is Al Gore really a leader?

[montana500]

I didn't realize it until recently, but Al Gore is pretty much the perfect leader for these current times. His constant harping the past 15 years about energy independence, global warming, security issues and micro managing the government's expenses is EXACTLY what this country needs right now. He was the first one to speak out FULLY, not, "well we need to win Iraq the right way", against the Iraq War and he predicted it's current status.

He was right about the war.

He was right about global warming.

He was right about MPG standards and investing in new energy sources.

He was right about the lockbox.

ALL of these things will play into the 2008 and 2006 elections. And what's interesting is that even though the right wing media defined him in 2000, they also never took away his projections, and the public *does* remember him for those things - and those things match up very, very well for 2006 and 2008. In fact it's very easy to say that every single one of our 2008 runners for the dem primary will pretend to be Al Gore.


The dude was right, time and time again. A year ago I would not have wanted Gore to run. But looking at how this year has went, and what Gore had been saying all those years, It's pretty damn clear he would easily be the best leader we could find.

Hillary? Edwards? Kerry? Biden? Warner? um...no. Edwards is probably the best out of those, but he comes across as too green to most.

IMHO we win in 2006 and 2008 on these issues:

1. gas prices
2. security
3. investing in a new energy infrastructure to lessen climate change and secure our indepence from foreign naitons to power our energy needs, to make energy affordable for middle class failies again.
4. anti-Iraq war.
5. anti-corruption.


And who better, out of all the "names" fits that than Al Gore? No one does. You ride the 2006 elections with this, and you use it to lay out the mat for Gore in 2008. Seems pretty simple to me. Everything the guy has done has matched perfectly with leadershp we need *right now* to take America onto a stronger path.

[Guaranteed]

1. Outstanding post.

Dead-on.

THANK you, you said it SO well. :)

[NRaleighLiberal]

2. Absolutely.. Is * "really" the president? Absolutely Not. nt

[dusty64]

53. Al Gore

has been and IS my President. * didn't win in 2000 and he did'nt win in 2004.

[Merlot]

3. No arguments from me.

As long as he picks a good VP. I still don't understand that lack of judgement last time around, but it made me doubt him.

[buff2]

4. He'd never make it

He only invented ONE of the internets. :evilgrin:

Seriously,I love Al Gore. I think he would have made an excellent President,but the Scotus and the dumbass ignorant Forrest Gumps in this country would rather have a drunken mental midget running the country instead of someone with intelligence.If Al Gore could have taken his rightful place in the Oval Office,we wouldn't be in the mess we're in today. Bu$h has phucked everything up so much,it's going to take DECADES to get out of this one.Bumbling blathering idiot bastard is the worst thing that's ever happened to this country.

[Guaranteed]

5. Gore's quite aware of the "mental midgets," and I'm sure he's planning to

be appealing directly to them.

That's done through leadership. There's more than one way to pull off a "tough guy" act.

[alittlelark]

6. I will work my butt off for Gore or Clark in any state that needs me

I'm in super-safe CA. I cried in 2000 because I felt something was soooo wrong. I had never before been political - I voted, almost always Dem, but still - just going through the motions.

That election MADE ME political. Al Gore is my President. I hope that statement can be uttered from millions of mouths in Jan. of '09.


....honestly, I would prefer an impeachment 1st.....

[Tesla]

22. Ditto

If we can PROVE it was stolen, he would be revered, not slandered like the RW did to him.

[oblivious]

7. He warned against war in September 2002 and spoke the truth in 2003.

Electing such a man of principle who is willing to speak the truth is the only way the US can regain the world's respect. The Democratic leaders who supported the war and who continue to do so deserve nothing but disdain.

Oh, and it would be nice if his platform included marching the war's architects and leaders off to the Hague.

September 25, 2002, Boston Globe
Gore's Surprising Act of Leadership Against Iraq War
http://www.commondreams.org/views02/0925-01.htm

Gore speech, August 7, 2003
Now, of course, everybody knows that every single one of these impressions was just dead wrong.
http://www.moveon.org/gore-speech.html

[Guaranteed]

8. That article deserves its own post- easily. UNBELIEVABLE ARTICLE.

I'd post these paragraphs (09/25/02), just MHO- Please DO, oblivious:

AL GORE, remarkably, has stepped into a leadership vacuum and said several things that most congressional Democrats may well believe but have been too fearful to utter.

