraq.

[Maraya1969]

79. Considering he won 2000 he should be a shoo - in for 2008. Actually

I think a monkey could win in 2008 as long as he was a Democrat. That's assuming that the elections are fixed from being fixed.

[usregimechange]

80. He would have my support.

[Jackpine Radical]

81. Gore could make me give up my dreams of Pres. Feingold.

So--what the hell? Gore-Feingold.

And don't gimme any shit about Russ's Roberts vote. I didn't like it either, but what can I say? Russ has his eccentricities, which us cheeseheads have learned to live with, but he's still squeaky clean and one helluva Progressive on all the major issues. And anyway, it's not as if that Roberts vote was actually gonna make any difference in the long run.

[mzmolly]

83. Lord ~ I hope he does run.

:toast:

[mom cat]

86. Even Jimmy Carter admits Gore won in 2000.

[farmboxer]

88. President Elect Gore Won In 2000 But was not allowed

to take office, instead, five Republicans appointed Bush to office, the loser. If we get rid of the Republican manufactured and programmed voting machines, he will win again, only even bigger!

[AtomicKitten]

89. Al Gore Is My Choice

Has been since 1992. He deserves it. He's the most progressive guy we have since our dearly departed Paul Wellstone. I think he's brilliant and would kick the ever lovin' shit out of any opponent. I think Americans WANT him to have the office he rightfully won in 2000. Now if we can only go back to paper ballots ...

[Freedomfried]

90. Another season of hurricanes like this, and global warming will be a

pivotal issue.

[Dervill Crow]

92. Gore/ANYONE would get my vote.

From our keyboards to God/dess's ears.