Open Letter To The Honorable Al Gore

[RestoreGore]

Dear Mr. Gore,

I have defended your words and supported your endeavors for the last 18 years and will continue to do so because I not only see you as a man who cares about our planet, but a man who also cares for its inhabitants. Which is why I am writing this to you openly and honestly, because I wish to ask you to not run for President in 2008... Not in this current system. In all honesty, you’re too good for it, and I think it would take you away from your true destiny.

I believe you are a man destined for world recognition on a grander scale, and it is and will be recognition well deserved for all of your work regarding the most urgent crisis our civilization has ever faced, and will encompass more than that. For you see, in this world of sound bites, polls, quick fixes, and people obsessed with the rhetoric of political campaigns and seeing you only as a symbol instead of a man, you rise above it. You have far surpassed the pedantic rhetoric of some in having to look a certain way, think a certain way, say something a certain way, and be a certain person in order to please everyone else who has preconceived notions. For I truly do believe that 2000 was the event in your life that shook your soul and let your glory out, and frankly, this is what I personally have been waiting to see happen.

I first heard of you in 1988 when you made a run for President. I didn't know much about you then, but made a point of finding out because I knew then that the environment was an issue close to your heart as it was and is to mine, and like you thought people in DC would listen regarding this...but I was wrong. I discovered that the environment would also never truly be a sincere issue front and center with any Party and that frustrated me, and still does today. Then you were selected by Bill Clinton as his running mate in 1992 after Earth In The Balance was released, and you are the reason I voted for Clinton twice btw, because I was voting for you. And in your eight years as Vice President you made good strides regarding the environment, but nothing near what could have been accomplished if once again, this crisis was really taken seriously by the political machine.

Then you ran in 2000, and even though the environment was mentioned, I don't believe you were still allowed to talk about it as you wished to. And I know that you also know how this system really stifles the freedom to campaign on what you think is important or what should really be getting the attention because of having to play the game. And it is that game that has now led us onto this road to ruin. And neither has that system changed, nor will it ever change in my view without another American Revolution or our Democracy being so thoroughly massacred that our options will be limited for survival as a Republic. I truly believe that now. And since I do not see that change happening anytime soon because of a lack of an informed citizenry, I ask you to stay out here as a vocal advocate for our planet and the people to inform that citizenry. I ask you to continue being the force for good you are in this world because the influence and inspiration you have now is so greatly needed out here. In simple terms Mr. Gore, we need you on our side.

The beltway as you know can also be a very cold, lonely, and indifferent place to be. It is out of touch with the people as we have seen, and a place where conscience and principle are rare and where one's soul is often the price paid for entering it. And that is a shame considering that our Founders saw it as the epitome of all that is good about America, but it won't ever be that way until we the people make it that way, and I now see how right you are when you say one election is not going to do that. This is about so much more than seeing in black and white, this is about our survival. In the 18 years since I first heard of you, I have studied your service to this country, your life, and your dedication to what is morally right. I believe even if you had never run for political office you would have been a great man and a great leader, and still are and will be, because this isn't about you to you.

You are one of my mentors and inspirations in life as FDR and Jefferson are because of the men they were, and someone I have grown to respect deeply... and that respect has grown so much more since 2000 because you have shown that you are a man whose caring goes beyond words and beyond using your deeds for political gain. You are a man of conscience doing what he does because he sees this Earth at a critical crossroads and truly wishes for it to be saved and believes that it can be saved. That is why we need you out here on our side, Mr. Gore, because let's face it, the status quo system doesn't see anything as important unless it benefits them.

I say, no polls. No political rhetoric. No political expectations and being put under the microscope. No being used as a symbol just to prop others up. No bickering over trivial matters like shirt colors and weight gain. Just you as a free man speaking truth to power, inspiring others to join you in this greatest fight of all that can lead to the greatest mass grassroots movement in the history of this country to finally do what is right based on principle, and because we are running out of time. That is the mark of a true leader and a legacy worth leaving.

