If Al Gore were going to run for President, why would he announce now??

[kentuck]

Why would he open himself up for attack this far out from the election in 2008 ? Wouldn't that be rather foolish? Everybody knows his name already. If he wanted to run, he could wait a year out from the election if he wanted. He could raise enough money over the Internet in one week to fund his campaign. So, I think the questions about whether or not Al Gore is running are a wee bit premature. However, that should not hinder us from expressing our wishes. :)

[NYCGirl]

1. Also, if he were to talk about running, that would be the headline, taking

all the focus away from his film, and even giving the GOP reason to attack the film as a political ad.

[lakeguy]

2. he can't announce now. if he did, wouldn't his movie count as

part of his campaign? at least i'm sure the repubs would call it that way.

[GregD]

10. Precisely

That was discussed a couple weeks ago on AAR Eco Talk. He cannot announce now for exactly that reason.

[lildreamer316]

3. Don't you see what he's doing?

Of course he won't announce now. He probably won't announce even this year.
He dosen't have to.
The man is a m%$#*ing genius.
He is running the perfect ANTI-CAMPAIGN.
He is stating that in every way that can be interpreted easily that he is not running....but yet he has not come out and said that.
He told his would-be political contributors to go spend their money on someone else. This equals NO strings attached to him; NO lobbies; and no way for the press and right wing to attack him on the front of "but you took money from this asshole".
He is a friggin genius.
He is playing them and BEATING them at their own game.
We've already turned the corner; you just don't know it yet.

[StellaBlue]

13. I wholeheartedly agree.

"We've already turned the corner; you just don't know it yet."
Yep! That's it.


My mantra from now on?

He'll run. And he'll win.

[johnaries]

4. I believe him when he says he doesn't intend to run.

However, I also believe that we can induce him to run if we convince him of how badly we need him.

[calmblueocean]

5. He doesn't have to announce, but he could be more equivocal than he is.

He could've stuck to "I don't have plans to do that," or "I'm not looking that far in the future yet". But saying "I can't imagine any circumstances in which case I would become a candidate again" and "I don't expect to ever be a candidate for president again" are really just setting him up for attacks should he decide to run.

So I take him at his word that he really isn't planning on running, and that we have to do something "unimaginable" to get him to throw his hat in the ring again. I'm still trying to figure out what that something could be.

[FreakinDJ]

6. Because he likes being "Swift-boated"

If indeed he was harboring thoughts of running he would need to keep a low profile until the latest possible moment.

Among the Democrats I would what percentage would like to see Gore as presidentto offset the 2000 election Supreme Injustice

[corbett]

7. It's Like Being Interrupted While Giving A Speech

If one is giving a speech, particularly a political one, and one pauses after making points sure to be popular with the audience, it is apparent that the speaker is fishing for applause. The effect is much more profound if the speaker continues with the next paragraph after making each popular point and allows himself/herself to be interrupted by thunderous applause.

Vice President Gore stated many months ago that he is a recovering politician. Only recently has he become aware of how strongly the prospect of another campaign is welcomed. If he announced a campaign today, he'd have to explain why he flip-flopped on his previous statement not to run. On the other hand, if he enters the race as the dark horse due to overwhelming support from within the party (to such an extent that he couldn't ignore it), he's in a far better position.

Here's another thought: while I fully expect that he'll be indicted any day now, there remains a strong possibility that Karl Rove will play an active role in John McCain's 2008 campaign. In light of that, the best way for Gore to guarantee victory for the Democratic ticket is to run with the only other candidate to have faced off against a Rove-run campaign.

Now, my prediction for the Democratic ticket for 2008 has been and remains John Kerry for president and Hillary Rodham Clinton for veep. I stand by that prediction as I feel that such a combination would be unstoppable (as do a few well-heeled Republican friends of mine). However, a Kerry-Gore ticket would be very strong, too, and would benefit almost as much from the support of President Clinton on the campaign trail as it would if Mrs. Clinton were on the ticket.

Lastly, as an active member of the environmental community, let me add that a Kerry-Gore ticket would be a dream come true for environmentalists. Even Ralph Nader might support that one. Kerry has a stellar voter record in the Senate and no one has been louder on the topic of global warming than Gore. Details of Kerry's voting record are available at

http://www.capwiz.com/lcv/bio/keyvotes/?id=298&congress=1092&lvl=C

[Minnesota Libra]

8. President Al Gore is of course using his brain by keeping ..............

....his name in the press while at the same time promoting this rightful and very intelligent belief in protecting out environment. The more I think about it the more I realize the release of this movie had to be timed for now from the very beginning.

The more I listen to President Gore the more I think he will announce another run for the WH sometime in 07 and by that time there will be such a ground swell that the neocons/fundies will look like the complete effing idiots they are if they oppose President Gore in any way.

If any one saw his appearance with Steffenapolis (sp?) today you no doubt saw that little dig at the Bush administration when President Gore was referring to Bush dropping the ball on the environment and said something to the affect that, "He (Bush) is going to have to wake up to the truth about Global Warming and other issues.":rofl: Oh, it was priceless!!:rofl: Of course Steffie boy quickly moved right on past that little crack.

[kentuck]

9. and we are now in the hurricane season...

and when the next big hurricane hits Charleston or the Gulf Coast, people will talk about global warming once again...and Al Gore's movies and books will be discussed also...

[poverlay]

11. Either way, Gore is doing something brilliant by attaching his name

as an oracular, beneficient uncle to every major, worldwide, weather phenomomenon. Plus, not knowing his intentions is keeping the red-fools awake at night. I love it!

[Orangepeel]

12. early money is like yeast

he wouldn't necessarily announce if he were running, but he wouldn't be telling big money backers to look somewhere else, as is rumored.

[kentuck]

14. I don't think anyone's giving big money yet....

They want to be sure they got a winner..

[bklyncowgirl]

15. To quote the Eagles: You always want the things that you can't get.

As a non-candidate, Gore can concentrate on his global warming message--his life's mission--in case you haven't noticed and let the others battle it out over the nomination.

As Clinton, Warner and Bayh chase the big money and Feingold, Edwards & Kerry vie for the activists, Gore is showing leadership as he works to bring the public and private sector together on this global issue.

Democrats aren't going to be entirely satisfied with anyone running and Gore ends up looking like a giant in comparison. If he chose to get in the race for the sake of the party, he'd easily get the support of big groups like Moveon and DFA with all the money and organization they'd bring. Would DNC Chairman Dean stand in the way of the guy who not only backed him for President but talked him out of bolting the party when he lost? Highly doubtful. My guess is Gore'd win the nomination.

Or maybe he really doesn't want to run. Can't say I'd blame the man. He's a free man now doing what he loves and is on a mission to save the world. Would he give that up to live in what Truman called the "Crown Jewel of the Federal Prison System"?

Yup, we only want the things that we can't get.