Gore to endorse some other candidate???

[JMDEM]

Gore Endorsement -- Potent but Not Foolproof

By Chris Cillizza And Shailagh Murray
Sunday, September 9, 2007; Page A02

Former vice president Al Gore's pronouncement that he is likely to endorse one of the Democratic candidates for president before the primary season is over has set off a slew of speculation about who his choice might be.

Truth is, the courting of the "Goreacle" began many months ago. Sen. Barack Obama (Ill.) and Gore huddled in Nashville in December, and Gore has also met with former senator John Edwards (N.C.). Gore and Sen. Christopher J. Dodd (Conn.) conferred as recently as last week.

Not surprisingly, Sen. Hillary Rodham Clinton (N.Y.) has not met with Gore. Neither has Sen. Joseph R. Biden Jr. (Del.) nor New Mexico Gov. Bill Richardson.

The falling out between Gore and the Clintons has become the stuff of political legend. Then-Vice President Gore's decision to distance himself from Bill Clinton in the 2000 presidential campaign did not sit well with the Clintons, who resented that Gore was willing to accept credit for the administration's achievements while at the same time criticizing the president's personal conduct.

More at link...

http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2007/09/08/AR2007090801458.html?hpid=sec-politics

[JMDEM]

1. I know everyone has their favorite... but...

I do not like this, not one little bit. Gore's the only one I think can really effect the change we need. If this is true it is a huge letdown for me. Yes, I will still vote for any Democrat over any Republican, but half-heartedly, I'm afraid, at least with the feelings I have now.

That's all I'll say on that topic. Not my intention to start yet another discussion about who's best among the current field.

[snowbear]

3. Why?

Sorry.. But what don't you like about him endorsing a candidate??

Anyhoo.. I think it's great for whoever is lucky enough to have him stand by them!!

I wonder if President Carter will also endorse a candidate before the primary?

[JMDEM]

5. I said why right in my post. (Or strongly inferred it)

I would vastly prefer that Gore himself runs. But obviously he won't run if he endorses another candidate. Or is that too hard to figure out?

[snowbear]

6. Geez Louise..

I get that you want him to run.. Sorry I bothered you.

[JMDEM]

8. Well, that's why I have only 300 something posts...

Every single time, without exception, when I post here, I get jumped on. And I'm kinda sick of it.

Oh, I forgot. The first time I posted 3 years ago, everyone said "Welcome to DU".

[MADem]

14. I was hoping he would run,too.... nt

[Colobo]

2. Please endorse Obama, Mr. Gore. The country needs him!

[jobycom]

4. Silly article

It makes way too much of the disagreement over campaign strategy between Clinton and Gore, and doesn't consider Gore's basic motivations. He may not have met with Clinton, but he already knows her better than he knows the other candidates, so there's nothing to read into that.

Gore has dropped hints that his primary support will be for whomever adopts his environmental message, but he has in the past also used his endorsements and support to unite the party, not to split it. If Gore endorses a candidate, he will do so because he believes his endorsement will unite the party. That means he's most likely to endorse the front-runner, as he did in 04 (even though Dean lost, at the time Gore endorsed him Dean seemed to be a runaway train). That doesn't necessarily mean Clinton--if one of the other candidates catches her, he could use his support to promote his key issues. But to claim it's unlikely he would endorse Clinton (as the article does) is silly. Gore is a career politician, and a lifelong Democrat who learned politics on his senator father's knee. He knows how the process works, and he won't endorse someone he doesn't think can do the job. He's also an idealist, and won't endorse someone he disagrees with. I don't think that rules out any one of our candidates. He may disagree with Clinton's ideology a little (though being a politician, he understands the difference between her ideals and her strategies, so those disagreements aren't as extreme as they may seem to some), but he knows her experience makes her more likely to get done what she wants done. Conversely, he may dislike Obama's lack of experience, but believe that his heart and wisdom are enough to make up for that shortcoming.