And just to mention, I watched the movie Walk The Line the other night, about the life of Johnny Cash. I grew up loving his music (and that is something to say because I really have never been a big fan of country music.) But there was always something to his music. Something that drew me in… the authenticity that shone through it...the pain…the love…the originality… the human aspect he gave to the realities and hardships of life. His music inspired me, and he was also a great man for all of his faults, and for all of the pain and heartache he went through. As a matter of fact, it was that pain and heartache that made him the man he was… a legend who would never be involved in the trappings of a toxic political system when he could bring his message directly to the people. I see that same originality in you, and that is why I then ask you once again as I asked you after 2000 to follow your heart. Over all of these years sir, I have come to think of you as a member of my own family, and I can tell you honestly in this letter that I love you and your family, and frankly, I believe you are truly a great man without having to go back, and I care for members of my family.

You can of course, choose the polls, the rigged electronic voting machines, the people telling you what to do, and the rhetoric, but I do not believe it would be a reflection of the man you are now and the man you were meant to be, nor do I believe you deserve to have to deal with what would be laid upon your shoulders unless a different path was laid out for you. And right now, I do believe this world is in dire need of so many more people who are willing to throw off the pretentions of political status quo stagnation in order to say and do what must be said and done. You are a clear example of that Mr. Gore, and no title could ever change that.

And believe me, that doesn’t really come easy for me to state, because I didn’t want to let go in 2004 and continued up to the end because I thought it was what was right… But I’ve seen the light now, and know the only way the election theft of 2000 can be dealt with, and it isn’t by drafting you into a system indifferent to what is really important and one unwilling to change. It is by direct action with the people and going around it and above it to achieve a new way of fulfilling our destiny as a nation.

Of course, whatever road you ultimately choose should be of your choosing, and as always I will respect that, but at this juncture in the road I hope you decide to stay on the less traveled path you are on. For that path in my view is the one to real success and change now regarding thsi crisis which threatens to change our very relationship to this planet, as the path all too frequently travelled is now littered with the remains of a once thriving Democracy. It is then time to make our own path now to bring it back.

" Two roads diverged in a wood and I took the one less traveled by, and that has made all the difference."
Robert Frost

I know it still can make all the difference.
Thank you for having the guts to venture onto it.
Please know you will not be alone travelling it.

[Cooley Hurd]

1. Allow me to be the first to kick and recommend this thread...

There are certain men who are right for certain times: Lincoln, FDR and now Albert Gore, Jr.:thumbsup:

[RestoreGore]

2. He is definitely in the forefront of a new movement

And I am proud to support him in it.

[kentuck]

3. There is a time and place for everything...

Patience is Gore's best ally at this time. He has name recognition so he can wait as long as he wants. Al is a patient man.

[RestoreGore]

4. The World Can't Wait...

That is why Mr. Gore has stepped up now to be the leader regarding this crisis. He hasn't waited at all, which is one reason why I respect him so much. He sees the urgency regarding the conditions we are making for this planet and I think he realizes that the most effective way to achieve progress before it is too late is to go around the political brick wall he encountered for so many years. He has also stated countless times that this is not about him but about the issue. I believe he sees the spiritual and moral link we have to our planet and how that surpasses any Earthly title. I remember him making a statement to Charlie Rose in an interview, that once you see the big picture and see how immense and urgent this crisis really is the presidency pales in comparion. And he is correct. This crisis really is bigger than we are, and that is why he has now devoted all of his time to raising awareness and inspring others to action, because in all honesty at the rate we are going, we are running out of time. This is then to me the most noblest of actions anyone can take. As far as any other future plans he may have, that again is for him to decide. I will not bother him about it at all, as I too have looked at that big picture and see just how immense this is and what it is going to take to solve it and that we can't wait any longer to do it.

