Wherefore, Gore? Inconvenient Al Makes Party Wait
If He Gets in at All, His Part May Be Mr. Unity, After Last Primaries Done
History may record that there were three distinct windows of opportunity for Al Gore to play a decisive role in this year’s Democratic primary contest.
The first was in the days leading up to Super Tuesday, on Feb. 5, when it seemed Barack Obama could do no wrong and a critical mass of establishment endorsements was piling up in his favor.
The second occurred this month when Florida and Michigan seemed to rule out re-votes, delivering a crushing blow to Hillary Clinton’s hopes of catching up in the popular vote.
And the third—and perhaps most irresistible—will arrive in June, after the voting is over, but before the Clinton campaign can launch a final, all-out push to make Mr. Obama the unelectable candidate.
“If Gore were to weigh in, he would have to do so before the superdelegates begin breaking for either Obama or Clinton,” said a former Gore adviser, after laying out the various scenarios that might prompt the former vice president to get involved. “The superdelegates constitute the last true contest in this race. And for many, Gore is someone they talk to, listen to, and whom a lot of them admire and respect. Having him make a closing argument for either candidate would carry significant weight with some of these last-man-standing voters.”
In the meantime: attrition. Race, gender, McCarthyism, the stained blue dress—attacks on veracity, character, readiness and electability are now the stuff of the bitter everyday exchanges between the Clinton and Obama campaigns. Superdelegates, the officials and party leaders who may ultimately select the winner, are increasingly worried that the poisonous atmosphere surrounding the Democratic primary contest will make it impossible for the party to unify around a nominee.
“If I piss on your leg, and the next day I say I didn’t really mean to piss on your leg, but if you look down and see the yellow stain, you’re going to say, ‘Come on,’” said Steven Ybarra, an uncommitted superdelegate from California. “They’re both being idiotic about this stuff.”
Of the prominent, still-uncommitted Democrats, Mr. Gore is probably in the best position to call for cessation of hostilities, if not actually to deliver a deathblow to the wounded-but-potent Clinton campaign.
Uniquely among the fraternity of failed Democratic nominees, Mr. Gore has regained his standing within the party, and then some. His early opposition to the war in Iraq and tireless advocacy for combating global warming—a cause he basically personifies—made him a liberal supernova. He won an Oscar, an Emmy, a Nobel Peace Prize. He shed his suit and tie, started dressing in black shirts and jackets and cowboy boots, and took a job with Apple. His resistance to impassioned pleas leading up to the elections in 2004 and 2008 to run again only further cemented his reputation among Democrats as the unflappable Goracle.
Mr. Gore declined, through a spokeswoman, to comment for this article.
“There is no Democrat who can dictate the nominee,” said Robert Zimmerman, a former fund-raiser close to Mr. Gore who is now supporting Mrs. Clinton. “However, Al Gore can play a unique role in uniting the party and bringing an end to the fighting after the primary and caucuses have concluded.”
“Certainly, if anybody has earned the right to do whatever he wants in political life after 2000, he certainly has earned that right,” said Alan Kessler, a former Gore fund-raiser who is supporting Mrs. Clinton for president. He added that an endorsement “might be perceived as a little bit unfair for him to do, because he is so influential.”
It is taken for granted by most Democratic insiders, with good reason, that if Mr. Gore did weigh in, it would be on the Obama side.
For one thing, he has a pained history with Mrs. Clinton, who he resented for superseding his authority in the White House. But Mr. Gore can also do math. He sees that Mrs. Clinton is trailing in pledged delegates, popular vote and states won. With her avenue to the nomination significantly narrowed, her best chance is to convince superdelegates that Mr. Obama cannot win a general election. Her final failure in this endeavor, from the perspective of an interested party luminary, might settle things. Her success assuredly wouldn’t.
