Al Gore running = Kerry "unconceding"?

[Darkhawk32]

***** Disclaimer *****

I like Al Gore and would vote for and work hard to elect him if he decided to run for President.

***** End of Disclaimer *****


With that being said, are the Al Gore "isrunnintes" trying to convince themselves of this occurance the same way that people here at DU tried to convince people that John Kerry was going to "unconcede" in the '04 election?

[Ignacio Upton]

1. I'm in the "wait and see" camp

I'm not entirely convinced that he's ruled out a run, but I think he'll only do so if there's a massive grassroots effort to draft him, and not just a small group of people putting up a website with a petition. I'm talking about massive rallies. Gore would need someone at least of the scope of Wes Clark's 2003 draft...or perhaps bigger.

[Darkhawk32]

2. I just remember how many people got all their hopes up in November and December of 04.

And the resulting sadness that followed. I hope we're not heading down that road again.

[Freddie Stubbs]

12. This sort of thing happens ever few months on DU

Kerry is going to unconcede.

The Democrats in Congress are going to block certification of the election.

The Downing Street Memo is going to bring down the Bush Administration

Democrats are going to fillibuster the Alito nomination.

Karl Rove is going to be indicted in 24 hours.

Karl Rove is going to be indicted in 24 business hours.



People get their hopes up based on rumors, unsourced articles from partisan websites, or simply what they wish to be true.

[merh]

3. No one ever said John Kerry was unconceding.

They had hoped he would fight it, which his campaign did file suit in Ohio. Problem is, just like this post proves, most people don't understand the process when challenging election results and most folks just want to hear/read what they want.

Those wanting Gore to run are being hopeful and that is not a bad thing. On ABC GMA he did not straight out deny running again, he said "at this time" he didn't think he would run. I think he is still uncertain and the marketing/advertising/polling folks that monitor public reaction to shows like the Oscars will provide him data to utilize when considering his options.

It is still a possibility that he will run. He deserves to hold the office he won in 2000 - he deserves it more than the Oscar.

[Freddie Stubbs]

4. Perhaps this will refresh your memory:

http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=show_topic&forum=203&topic_id=194892

[Darkhawk32]

5. And in that thread, I was sucked in.

[robinlynne]

6. oh, I will never forget it. never.

[merh]

9. Perhaps I wasn't clear.

Folks that did not (and apparently, like you, still don't) understand the process involved in challenging election results misinterpreted two things.

(1) Challenging the election results in Ohio (which Kerry did when filing suit) is not the same as unconceding. (2) And, as it was argued over and over again by those DUers that understand the simpliest of things about the election and Kerry's concession, a concession had NO BINDING/LEGAL authority.

In other words, the concession did not prevent his campaign from challenging the results, which it tried to do in Ohio. It probably would have filed similiar lawsuits in New Mexico if Gov. Bill Richardson hadn't discouraged same or interferred.

So you see, Kerry/Edwards Campaign did file suit and try to challenge the results, but it is not a simple process to do especially when you have a Republican SOS and AG blocking the efforts and the Dem (Dino) Gov interferring and not supporting the efforts.

The article you site me is an opinion piece, it just like the confused opinons of so many here, it reflected their very limited understanding of the process and their wishful thinking.

[SteppingRazor]

7. I gotta agree. I just don't see Gore running at all.

Clark may not have declared, or even formed an exploratory committee or the necessary fundraising arm (outside of WesPAC, of course), but he's at least been talking to campaign pros and making appearances at the same stops as the other potential Democratic candidates.

None of that is true with Gore. There's no reports of him meeting with potential campaign staff. He's not putting in appearances in N.H., Nev. or Iowa. He doesn't have a political fundraising apparatus. In essence, Gore has done absolutely nothing that should convince anyone that he intends to run in '08.

[Roland99]

8. I think it's more likely Vilsack will un-withdraw than Gore will enter the '08 fray.

[blm]

10. Is the hope for Gore to enter race waiting for any court decision?

If a whistleblower popped up with the legal evidence needed, Kerry would definitely have withdrawn the concession.

Also, if the legal cases they DID have provided the path they needed to withdraw the concession, they would have.

Are you of the belief that the concession would have held even if the legal evidence appeared?

During that timeframe, the hope and expectation was that the legal evidence would change things as some of these matters were in court.

The hope for Gore to enter the race is not waiting for any court decisions, is it?

[OrangeCountyDemocrat]

11. A Question For Those Who Think Al Gore WON'T Run

Do you believe that deep inside, he is completely over his supposed lifelong desire to be President? Do you think he just doesn't ever want that in his life, or want to spend 4-8 years in the White House?

If the consensus is that he has a better shot at it now than he ever has, why would he give it up, unless he truly does not want to be President ever again?

I don't buy the argument that maybe someday he'll have another chance. THIS IS HIS OPPORTUNITY. 2012 or 2016 will be too late, and perhaps he'd face a stiff challenge from an incumbent or VP then. Or a real head to head battle with Obama.

So, if you believe he's DONE, then all his jokes about running, are just that, jokes. And deep down in his heart, he's comfortable with making them since he no longer really cares for the title anyways.

[longship]

13. Your questions are good ones.

However, having myself followed this quite closely I would have to respond to your hypothetical questions with this.

Al Gore very may run for President this year. But, unlike Hillary, Obama, Kucinich, and all the others who seem to be anxious to jump out of the frying pan into the fire, Al seems to be biding his time.

The one thing Gore has made very clear is that he is going to continue to equivocate and triangulate on the issue. It's his continued deliberate use of soft language when responding to questions that is driving everybody to keep Gore's name on the tips of their tongues. I guess one could argue that Gore very well may be carefully orchestrating this whole thing. Or, just maybe he's still unsure of whether he wants to jump into the meatgrinder one more time. The former is more likely, I think.

Regardless, I suspect that we'll know some time in September, or possibly a little later.

One thing's absolutely for sure, if he does jump in it's going to shake things up *big* time.

[longship]

14. Your questions are good ones.

However, having myself followed this quite closely I would have to respond to your hypothetical questions with this.

Al Gore very may run for President this year. But, unlike Hillary, Obama, Kucinich, and all the others who seem to be anxious to jump out of the frying pan into the fire, Al seems to be biding his time.

The one thing Gore has made very clear is that he is going to continue to equivocate and triangulate on the issue. It's his continued deliberate use of soft language when responding to questions that is driving everybody to keep Gore's name on the tips of their tongues. I guess one could argue that Gore very well may be carefully orchestrating this whole thing. Or, just maybe he's still unsure of whether he wants to jump into the meatgrinder one more time. The former is more likely, I think.

Regardless, I suspect that we'll know some time in September, or possibly a little later.

One thing's absolutely for sure, if he does jump in it's going to shake things up *big* time.