[madokie]

7. patience and smarts are two attributes I wish I had

Al Gore is going to be the next President methinks

[RestoreGore]

5. Mr. Gore Doing What He Does Best.

http://www.japantoday.com/jp/newsmaker/377

[RestoreGore]

6. Kicking for Mr. Gore n/t

[Nordmadr]

8. I think this is a great post, but I have to say

that I believe he can have the most influence on the environment as President. If he fails to agree with me, I respect that. I do have to agree with the sentiment I have seen that, at times in history, there just seems to be the right man for the right job at the right time. I think that it is time for Gore. FDR, Lincoln, Jefferson, those kinds of men. That is the kind of respect I have for Gore.

Olafr

[Scout1071]

15. Al Gore is the right man and the right time.

He is the runaway favorite in the blogoshpere and the fact that An Inconvenient Truth has skyrocketed to the best all-time selling documentary, I'd say he is the right man indeed.

I would put myself into his campaign like no other in my life.

[warrior1]

9. Time

elapsed and I can't recommend this thread. But I do recommend this message.

Well said.

[RestoreGore]

12. Thank you n/t

[Apollo11]

10. Nobody is better qualified to be President

This is why I strongly disagree with your idea of asking Al Gore "to not run for President in 2008".

In effect you are saying that you would prefer that someone less qualified (in terms of knowledge, experience, intelligence, values, sense of perspective) than Al Gore should be POTUS from January 2009 potentially thru until January 2017.

With respect, my opinion is different from yours. I think Al Gore should keep his options open for now, see how the Democratic field is shaping up over the Summer, and then make his decision in the Fall.

What we learned in 2003-2004 is that if and when Gore decides to endorse another candidate, then it will become very difficult for the Draft Gore movement to be successful. Unless of course there are extraordinary circumstances like a deadlocked Convention (one for West Wing fans!).

But unless and until Gore publicly endorses another candidate, we have to assume he is keeping his options open. So there can be no harm in letting him know how much we would love him to run again, and take back the job that was stolen from him in 2000.

You seem to think that Al Gore is only thinking about the climate - focusing on it 110%. This is the appearance he has been giving over the past 10 months. But he is already planning to move on and talk about other topics - like how to get better government in America. This is the main theme of his next book - "The Assault on Reason" - coming out on May 22.

The points you raise about electoral integrity are of upmost importance. "We the people" and our Reps and Senators in Congress need to take action to ensure clean and fair elections in this country. But that is true whoever will be the Democratic nominee in 2008.

One thing is certain: someone will be the Democratic candidate for President in the Fall of 2008, and depending on who it is - they should have a good chance of winning "back" the Whitehouse. So why would we want to discourage the best qualified person from accepting that challenge?

In Gore We Trust :)
www.algore.com
www.algore.org
www.draftgore.com
www.draftgore2008.org
www.patriotsforgore.com

[RestoreGore]

11. You can disagree all you want

I'm simply agreeing with him. And if you want him in THIS SYSTEM without having the guts to do anything to CHANGE IT, then in my mind you are also part of that system. Again, I believe he is too good for it and is destined for far greater accomplishments and will continue to state that. I also believe by his own comments that he has fallen out of love with politics, that it is toxic, and that it is "tomfoolery" he would agree with my assessment of the current state of the political system. And I know FULL WELL what else he is speaking of as I already posted here about his new book and what it means to Democratic discourse. Just because I do not use everything he does as a reason to speculate does not mean my points are not valid. And actually this "obsession" with the presidency is somewhat elitist is it not? If Mr. Gore believes he can make better strides on this his passion by working directly with the people, businesses, states, and world governments and inspiring them to REAL action, why would you begrudge him that?

[Uncle Joe]

13. To be frank, he has no choice as a result from the coup of 2000

"If Mr. Gore believes he can make better strides on this his passion by working directly with the people, businesses, states, and world governments and inspiring them to REAL action, why would you begrudge him that?"


No one begrudges Al's efforts since then, but realistically not being the official President leaves this as his only option to save life as we know it. I believe if Al had his rathers, he would rather be in the White House where he could actually inspire and sign the laws mitigating if not preventing the full impact of global warming from occurring.