“If it gets to the point where there is a real general consensus, among honest brokers of information, saying she is gaming the system—if that rises to a certain level—he may feel that he has to do something,” said one longtime Gore loyalist. “But it’s so wrapped up in his personal politics with her. He is not going to be capricious about this.” Next Page >
- Poll
- Obama (D)
- McCain(R)
- Spread
- RCP Average
- 46.1
- 41.3
- Obama +4.8
- Candidate
- Favorable
- Unfavorable
- Spread
- Obama
- 55.7
- 33.0
- +22.7
- McCain
- 52.7
- 34.1
- +18.6
Mediate? how about RUN for the nomination!? And I mean, if the convention is deadlocked, and no one has enough delegates after the first ballot, the delegates can vote for anyone they want on the second. So how about Gore? And put Obama on the ticket, to keep blacks on board? What Hillary voters are gonna be against Al Gore? And what Obama voters would be against a ticket with Barack Obama on it? THIS is a real dream ticket. I could see 60% of the national vote in November if this were to materialize.
Go back to Tennessee you old windbag.
You blew it once, when it was yours for the taking, why get it now on the backs of others who have worked a hell of a lot harder to reclaim what should have been yours to begin with.
let's sit back with Al Gore and watch the Dem party implode....brilliant idea...McSame will win because nothing will be left of either two Dem candidates...
“He was trying to persuade me that it would be good if we all came together right now,” said Robert Rankin, an uncommitted superdelegate and California union veteran who supported John Edwards until he dropped out of the race. “To a degree, he has a point. But there are still 10 states left, and we need to hear from these people.”
Just one thing wrong with this logic; if the race between Obama and Clinton were close, were sending out positive vibes, and were monopolizing the news for all the right reasons, then ok, they could afford to drag it until June. But the reality is she can't catch up but she's prepared to break the toy if she can't play with it.
People are not in awe anymore, they are dismayed at such display of fraticide. Comes November, if Senator Clinton somehow gets the nomination, the Republicans will have a field day pointing out that she's willing to tarnish a fellow Democrat's reputation in order to get what she thinks she's owed. And those delegates sitting on the fence will only have themselves to blame.
History will ultimately judge Gore as one of the most insidious elements of politics at the turn of the century-- his antics in Florida were never underpinned by any factual basis. Busing in agitators from Chicago, his challenge in the courts allowed many kool-aid drinking Americans to believe that the US Supreme Court's decision was a political, and it has significantly eroded public trust and unity. To extol this man as a statesman is delusional.
Why is everyone in such a hurry to stop the "game" before the final bell? For al Gore( who I really respect) to get involved at this point, would be a clear indication that he is siding with Sen. Obama.
Why is Sen. Obama in such a hurry to stop the process? Why did he stand in the way of the Mich. revote?
If he truly feels that there is no way he can lose this nomination because of his lead in the delegate count, and popular vote, why doesn't he just relax and let the voters in these final 10 states have they say. Then, he can say look, it's over. I won the count.
What he is bothered by is, neither he nor Sen. Clinton can get to that maajic number of 2025 with just the pledged delegates ( ubless he wants revotes in Fl, and Mich.)without the superdelegates.
Does he really believe they are going to over rule the voters?
They might if they feel that he is too weak in the Big-Swing states, or if another Rev. Wright-like thing pops up.
Maybe that's what he is afraid of.
I say, let the people vote.
Everyone should follow Mr Gore's lead. If he and the superdelegates aren't sweating the daily media dramas, then why should the rest of us?
Having worked in Al Gore's and now in Hillary Clinton's campaigns, I think both are acting responsibly in this situation with the uppermost concern being respect and concern for a true democratic process. In his election campaign and in this one, one can easily see there is much room for improvement of our election process. One can also easily see how it can be manipulated and actually abused as well. While there is certainly some history of relational politics between the two, they are each great statespeople with a very high regard for the integrity of our political process.
Tennessee does not want this man. Heck they voted against him for President, why? Southerners do not forgive southern politicians who they do not trust----Gore, Carter, Edwards and so on. Now you can put Bush into that pool of democrats. Fool me once Global Hot Air Gore and the boys, but not again.
Can Democratic party nominate Clinton for 2008 and Obama for 2012 or vice versa. Is this legal.
To quote Green, Comden, and Freed from "Singin' in the Rain":
"I wish I had a gun, a wittle gun, to shoot the other two so I could be one..."