Gore, speaking Monday at the Commonwealth Club in San Francisco, warned that unilateral action against Saddam Hussein would ''severely damage'' the more urgent war on terrorism and ''weaken our ability to lead the world.'' Gore declared that the president has turned the broad reservoir of good will for America ''into a deep sense of misgiving and even hostility.'' In a pointed dig at President George W. Bush's go-it-alone cowboy rhetoric, he added, ''If you're going after Jesse James, you ought to organize the posse first.''

<snip>

Did Gore do his own polling and discover what many members of Congress suspect based on their mail - that public support for this war is seemingly broad but very shallow? Was he trying to outflank potential rival Senator John Kerry, who has won praise for a thoughtful critique of Bush's policy? Did Gore, who often made abrupt shifts during the 2000 campaign, just impulsively decide to throw a ''Hail Mary'' pass? Or, perhaps, was he seized with an attack of principle?

It almost doesn't matter. The party's standard bearer for 2000 - who got more votes than George W. Bush - has now made it safe for Democrats to express serious doubts about this reckless war. Gore, perhaps in spite of himself, has actually exercised that rarest of qualities in contemporary politics - leadership.


<SO MUCH MORE!!!!!!!!!! READ ALL OF IT, PLEASE!!!>
-----------------------

Read that last line, for sure. LEADERSHIP.

[oblivious]

10. Would you do that, BGL? I'll never get around to it. Thanks.

And it has nothing to do with me. It's been posted on DU before, so please don't mention me. But you're right, it's a deserving flashback.

[Clarkie1]

9. Well....first let me say I like Gore, now let's get down to the details:

1. gas prices - probably (unfortunately) will not be an issue in 08'. Wish they would be because then Americans would really get serious about energy. We will have to keep working to educate America on energy issues, and put forth policies that lessen our dependence on oil. Many dems advocate this, not just Gore. It's a national security issue...we need to tie everything to national security, including our choice of candidate.

2. security - Clark.

3. investing in a new energy infrastructure to lessen climate change and secure our indepence from foreign naitons to power our energy needs, to make energy affordable for middle class failies again - Absolutely. Gore has been an early leader on the climate change issue, and dems are now effectively linking climate change to national security issues.

4. anti-Iraq war - Is anybody here Pro-war? No Democrat I know of endorsed the Iraq war.

5. anti-corruption - Americans see the whole political system as corrupt. That doesn't help career politicians, but it helps outsider candidates like Clark.

I would enthusiastically vote for Gore if he is nominated, but I don't think he is the best choice to ensure victory.

[AlGore-08.com]

11. As I said on another thread, it's not "pro-war" vs. "anti-war"

It's that this particular war has been a disaster of foreign and domestic policy. It was based on faulty intelligence or outright lies. The folks who supported it believed Bush's rationale for the war.

The point is that Al Gore had the wisdom and the foresight to realize that before Congress voted to authorize the invasion. Most of the other Dems mentioned as possible 2008 candidates did not - - they voted for the war, and supported it until very recently.

[Adelante]

25. Wes Clark had that same wisdom and foresight

Before Congress voted on the IWR. So did Russ Feingold, so did a lot of people. What I want to know is what Al Gore is saying now about Iraq. He is a brilliant man and I have no doubt he has thought through the ramifications of how the war must end. It's not enough to have been against the war, and I agree it is not anti-war, it is anti-this war. But what leadership is Al Gore exerting right now to help us work our way out of Iraq?

[Jax]

46. Here is a link for you

It is also on your Al Gore is not for you thread.

http://www.factcheck.org/article107.html

[Adelante]

54. Do you have a link?

To what Al Gore is saying now about Iraq?

(The link you gave me is one I have seen many, many times. I know it by heart.)

So what is Al Gore saying about Iraq right now?

[nvliberal]

12. Gore's moment was in 2004, but

the party bigwigs like McAuliffe talked him out of running. They wanted different faces instead.

However, Gore would have been perfect because it would have brought back the whole sordid affair of 2000, what a mess Bush was making of the country, and how different it would have been had Gore been allowed to take office.

The party bigwigs really didn't understand what was happening in this country; some are still in denial despite the fact that while we DID have new faces running last time, the fraud still happened.

The only politicians I find palatable for 2008 are Gore and Edwards; nobody else could resonate with the public. But that doesn't mean either would ever be allowed to take office if they actually won.

As I've said, I have absolutely NO faith at all the fascists will be thrown out of office anytime in the near future UNTIL we start taking the issue of fair elections seriously.