I don't know who Gore would endorse. But he would put more time and objectivity into his decision than the WP writer put into his article.

[saracat]

9. I am guessing Al would NOT endorse Clinton.

My guess is Obama or Edwards.Somehow I think it might lean Edwards.

[jobycom]

12. We'll see.

I'd guess Clinton first, Obama second, and Edwards third--fourth if Richardson surges. I don't think Gore likes Edwards. A lot of Democrats feel Edwards threw them under the bus with his painting the IWR vote as a "vote for war." I think Gore is one of them. But that's just a guess, too. :)

Thing is, neither of our guesses are printed in the WP, even though they are just as informed and/or likely as the WP writer's guess. My complaint is mainly over the shoddy standard for journalism than over anything the article says.

I am curious. I've held off deciding who to support partially because I wanted to see if Gore got in the race. Since it's plain he's not going to, his endorsement would influence me quite a bit. It may not decide my choice, but it could be a factor. Anyone else feel that way, or have most people already made up their minds?

[saracat]

13. Well I think the bad blood between Gore and Clinton will come into play, and it is real.

So I eliminate Hillary from the equation. I think Gore was friends with Edwards when he was in the Senate(Edwards)and he is probably going to lean a bit toward a fellow southerner who is taking the most "liberal" approach.I think if anyone "understands" Edwards IWAR vote and appreciates his apology for it it would be Gore.Obama is too "new" to have a relationship with Gore, but who knows.Richardson is finished. If , as has been reported, he blew the Hispanic Debate, it seems over for him. He has NO traction.I just don't understand why Richardson has been so awful a candidate.You would think a diplomat would know what to say!

[emilyg]

10. Excellent point.

[AndyTiedye]

7. NOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO!

YOU NEED TO RUN YOURSELF, AL!! PLEASE!!!!!

Otherwise we'll be stuck with the Ghoul or the actor.

GORE 2008

[jillan]

11. Thanks for posting this -

I just emailed Biden's campaign.
I cannot believe that they haven't gone after that.
Biden has the highest ranking of all the candidates ranked (Obama, Richardson not ranked).
The Greencar people love Biden for his legislation on the Li-ion battery.
And he has the most progressive position on coal.

Sometimes I think Biden's campaign people are asleep!

So thank you thank you thank you for posting this.

http://www.ontheissues.org/2008/Joe_Biden_Environment.htm
(you can click on the other candidates to get their scores)
http://www.greencarcongress.com/2007/03/biden_introduce.html
http://www.heatison.org/content/blank/candidate_chart

Altho - I have heard it said that Sen Biden himself produces high levels of Carbon Dioxide (from talking too much)

[JTFrog]

15. He put it off like everything else they've asked him.

I don't read too much into this. If he was going to endorse someone why wait? None of the candidates are making the climate crisis top priority (DK does try). I still think he's gonna run.

It's funny how everyone talks about it being too late. What they have done with this campaign season is ridiculous. It's still almost 14 months until the damn general election. In 1960 there were candidates entering the race as late as one week before the July democratic convention. That's right, 4 months before the GE people were still entering the race.

Times have changed. I certainly don't believe for the better. At least in 1960 we had JFK. I'm still holding out for Gore.

[RestoreGore]

16. Al Gore is a man of his word

So if he stated he will endorse someone he will. I think he is waiting to see how this all unfolds, but according to the interview he did with Harvard after being selected their number one alumni for 2007 it looked as though he was impressed with Chris Dodd as he mentioned wanting a carbon tax which is something Mr. Gore also is promoting. So I suppose we shall see. The important thing now is getting his grassroots effort louder so that anyone with such a plan can actually have it instituted in enough time to do anything near what is needed now to mitigate the effects of climate change. So perhaps it isn't just the candidates he is waiting to hear from regarding this crisis which is why his ad blitz thorugh The Alliance for Climate Protection begins this month.... perhaps as a result of that we will see more candidates across the board talking about this because they will have no choice... that is, if the people do their part as well.