Samuel,
When I read your post it sounds you are from a different planet. Why is it that most fanatics suporting a plitician are so blind to face the reality? I cannot imagine that Obama is to be blame for the Michigan and Florida fiasco when he played by the rules. The states elected leaders or DNC should be blamed and not Obama. Now all of you don't reason because Hillary Clinton for political reason is blaming but Obama.
I am not an American but closely following the election from Europe and I could tell you that the world is laughing at Americans. We believe America to be the greatest nation of the world but it is filled with bunch of idiots. People who cannot distinguish between right and wrong, who are being easily misled by their leaders for political motives.
Some of you are hating Obama because of what his pastor said but have not taken time to actually digest what the pastor was actually saying. I took time to follow his sermon thanks to youtube and didn't find any thing so offending that the media and some Americans are dramatising. Obama did so well to distance himself from some of the things you found offended but still some people still blame him for the actions of his pastor. He is going to that Church to worship God and not to worship Rev. Wright. I also saw in the video that there are also white people attending the church and ask them if they found the sermons of the pastor offending, why are they still in the church.
Some of you still hail Hillary Clinton when she stands all the time on national TV and tell lies. It was those lies that let America into the mess in Iraq.
Some of you claim Obama to be racist. He is torn between Black and White. He was even brought up by white parents and could never be a racist.
Obama is a man of integrity and is a politician that America cannot afford to miss. IF YOU DON'T WANT TO VOTE FOR OBAMA, THEN DON'T VOTE BUT STOP PAINTING A GOOD MAN BAD.
Hillary is doing more and more damage every day. This is totally crazy- its obvious she can not win. All she can do is destroy Obama so that McCain wins in Nov.
The superdelegates might be super something but they are not super smart. They should read Brooks from yesterday and Dowd from today (both NYTs). Hello....
Gore and Edwards should endorse Obama now.
How short everyone's memory is. Gore was and is a sore looser. What is worse, he has made millions with his baseless scree on global warming. Neary a word of truth in that now clearly shown factually baren film. Do you really want someone more concerned with his own self-image than truth, or the party's future, drive a final stake in either of the leading candidates?
Hillary, this Cow-in-the-China-Shop, is breaking all the Democratic inventory before the store opens. Please, forget Al Gore, someone call animal control!
Agreed,
Tell Tonya Hillary Harding to take a hike for the good of all Democrats. Edwards and Gore need to endorse Obama NOW to stop the Clinton "If I can't have it, no one can" mentality.
It's disturbing, and frankly I'm becoming embarassed for her.
She is fully aware that Obama is running not against Hillary, not against McCain, but against THIS. This old, cruel, pathetic way of politics to which America has suddenly become accustomed.
And what is it that Hillary will ultimate give America by way of this stubborn, childish, knee-cap striking strategy?
Four more years of war.
Nice job.
If Obama had an ounce of decency, he would not have gotten in the way of the Florida and Michigan re-vote. The reason he did is because he knows Hillary was gonna blow him out in Florida- again, and was favored to win in Michigan as well!
This man is nothing but an opportunistic, racist radical and will be the end of the Democratic party! Go ahead and nominate that racist radical, this typical white person is done with him!
No Hillary? No problem! Vote McCain!!!
Mr. Gore did not win an Oscar. It is just another fable that he surrounds himself with that is perpetuated by mindless reporters/bloggers. Accuracy no longer matters. Oh, and the oceans are going to rise 20 feet.
After reading some of these comments its amazing how many idiots are alive and lurking on the streets of America. Just goes to show that any moron who has a computer and access to the internet can provide their blubber in the blog media.
Anyways I hope for the sake of America that your weeny -teeny minds are just a fraction of a fraction of the thousand of fractions of ' true' Americans. I will entrust it is in November for the general election and for the duration of the Democratic primaries.
The opening paragraph of this article is just stupid.There has been no crushing blow to Hillary Clinton. The writer of this article was obviously somoeone who, if he was told to hop on his right foot, hopped on his right foot and has been doing it every since.