[DarkTirade]

13. It's exactly what the country needed

5 years ago... but most people didn't realize it until now.

[LosinIt]

15. I beg to differ, MOST people did realize it

President Gore won if you recall correctly.

[DarkTirade]

38. Yes, but you have to remember in votes

most people don't vote for 'exactly what we need', they vote for the guy they see as the lesser of two evils usually. :)
I saw Gore as perfect except for his stance on censorship, and Bush as wrong in every single way (although I had no idea he'd be THIS bad, or else I would have been campainging for Gore instead of just voting for him). So the choice was obvious for me.

[ladylibertee]

14. Why are we campaigning for Al Gore? EDWARDS 2008 ! LOL

:woohoo: :patriot: :headbang: :kick:

[YOY]

16. His resemblance to his father as a visionary is beyond highly creditable

Real leaders don't try and milk the past for all its worth. They look to the next step to be on top of things and at the forefront (aka leading) instead of mindless repetition and telling you "things were better before" and "remember tragedy" ad nauseum.

His view of and dedication to development of the Internet as a "Information Superhighway" is a stunning reminder of his father's vision of the Highway system that has allowed an infrastructure to build the economy to what it was 5 years ago.

I hope sincerely that he has some more ideas to bring to light. This is what made me like the man. I can only hope that others will begin to like the man for his forward vision. Unfortunately, the pessimist in me says that most Americans prefer jingoisms and buzzwords in lieu of real ideas. The strength of Gore's future communication of these ideas as vital as well as the level of description he gives toward them. Let his ideas be known. Let the public know that we cannot run on rhetoric, fiscal cronyism, and fundamentalist ideals.

The only negatives that come to my mind when I think of Gore are

1. The belief that he is rather 'vanilla' or boring. He has shown himself in the past few years to be anything but this. Then again those people who thought that obviously thought an AWOL chimp in a flight suit strutting around for a wartime photo-op is good taste.

2. Tipper's criticism of music as negative cost him dearly with many of the 'free speech folks' including myself. I lost respect for the couple for this. None-the-less I tried to vote for him. (In Peace Corps and absentee ballot NEVER ARRIVED!)

Just my opinion.

[Adelante]

18. I agree with this statement

"Real leaders don't try and milk the past for all its worth. They look to the next step to be on top of things and at the forefront (aka leading).."

What is Al Gore saying about the Iraq war now, today? Not about getting into war, about which he had the foresight, but getting out of it? How is he leading?

[ms liberty]

17. Excellent post - recommended!

You are correct. One point you don't mention is that Al Gore is not "tainted" from any votes or legislation since 2000. No one can throw in his face that he voted for the war or whatever. He's been consistent, and RIGHT about everything, in his campaign in 2000 and in all his speeches since.
And we need someone like him - someone who can do the JOB of being president. The multi-tasking, thinking, questioning, WORK of it. We don't need another president who just wants to "BE" president. We've got one of those now, look how well that turned out!
So yes, he is exactly the person we need...now we just need to work to make it happen!

[Apollo11]

20. The world needs Al Gore!

Check out these Pro-Gore sites:
http://www.algore-08.com
http://algore2008.net
:)

[tinrobot]

19. The man is a genius with a great vision and a very big heart

We need him.

I would vote for him over any other democrat in the primaries. I have not seen his level of experience, dedication, foresight, and compassion anywhere else.

[Cosmocat]

21. Look ...

I have been fighting tooth and nail against all this "the lesser of two evils" BS that people used to rationalize voting for Bushco over Gore for five years now ... Gore was CLEARLY the better man at the time ...

And, there is NO doubt we would have been in A LOT better shape right now with him in the White House ... He would have GREAT for all that has happened since then ...

But, whether he did or not, he lost in 2000 as far as the average Joe AND THE MEDIA are concerned ... And, you are starting one down if you take a run with a guy who already has "lost ..."

I will support him, no doubt, and I agree with most of your points ... But, the party HAS to get back in power, and I think the best shot is with a fresh face ... Again, Clark, Dean or Hillary ... To me, these three are capable, and more electable at this point than Al Gore, and that is not meant in any way as a knock on him ...

[tinrobot]

23. "Losers" have run a second time and won before...

Nixon lost in 1960 and won 8 years later, partly because the other party had bogged the country down in an unwinnable war. Not comparing Gore to Nixon here, except for the fact that losing one presidential election doesn't mean you can't win another.

Times change. I think Al Gore is the right man for this time. Today he is seen as a man with great experience and foresight, but a man who is also outside of Washington.

