Salon Kicks Off “Draft Al Gore” Campaign
Al Gore in 2008: I don’t intend to be a presidential candidate again. Ever.
Just when you thought the Democrat presidential primary couldn’t get any more entertaining, the folks over at Salon are trying to kick off a “draft Al Gore” campaign.
Seriously.
From Salon’s article It’s time to draft Al Gore, with the subheading, “Hillary’s flailing. Biden’s grieving. Bernie’s a longshot. Gore bridges the party’s establishment, progressives”:
Sure, the GOP field is studded with unserious candidates, but they still have a relatively deep bench of big-state governors and prominent senators. To win, therefore, the Democrats need a nationally viable candidate.
Enter Al Gore: the one person on the left, apart from Clinton and Biden, with the cachet to bridge the establishment and progressive wings of the party. Here are 10 reasons why a Gore candidacy makes sense, both for the Democratic Party and the country.
Let’s look at these ten reasons:
1. Stature. Gore is a superstar with impeccable qualifications.
Gore is a superstar on what planet? He’s a polarizing figure whose bizarre exploits as a masseuse’s “crazed sex poodle” while still married hardly warrant superstar status, nor do they speak to his “impeccable” qualifications. His biggest “superstar” achievements are in his role as a proponent of global warming/climate change.
2. Vulnerability. As the new AP poll shows, Clinton’s unfavorability ratings are rising among Americans overall and among Democratic voters in particular.
Hard to argue with this one. The Democrat field is weak, and even Salon acknowledges that the GOP field is stronger. Urging Al Gore to run makes the point all the more clear.
3. Besides Hillary Clinton, no one running as a Democrat is likely to challenge Republicans in a national election. Sanders is a regional candidate at best; he shouldn’t be, but he is, and that’s not changing next year. The other candidates scarcely warrant mentioning: Martin O’Malley, Jim Webb, Lincoln Chafee – these guys are political ornaments, running for reasons known only to their friends and families. Gore is a national figure, however. He can rival any GOP candidate in terms of fundraising prowess, party support, organizational acumen, experience, and name recognition. He’s also become something of a rock star post-politics, winning a Nobel, an Oscar, and an Emmy. Gore, in other words, is the perfect package, both politically and professionally.
Again, hard to argue this point. Al Gore could be a national election draw to many on the left, but able to win a general election?
Sure, Gore won an Oscar for his “documentary” An Inconvenient Truth, but as it turned out, the film was littered with errors, and a UK judge ruled that if shown in UK schools, “it can only be shown with guidance notes to prevent political indoctrination.”
As to the Nobel, Obama won one in his first year in office . . . having done nothing to earn it. I’m not sure the Nobel carries the weight it once did.
4. Independents. Gore, justifiably or not, is less polarizing than Clinton, which means he can appeal to independents.
“Less polarizing than Hillary” isn’t a hearty endorsement. Almost everyone is less polarizing than Hillary.
5. Foreign policy. Hillary Clinton is right about a lot of things, but foreign policy isn’t one of them.
Gore on foreign policy? Not so much. Salon argues that his absence from politics during the recent blunders of the Obama administration is a strong position for him to be in because, unlike Clinton, Gore cannot be directly blamed. The famous “I wasn’t there, so I don’t know” strategy.
6. The corruption of the political process by Wall Street is — and should be — a major issue in this election. Everyone knows already how much influence the financial industry has in Washington.
This is a progressive issue that is bound to rally the base (we see this with the growing interest in Bernie Sanders), but Gore is hardly divorced from, much less standing against, Wall Street. He’s a “multimillion dollar investor” who owes much of his immense wealth to Wall Street . . . not that progressives seem to have a problem with that for people on “their side.”
He’s currently touting the need for “deep reforms” in capitalism to include cap and tax schemes that he’s long supported.
7. Climate change. As Ezra Klein argued a few months ago in a column about Gore, “Income inequality is a serious problem…But climate change is an existential threat.”
This is something the left simply won’t let die, no matter the evidence to the contrary, so let’s look at some of Gore’s statements about climate change:
In 2008: Gore states, “the entire North ‘polarized’ cap will disappear in 5 years.” Seven years later, this is not only untrue, but genuinely laughable.
In 2009: Gore states that the earth’s core is “extremely hot, several million degrees.” Hilarious!
I’d love to see him run on climate change. Love. It.
8. Gore has nothing to lose. Having been out of politics for so long, Gore is liberated in ways no other candidate is.
True enough, but again, not exactly a ringing endorsement.
9. Vengeance. If we’re stuck with a rerun election (Clinton vs. Bush), most would prefer to see Gore get his vengeance against another Bush.
It just wouldn’t be a progressive argument without some element of vengeance, I guess.
10. Democrats need a spark. Gore may not be new, but his candidacy would feel that way.
Monotonous, droning, dull Gore will be a “spark”? He’s got more personality than Hillary, I guess, but again, that’s not saying much.
Al Gore explains in 2008 why he doesn’t intend to be a presidential candidate “again. Ever”:
Thanks to LI reader and commenter Ragspierre for submitting this post idea via the LI Tip Line.
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Comments
I thought they tore down Al Gore and put in a solar farm. So much for eliminating excessive methane sources.
Al Gore: Prince of Dorkness.