People can count. Super delegates can count. And no amount of bad decisions by Howard Dean and no amount of Mr. Voices Must Be Heard trying to put his hand over the mouths of 7 millon voters is going to change it. Counting Michigan and Florida Obama;s lead now is only 61.His lead in the popular vote is less than 0.06%. Clinton is poised now to go into the convention with both the popular vote lead AND the delegate lead. A landslide in Penn, one where she gets 65% of the vote will wipe out Obama's lead entirely. If she wins by 10-15pts she still cuts it in half and if she wins Indiana, Ky and Puerto Rico she will go into the convention with the delegate lead. For people who can count. And for people who have been yakking that super delegates have to go with the voice of the people. No stupid parking violation by some big wigs at the state party level is going to change that. And if either the super delegates or the rules committee are so stupid as to have not counting votes in Florida determine the outcome of who is the Presidential nominee the Democrats can not only kiss the Presidential election goodbye, they can kiss their congressional majority goodbye and everyone knows it.
The lying dishonest judgement-less Obama who probably agrees with Wright more than he wants people to know is just going to have to take his snakeoil and try it somewhere else.
An Al Gore-Barack Obama ticket will be very hot. Gore will win the presidency that was stolen from him eight years ago. Obama will get the experience.
Hillary will have plenty of time to travel to Iraq to see first hand the war she voted for in 2002.And who knows, her plane may come under a sniper's fire. Dreams and fantasies come true some times.
I am only 22 and it has been so blatantly obvious, just what has been going on here, the situation overall. Billionaire George Soros, chose both John McCain and Barack Obama. He has been funding both of them. It's no wonder they happen to be the media's candidates as well, and that they happen to be the "frontrunners." What a coincidence!
Theresa Heinz-Kerry has been a long-time contributer of John McCain, and she ALSO supports/funds Barack Obama. This is acheived through 527s, limitless accounts, and this is why Obama has so much money. McCain-Feingold grossly exaggerates the power of the mainstream media and billionaires like George Soros, Oprah Winfrey, and Theresa Heinz-Kerry.
Then, we had John Kerry mysteriously endorse Obama. What do you think Theresa bought him (question mark). Soros gave (donated)$600,000 dollars to MoveOn.org, they then endorsed Obama. AOL-TIME WARNER also donated a similar amount to Barack Obama, its no wonder that AOL.com is so viciously biased against Hillary. It makes you wonder just how deeply everything fits together, just how many people are plotting against Hillary through all of these various avenues. AOL.com loves to use Huffington & Politico's most prominent Hillary-haters. I have NEVER seen a poll that was written in a way that benefited Hillary, just ones what put her down (and with hideous pictures attached).
CBS NEWS, runs deep in its ties with billionaire Oprah Winfrey. CBS NEWS just happens to be the media outlet that broke the Bosnia story, which just might end up helping Hillary in the end, much like anything many other things they try to throw at her. I must say, she looked so good around all of those troops. The only thing that I didn't like about the clips was her "First Lady, Mommy hair-do." But that's okay. Its all very easy for me, traitor-racist sympathizer, or someone who was trying to appeal to young men like me by fluffing a story...hmmm...I'll go with door #2.
What really turns me on is that all of these avenues have not been successful in taking her out, it makes me certain that there is a God.
I do not pray every night in vain! If FOX NEWS had not broken the story, Obama would have ran away with the nomination. CBS tried to change the subject. What the media is doing is saving all of the other dirt on Obama for the general, Democratic policies don't favor big business...so...choose the Democratic candidate who is not vetted and the one whom has an interestingly unfavorable past (Larry Sinclair, whether true or not, will break soon). The candidate who is not vetted is a sure way for Democrats to have a John Kerry loss in 08', just choose Obama and we can all give John McCain an early welcome. I'm not saying I'd give him a mandate, I would just stay home. Let the rest of America's racist or uber-patriotic Americans or SMART Americans (all not necessarily connected, I only fit the latter), come out in droves and vote against the supposed "Black MUSLIM candidate who hates America, and whose wife has said that she just recently, 'became PROUD of her country.'" Its all too absurd. The DNC and the Obama Campaign have tried to stop the process, the media has tried moderately successfully, to demoralize Hillary's supporters when she has a shot at winning the popular vote. Their aim is to not let her run away with the next 10 contests so that she does not have a strong argument for the nomination. THEY WANT BLOOD, BLOOD = Ratings. Imagine Black America if she not only lost the popular vote, but lost pledged delegates as well. Al Sharpton will have a STRONG argument. He has already threatened to sue if Florida was to get a re-vote (which would surely settle the popular vote problem for Hillary). Ask yourself one question, when does the media begin to have too much power, when does it start to corrupt our democracy(question mark, my button is broken).