Unlike most of the Democratic senators who will run in '08, Gore was not part of creating the problems we now face. He didn't vote for Bush's war or support his programs and cannot be saddled with that burden by the GOP smear campaigners. He can point the finger without that same finger being pointed back at him.

He's also been smeared before, so if they try and use the same old tricks, they'll ring very hollow. He's immune.

Re-elect Al Gore is also the best campaign slogan ever.

[drummo]

31. Hillary is everything but fresh face.

She is actually older than Gore.
And as far as I remember she is tied to the very same administration in which Gore served.

Dean ran and lost. Clark ran and lost.

But you say that's only a problem with Gore.

Something is wrong with this picture. At least noone can say that Gore lost the nomination like Dean and Clark.

[burythehatchet]

24. he clearly needs to spend more time with Al From

and be reminded how to placate the right wing.

[Tom Rinaldo]

26. He was wrong about Lieberman, lol

When it came time to make his first important decision, Gore elevated Joe Lieberman to potentially become Vice President. I like Gore, but he ain't perfect either.

[drummo]

32. Actually

Liberman gave Gore a 5% jump in the polls -- badly needed at that time -- and finally good campaign coverage, which was also badly needed.

You cannot prove that Gore lost more votes than he won by picking Lieberman. Liberals didn't like Joementum but swing voters and moderate Reps did because of his unquestioned morality and ethic. (Let's not get there now. I just say that was the perception.)

Overall most voters had a positive opinion about Lieberman and polls showed that they had thought Gore made a good decision.

[Tom Rinaldo]

34. I'm sorry but I disagree

I am not talking about opinion polls, I am talking about who should be put in line to become President. If opinion polls were all that mattered then we all could have defected to McCain in the 2000 primaries since he likely would have won in 2000 had more Democrats and Independents done so. But policies and priorities matter, that's why you and others are praising Gore now, becaauase of his positions. And I do not hear praise for Lieberman.

Gore chose his likely successor when he chose Joementum to run with, it was not just a tactical political consideration. If Gore had died in office or even if not, Lieberman was positioned by Gore to become President had Gore won. The record is clear that VP's usually get a crack at becoming President.

I understand your point about perceived morality and ethics and I am not challenging that, but for a VP choice Gore had many possible choices. He could have chosen a Senator, Governor, Congressional Representative, or even a major Mayor. He did not have to turn to a man with Lieberman's politics to find a perceived moral and ethical Democrat to run with.

[MADem]

27. I always liked Al, and knew from jump that he had been robbed

I'm glad someone like Jimmy Carter agrees with me.

I'd work for Al again--he is a helluva fellah.

[second edition]

28. John Kerry has also been correct on quite a few things too.

And, Kerry's has an edge in that he is actively still working for the people as a senator.

[windbreeze]

30. well....

IF this party runs Kerry again...I simply won't vote...I swallowed my integrity the last time, and voted for a man, I suspected was going to accept losing...never again....The man that gets the nomination, whoever he might be..needs to prove to ME, in order to deserve MY vote, that he REALLY wants to be President, and has what it takes to fight for the job..because LOSING the next time, is not in my playbook..the last time, Kerry hadn't convinced me, but I voted for him anyway...no more of that..
windbreeze

[drummo]

33. Senators do not have edge.

The last Senator who became president was Kennedy.

[cassiepriam]

29. Some of his recent speeches have been Lincolnesque nt

[mzmolly]

35. Great idea for campaign commercials. "Al Gore is a visionary"

We could use old footage to show his being "right" and heck even contrast that to statements made by the bafoon running us into the ground right now?

I agree Gore is the perfect candidate for 08.

[Turn CO Blue]

49. He's a Renaissance Man

okay, maybe that's a little lofty, but he IS a freakin' Renaissance Man compared to most of the Repukes.

[kma3346]

36. Yes!

I agree wholeheartedly! He IS the leader we should have had but were deprived of by the corrupt Bush cabal and their illegal and dishonest maneuvers. Think of how different things would be right now if he was allowed to take his rightful place as our president. Think of all the lives that could have been saved, all of the environmental laws that wouldn't have been overturned, all of the people whose lives are worse off now than they were before the Bush regime took over--I could go on and on.

:bounce: :bounce: :bounce:

[Kazak]

37. Uh...YEAH!

He was EXACTLY what this country needed five years ago too.

NBG!!!