How does anyone know the next President, if not Al Gore, will actually do something regarding global warming other than lip service? In this regard time is not on our side and the stakes are too great. Al has stated the earth has a fever, I agree and I want the best, most qualified doctor in the land to treat our home planet for it's sickness, not some Johnny come lately to this crucial issue.

On top of this, I believe Al is right on target when he speaks of the dangers against our own democracy and the trashing of the Constitution by the neocons. If the threat against our own democracy is not beaten, then the battle against global warming will be non existent.

[RestoreGore]

14. He most certainly does have a choice...

He has just as much of a choice now as he had in 2004. Did you claim he didn't have a choice in 2004? He has no duty to anyone to run if he truly in his heart really does not wish to. He did his duty and he did it well for over a quarter of a century. It was then OUR duty to stand up for this Constitution when it mattered seven years ago and we blew it. Frankly, after that, I am grateful he is even out here doing this now because he didn't have to do it. And to use the "2000 coup" as the reason now is in my view exactly why he isn't planning on running and has said that he sees nothing that would make him run...especially when he actually has more resources at his disposal to devote to the climate campaign out here at the moment. And that is what is most important now.

[Uncle Joe]

16. It is still our duty, it didn't stop in 2000 or 2004

I am not using the coup of 2000 as the reason Al should run, I believe, Al Gore believes he could make better strides in the fight against global warming from the bully pulpit with the ability to sign laws and reach the American People on this issue even more so than he is doing now. The no choice I am referring to is the reality that Al Gore knows global warming threatens life as we know it, and so he is compelled to act one way or the other. The problem is not being President, the problem is the steps most have to take to get there, a balancing act of idealism and reality distorted by our dysfunctional mass corporate media. I believe 2004 played in to this thinking.


"If Mr. Gore believes he can make better strides on this his passion by working directly with the people, businesses, states, and world governments and inspiring them to REAL action, why would you begrudge him that?"

[RestoreGore]

If he believed that truly he would have run in 2004 no matter what...

Would he not? Do you not think people would ask that question? THIS SYSTEM is what kept him out ( apart from the fact that he may well not feel it in his blood as he once did), and it is the SAME system in place now that those who pine incessantly for him to run now don't seem outraged enough about to change, since this morning when I woke up Bush is still there and so is the military/ industrial complex that really runs this country which is intent it seems on starting another war regardless of what we think. Again then, in my view, if you (in general) want him to run now in this very same system that stole it from him and us in 2000 ( which we did nothing about then), how can you justify it?

To state my position one more time, he is TOO GOOD for this decrepid, sound bite, media propaganda, military/industrial complex, soul sucking political system we now have. If you can tell me with absolute CERTAINTY however, that by 2008 we will have the system as envisioned by Thomas Jefferson where the citizenry of this nation is suddenly enlightened, informed, and outraged enough enmasse to kick out corporate influence concerning domestic and especially foreign policy ( as in AIPAC and other lobbies that influence the wars we wage) across the board FOR GOOD and remain vigilant enough to no longer find American Idol more important than how this government is run, then I will sign up. Until then, all of this talk about him running actually leaves me cold. Perhaps that is because to me he is a great man doing a great thing without having to have the title, because I also do not wish to see him hurt again, and because I believe he is in a different place in his life now and I respect that because I am too after all I have witnessed these past years.

As he also stated, been there, done that. He did do his part in the beltway and is still doing it out here now, but with more freedom, more resources, and more options. I am hoping he actually makes a sequel to An Inconvenient Truth because we can sure use it. And as he also stated, REAL progress on this climate crisis is not going to come from the Federal government unless the PEOPLE DEMAND IT state by state (which means they have to become enlightened and informed enough to do that first) and it is done THIS YEAR. I believe that is also part of Mr. Gore's mission in trying to start a Democratic dialogue with his new book to tie that all together that seems to be falling on deaf ears save for the political speculation. I am wondering if his new book will even sell outside of the Internet blog crowd who want him to run and think book sales alone will convince him. I would love to be proven wrong, but again, trends tell me different. So again, where is the CHANGE? Where is the REAL CONVICTION and caring on the part of this populace as a whole to really make a difference?