The oldest president to assume office:
Harry Reid would be 77.1 years of age, Jan 20, 2017
Nancy Pelosi would be 76.8 years of age, Jan 20, 2017
Bernie Sanders would be 75.35 years of age, Jan 20, 2017
Mitch McConnell would be 74.92 years of age, Jan 20, 2017
Joe Biden would be 74.16 years of age, Jan 20, 2017
John Kerry would be 73.1 years of age, Jan 20, 2017
Donald Trump would be 70.59 years of age, Jan 20, 2017
1) Ronald Reagan was 69.95 years of age, Jan 20, 1981
Hillary Clinton would be 69.3 years of age, Jan 20, 2017
Al Gore would be 68.8 years of age, Jan 20, 2017
2) William Henry Harrison was 68.06 years of age, March 4, 1841
Mitt Romney would be 69.86 years of age, Jan 20, 2017
Elizabeth Warren would be 67.6 years of age, Jan 20, 2017
John Boehner would be 67.17 years of age, Jan 20, 2017
Rick Perry would be 66.87 years of age, Jan 20, 2017
3) James Buchanan was 65.86 yeas of age, March 4, 1857
Ben Carson would be 65.34 years of age, Jan 20, 2017
Jeb Bush would be 63.9 years of age, Jan 20, 2017
Carly Forrina would be 62.38 years of age, Jan 20, 2017
Mike Huckabee would be 61.41 years of age, Jan 20, 2017
Rick Santorum would be 58.69 years of age, Jan 20, 2017
Chris Christie would be 54.38 years of age, Jan 20, 2017
Rand Paul would be 54.04 years of age, Jan 20, 2017
Scott Walker would be 49.2 years of age, Jan 20, 2017
Ted Cruz would be 46.07 years of age, Jan 20, 2017
Marco Rubio would be 45.48 years of age, Jan 20, 2017
Bobby Jindal would be 45.43 years of age, Jan 20, 2017
43) John F Kennedy was 43.64 yeas of age, Jan 20, 1961
44) Theodore Roosevelt was 42.88 yeas of age, Sept 14, 1901
AL Gore? He’s from a Confederate state and a Rebel Flag multiple user just like Bill & Hillary. Besides his embalming is almost complete – No more fake & unearned Nobel prizes for you Al?
NO, PLEASE draft OwlGore…!!!
NOTHING could make this election cycle complete like having Kommander Chakra (or is it Khakhara…?) in the race.
We could juxtapose his housessssss against the Clintonian palaces.
We could remind people how Mr. Greengenes sold out to an oil state.
Why, there’s JUST so MUCH juicy material, and Hellary very likely KNOWS where so much more is buried!
I gotta call about those popcorn futures tomorrow…
Oh, and thanks, Fuzzy, for the nod!
Who’s this Ragspierre guy? A rabble-rouser? Enfant terrible? A bon vivant?
Careful JJ – he has sharp teeth. Very sharp teeth. 🙂
Hey, you can’t call him that! What do you think this is, Gawker?
To win, therefore, the Democrats need a nationally viable candidate.
If by “nationally viable” they mean “sane”….yeah, that’s a start.
Wait. On second thought, with the Democrats insane’s a feature, not a bug.
and the insane is designed into their platform.
I thought Bernie Madoff was in prison?!
He couldn’t stand the cut in graft, errr, pay and the debates
Point 3 is close to Point 1, so you shouldn’t have argued against it.
Point 1 did say two things: stature and impeccable qualifications. While you argue there’s nothing “impeccable” about his qualifications, he is a superstar, and you agreed with this in point 3.
He could be a national election draw to many on the left.
That doesn’t mean that maybe more people would be oopposed to him precisely for the things he is well known for, or that his whole pitch couldn’t be destroyed.
I think Salon will have to keep on looking for a candidate.
Draught Al Gore? What is this, some brand of lefty micro-brew? Well, we don’t mead it. We’re already long on alcohol-adled fools and short of honey*.
*(See the buzz on Hitlery Clinton.)
I’d rather they drafted him into the army.
I want Gore/Hillary, just so they can be called “Gorillary”.
We crossed the Rubicon and fell down the rabbit hole, after flying over the cuckoo’s nest. So despite the possible apocalyptic threat of an elected Gore OR Hillary, I also see the potential for a Republican landslide, IF a Republican like Walker attacks with the pointed vigor demonstrated by Trump.
Under stress Hillary might start campaigning while drunk, and “hillaryity” will ensue. Gore is older and fatter, the father of failed warming predictions and fraud. He should be mocked.
At least the left seems to understand what a train wreck Hillary is. But with an election run by Hollywood, the MSM, and Hillary Money, 2016 outcomes could be Orwellian. Hopefully voters will step back through the looking glass before experimenting with another corrupt radical leftist president.
It might come down to whether the stock market has crashed again by then, or whether some other “event” has taken place. They’ve delayed the destructive parts of Obamacare, propped up markets with ZIRP and QE, survived the weak recovery with trillions in government stimulus … can they still fake it till they make it through yet another election?
What about John Kerry (mashed potato face)? ha!ha!ha!ha!ha!ha!ha! Sorry I can’t say it with a straight face.
Well PuffHo would cover his efforts in the entertainment section. Just like it did to Trump.
I remember when Democrats began ruing their choices every cycle and yearned for Mario Cuomo to run – Mario, oh, Mario, wherefore art thou? Ah, the bittersweet taste of unrequited love . . .
Somehow I don’t think Fat Al will make the same comeback Fat Elvis did.
– –
Then, the other night on Twitter, after the Netroots Nation progressive racial meltdown, Joan Walsh was slobbering all over herself defending her lily-white privileged progressivism and apologizing for her whiteness profusely to any POC (person of color) that would listen.
Good times, good times.
Al Gore? This is the best laugh I’ve had all day. But then I thought of the possibility of Jeb Bush on the other side and realized that Gore could actually win. That would be bad.
Gore makes millions off the fear of Climate.
The left is still sore about Gore losing to Bush in 2000. They want a do over and this time with different results. That is not going to happen, because Jeb nor Al will not get the nominations.