[txaslftist]

39. If he'll run he's got my vote. He'd be a better prez. than Hillary.

[we can do it]

40. Al - I'm ready to get to work for you here in Ohio

Let's go

[slay]

41. I came up with the same answer - Hell yeah!

Al Gore 2008! :)

[VOX]

42. I'm an Edwards booster, but I'm inclined to agree with you, montana500...

You make an excellent case for Gore, no question -- even down to the now-painful irony over the ridicule he endured about the SS "lock-box" analogy.

That "silly" lock-box probably looks pretty damned good to most people about now, I think.

[Dr Fate]

43. I want to see Al Gore run in the primaries.

May the best man win.

[Geek_Girl]

44. I really Hope he runs

He is the best person I can see for the job. Even if he doesn't win the primaries. I would like to have the opportunity to vote for a candidate I know is worthy of the job.

[dogman]

45. Hate to quote a Republican President, but he is often quoted here.

"Leadership is the art of getting someone else to do something you want done because he wants to do it." Dwight D. Eisenhower
Identifying the issues is a good start. Getting something done about them is the test of leadership. BTW-you left a proven leader off your list, but this is your post.

[LittleClarkie]

47. Kerry, um, yeah

for similar reasons. He's been proven right in many of the things he said during the campaign.

That said, it's too early for either Kerry or Gore "rah rah" threads. Just my opinion. At this point, I'd rather see informative "what are they up to" threads on the various folks than the "We MUST have so-and-so in 2008" at this point.

[Turn CO Blue]

48. You're probably right about its being too early for the rah-rah

threads, as you commented earlier on mine.

However, ANYONE considering a run in 2008 who hasn't already reserved the domain names, who hasn't been feeling around behind the scenes, who hasn't been asking questions, who hasn't been gathering resources, forces and ideas is ALREADY way behind in the Presidential race.

[LittleClarkie]

50. True. It's not too early for that, or forming leadership PACs

but I don't think that's what Gore's doing right now. It doesn't feel like a man who's running for office. He's being a leader. But I think I like him better as a leader who's sort of a force for good but not tied to any one organization.

You folks may have to draft him, as I don't think he's running at the moment.

[Turn CO Blue]

51. I heard that Russert on MTP said that Gore is considering a run...

..that Gore is feeling around...that's what got my interest; the rest of all these Gore threads over the weekend may just boil down to speculation by his fans.

[LittleClarkie]

52. God knows enough of us have been impressed lately

But I'd be fairly happy with either Kerry, Clark or Gore.

[politicasista]

56. Me too

I wish we would stop comparing them. They're all good dems fighting for us.

[LittleClarkie]

61. Right on. And all good Dems fighting for us shall be acknowledged

and praised, regardless of who I might want in 2008.

[gulfcoastliberal]

55. Ya know, I never got into the 2004 prez cand. infighting...

But damn if I won't do my best for Al. We need a real leader who won't compromise and I believe he's learned from his mistakes so that if he DID decide to run, he wouldn't rely on beltway know-nothings like Brazille and Shrum, et al. Sign me up as a Gore in 08 volunteer!

[AuntiBush]

57. Al Gore Will ALWAYS be a WINNER & LEADER in my book!

Not to mention he is our "ligit" President!

[Senator]

58. Gore Must Come Clean First

http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=show_mesg&forum=104&topic_id=4880327&mesg_id=4886943

http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=show_mesg&forum=104&topic_id=4880327&mesg_id=4891807

You can't lead by denying the reality that you failed to lead in the past.

--

[spuddonna]

59. Gore saved people in New Orleans!

Gore got off his can and made it happen, even with tons of feds crawling out of the woodwork saying "NO".

I'm no pimp for Al, but he's the only member of the 'Democratic leadership' that actually was involved with rescuing people, that I've heard of...

So I'll play 'wait and see' with Al...

Honestly though, 2008 is ripe for the taking.

Some brave soul who doesn't kiss the DLC's behind is going to come from nowhere and grab this party by its ideals and drag it along to victory...

I'm waiting! :popcorn:

[GetTheRightVote]

60. I would vote for Gore ih 2008 easy especially after help in Kartrina area

:kick:

[AtomicKitten]

62. Gore's the man.

Always was. I'm pleased people are taking another serious look at him.

[Name removed]

63. Deleted message

Message removed by moderator. Click here to review the message board rules.

[J-Hen]

64. He is right about health care too

Gore called for a universal health care system in 2002.

http://www.abcnews.go.com/sections/politics/DailyNews/TheNote_Special2.html