How can you possibly expect him to run when people will not even discuss his current work here based on its merits? To me that speaks volumes about priorities. It is all about WINNING to so many that all the rest gets lost in the BS, and for me that is a big turn off. Mr. Gore is a very intelligent prescient man who knows full well where this system stands, where this world stands, and where he believes he can best be positioned to make the maximim impact to change it for the better by giving US that bully pulpit. He even remarked during an interview at the Hay Festival last year that he does not believe the Presidency is effective unless the PEOPLE want the change. The matter for him now in wake of this crisis in my view is not WHERE he can best see this vision attained, but HOW. And I as a supporter of his agree with him on that based on current circumstances, and I will continue to support his endeavors in that regard.

[RestoreGore]

17. If he believed that truly he would have run in 2004 no matter what...

Would he not? Do you not think people would ask that question? THIS SYSTEM is what kept him out ( apart from the fact that he may well not feel it in his blood as he once did), and it is the SAME system in place now that those who pine incessantly for him to run now don't seem outraged enough about to change, since this morning when I woke up Bush is still there and so is the military/ industrial complex that really runs this country which is intent it seems on starting another war regardless of what we think. Again then, in my view, if you (in general) want him to run now in this very same system that stole it from him and us in 2000 ( which we did nothing about then), how can you justify it?

To state my position one more time, he is TOO GOOD for this decrepid, sound bite, media propaganda, military/industrial complex, soul sucking political system we now have. If you can tell me with absolute CERTAINTY however, that by 2008 we will have the system as envisioned by Thomas Jefferson where the citizenry of this nation is suddenly enlightened, informed, and outraged enough enmasse to kick out corporate influence concerning domestic and especially foreign policy ( as in AIPAC and other lobbies that influence the wars we wage) across the board FOR GOOD and remain vigilant enough to no longer find American Idol more important than how this government is run, then I will sign up. Until then, all of this talk about him running actually leaves me cold. Perhaps that is because to me he is a great man doing a great thing without having to have the title, because I also do not wish to see him hurt again, and because I believe he is in a different place in his life now and I respect that because I am too after all I have witnessed these past years.

As he also stated, been there, done that. He did do his part in the beltway and is still doing it out here now, but with more freedom, more resources, and more options. I am hoping he actually makes a sequel to An Inconvenient Truth because we can sure use it. And as he also stated, REAL progress on this climate crisis is not going to come from the Federal government unless the PEOPLE DEMAND IT state by state (which means they have to become enlightened and informed enough to do that first) and it is done THIS YEAR. I believe that is also part of Mr. Gore's mission in trying to start a Democratic dialogue with his new book to tie that all together that seems to be falling on deaf ears save for the political speculation. I am wondering if his new book will even sell outside of the Internet blog crowd who want him to run and think book sales alone will convince him. I would love to be proven wrong, but again, trends tell me different. So again, where is the CHANGE? Where is the REAL CONVICTION and caring on the part of this populace as a whole to really make a difference?

How can you possibly expect him to run when people will not even discuss his current work here based on its merits? To me that speaks volumes about priorities. It is all about WINNING to so many that all the rest gets lost in the BS, and for me that is a big turn off. Mr. Gore is a very intelligent prescient man who knows full well where this system stands, where this world stands, and where he believes he can best be positioned to make the maximim impact to change it for the better by giving US that bully pulpit. He even remarked during an interview at the Hay Festival last year that he does not believe the Presidency is effective unless the PEOPLE want the change. The matter for him now in wake of this crisis in my view is not WHERE he can best see this vision attained, but HOW. And I as a supporter of his agree with him on that based on current circumstances, and I will continue to support his endeavors in that regard.