WSJ: What Gore's Nobel Prize Means for Political Climate

[villager]

Source: http://online.wsj.com/public/article/SB119217994461357186-APaKECrs3OlN6Dc8z3ysHyUeftU_20071112.html?


What Gore's Nobel Prize Means for Political Climate
Greenhouse-Gas Fight

Will Still Face Barriers;
Office Run Isn't Likely

By JACKIE CALMES and JEFFREY BALL


Awareness of global warming may rise after the Nobel Peace Prize awarded Friday to former Vice President Al Gore and a United Nations science panel for their work on the issue. But the prize likely won't do much to remove political barriers to action in the U.S. or overseas.

Moreover, Mr. Gore won't likely take the one action that could immediately alter the political dynamic at home -- entering the 2008 presidential race -- despite an emboldened "Draft Gore" movement, confidants said.

Still, the award will likely put pressure on presidential hopefuls from the Democratic and Republican parties to address the issue. For Democrats, it will raise the value of his endorsement.

"He has all but shut the door" to running for president," said Donna Brazile, who managed Mr. Gore's presidential campaign in 2000, when he won the popular vote but lost in the electoral college after the Supreme Court awarded Florida's votes to President Bush. "But no one who is as viable or as qualified as him should shut the door completely."

Mr. Gore, who earlier this year won an Oscar for "An Inconvenient Truth," his documentary about climate change, can turn the speculation to an advantage, as a way to keep his issue in the news.

<snip>


Read more: Ye Olde Journal

[davhill]

1. President Hillary Clinton

Should appoint Gore to the next Supreme Court vacancy. That would be poetic justice.

[NMDemDist2]

2. Gore isn't a lawyer is he?

but it would be funny, in a sad sort of way....

[mrdmk]

7. Gore has attended Law School but dropped out to run for office

<snip>
In 1965, Gore enrolled at Harvard College, the only university to which he applied. He scored in the lower fifth of the class for two years in a row<12> and, after finding himself bored with his classes in his declared English major, Gore switched majors and found a passion for government and graduated with honors from Harvard in June 1969 with a Bachelor of Arts degree in government. <11> After returning from the military he took religious studies courses at Vanderbilt and then entered the university's law school. He left Vanderbilt without a degree to run for an open seat in Tennessee's 3rd Congressional District in 1976.
<end of snip>

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Al_Gore

[jamesinca]

3. Sect. of Interior or State

Those would be two good positions for him in the next Democratic administration. SC Justice would keep him pinned down here and somebody would scream conflict of interest if and environmental issue ever came before the SC.

[karynnj]

5. What does Gore gain in either of these positions?

In both, he becomes a spokesperson for Hillary Clinton - limiting his own freedom. Now, this could place him somewhat like an ex-President or a respected elder (though not old) statesman, whose voice merits being heard. One problem in the past decade was the absence of strong independent voices of people with this level of gravitas. Gore does not need the title or the position. By his own determined work and commitment, he is now in an enviable position. Why risk tarnishing it by taking a secondary position for a Clinton (or anyone else)again.

Gore could pressure HRC, if she is President, to pick a strong leader for the interior position - and then act as a force to keep her feet to the fire if for political reasons she begins to retreat.

[Triana]

4. Put him over the EPA (n/t)

[demobrit]

6. Disrespect for Gore

The disrespect shown to Al Gore on Media such as Fox News yesterday and today for his Nobel Peace pride is so sad if not despicable.
The Nobel Prize is an Honour for Al Gore and the United States and should be applauded by all.

[Delphinus]

8. I agree

Although I don't even have Faux News on my TV, I can imagine how biased they are. If they had one whit of knowledge, they would be able to get past their hatred of anything green or democratic and recognize the truth of what you say - the honor it is to receive a Nobel Peace prize.

[City Lights]

9. The Fox Noise Hate Machine and their brain dead followers disgust me.

Even the Bush-loving editors at the Chicago Tribune said Gore's award was well deserved.