VOTE DIFFERENT from who the media wants, that means vote for Hillary.
Let's look at this with a prism of reality. Al Gore is now fat, rich and happy with his exploitation of the global warming hysteria. Why on earth (pun intended) would he set that aside to take the heat of the Oval office?
He may certainly be able to affect the Democratic nomination and that might be the consolation he needs for his blown election attempt in 2000.
Gore's earth/carbon exchange company has raised him from an embarassed failed presidential candidate to rock-star status and incalculable wealth. The wings of the poorly substantiated effect of human existance, destined to ruin the 'environment, and the accompanying millions in wealth will be enough for Al in his old age.
This Clinton/Obama cat-fight is fascinating!
Let's look at this with a prism of reality. Al Gore is now fat, rich and happy with his exploitation of the global warming hysteria. Why on earth (pun intended) would he set that aside to take the heat of the Oval office?
He may certainly be able to affect the Democratic nomination and that might be the consolation he needs for his blown election attempt in 2000.
Gore's earth/carbon exchange company has raised him from an embarassed failed presidential candidate to rock-star status and incalculable wealth. The wings of the poorly substantiated effect of human existance, destined to ruin the 'environment, and the accompanying millions in wealth will be enough for Al in his old age.
This Clinton/Obama cat-fight is fascinating!
Chris, you're pretty paranoid and ridiculous for age 22. Get off the stage, drama queen. Not everything is a conspiracy.
Don, its not paranoia, its obvious. BTW, many Independents who support Obama have both fingers in their ears, "la,la,la,la." If he shot your mom in the face, would you still vote for him (question mark). What will it take for you to VOTE DIFFERENT (question mark). We already know he tolerates racist rants against whites and anti-American hate speech....what more would help you in your decision (question mark). My button is broken.
What is great from my perspective is the left has trained it customary hysterical vitriol on one another as opposed to blaming 'Bush' and conservatives for everything from global tilt to sudden infant death syndrome. Doubt it? Review the Reverend Wright's comments which were wildly appluaded - and highly inaccurate.
Your adherance to policy (and hysteria) at the hands of poor - and refuted - science regarding climate change is telling. Worshiping the "environment" seems to have replaced traditional values and civility.
One day folks will ignore the sound bites and focus on facts. Then, the liberal agenda and the Democratic party will be in trouble. You must recognize Obama is not prepared to be president and Hillary is falsely touting her experience. I too fear that 3AM call if it were to come to either of them.
"Sorry", it's just an opinion (ala Simon Cowell)
Senator Clinton had every right to opine on her choice of leaving a congregation if she disagreed with statements of the minister, though her timing seemed a self-serving diversion.
I excercise my equal right to opine that I would have chosen to divorce a husband who was a serial philander, fined for obstruction of justice, disbarred for five years and publically embarrassed me and my country.
My problem is too much experience with the Clintons and their gross lack of truth telling and public integrity. Could a reasonable person believe a beloved 16 year old daughter would have been taken to a dangerous was zone?
I have suspended further contributions to the Obama campaign until I am certain Senator Clinton's name will not appear in either position on the presidential ballot. If that were to occur, I will vote for Senator McCain.
Speaking of "chickens coming home to roost"... Mrs Clinton's chastizing comments to general Patreus 'regarding suspending disbelief' now seem incredulous.
Isn't she now asking us to "suspend disbelief" regarding her harrowing experience in Bosnia?
Jason, a Gore- Obama ticket is really, really crazy. Gore is from Tennessee where they don't really like Blacks and I don't think he would really want to deal with one for 4 years especially one that really is a big time racist with a 20 year close, relative like association with an anti-American preacher, and I don't really think he wants to run for Prez either so that is pretty stupid, Maybe you just had a nightmare.