Should DU come up with a presidential candidate?

[IkeWarnedUs]

Some friends and I were talking about how disgusted we are with the Democratic party and the likely candidates for the presidential primaries in 2008. It got me thinking, with an army of concerned, informed, and (at least moderately) intelligent members spread across all 50 states and around the world and 3 years to pull it off, we should be able to come up with a viable candidate with very, very substantial grass-roots support.

I don't know if the DU candidate should run as an independent or in the Democratic primary or create a new party. Or run in the Democratic primary and then run as an independent if he (or she) looses, pulling the huge grass-roots base with him(her). Those decisions can come later.

Before that comes choosing the person - and I don't mean from the tired list of usual suspects. In fact, the DU candidate would probably be someone most people never heard of. That's what started the discussion with friends. Everyone of the usual suspects had some sort of baggage that made us worry about whether or not they could and would really make a difference. Hey, Clinton was a gazillion times better than Bush, but we need someone who will really clean house. Someone with a good handle on who and what they are dealing with - how really scary these neo-cons are.

The very first step is deciding whether or not to do it.

What do you think?

[IkeWarnedUs]

1. I guess not

This may not seem like the time to talk about it, but I think it is something to consider.

[renaissanceguy]

2. We need to find a 21st century FDR.

Any real progressive governors out there?

[lostinacause]

4. The appeal behind FDR is not where he stood, it is what he did.

He found a way to get people behind some revolutionary ideas that helped to transform America for the better. It's not what he implemented that was so important but rather the changes that the policies he implemented brought.

The classical liberal/conservative scale will give no indication of where this person stands if such a person exists. It will be through vision and thought that this leader will exist.

[lostinacause]

3. I don't believe that DU would be able to pick a winner.

People here do not represent a large enough cross section of the public and generally have very strong views against the way religion is in American society. With these views it would be difficult to win a presidential election.

Also keep in mind that running against a Democrat would create vote splitting and would weaken the chance of a Democrat getting into power and increase the change of a Republican getting into power.

[AlGore-08.com]

5. We have a great candidate already: Al Gore

He has a record and a resume that is unbeatable. His entire career is full of visionary leadership, the best example being the Internets we're all using to discuss this. Other things he's brought us include bomb detection equipment at airports, getting nuclear weapons out of the Ukraine and other former Soviet Republics after the fall of the USSR, the national organ donor network, REGO, PNGV (which invested in hybrid and alternate fuel technologies), and a ton of other things including a day off to honor Dr. King.

Gore has been right on all the "backbone" issues of our time - - he opposed the invasion of Iraq from the moment it was proposed, he opposed the patriot act, the tax cuts for the super wealthy, the assaults on our civil rights and enviornment... you name some crazy *ss Smirk program that has made the country worse, Gore opposed it. The party turned its back on him because of his "class warfare" in 2000, but he has continued to demand that the Dem party stand up for the poor, minorities, women, GBLT and unions.

He is the only major Dem who has street cred with the progressive wing of the party AND the moderate wing of the party.

But most of all, he is a true patriot and a great human being:



http://www.knoxnews.com/kns/local_news/article/0,1406,KNS_347_4054083,00.html

Haven from fury Mercy Flight Brings Evacuees to ET

Gore accompanies about 140 arrivals from New Orleans but declines to take credit

By ROBERT WILSON

(snip)

About 140 people - mostly elderly and infirm - arrived Saturday at McGhee Tyson Airport on a chartered mercy flight from hurricane-ravaged New Orleans, welcomed to East Tennessee by a bright sun and a host of medical professionals straining at the reins to help their fellow human beings without regard to whether they were on the clock.

The displaced hurricane victims came to Tennessee on a hastily arranged flight, accompanied by doctors and carrying whatever they had in boxes, bags or, in one case, an old suitcase tied up with rope.

Former Vice President Al Gore arranged the flight and was on board, but he declined to take credit for the airlift, fearing it would be "politicized."

(more)

[Brundle_Fly]

6. INDEED

ALGORE 2008, I hope he picks Wesley for VP.

[kodi]

7. damned right.

as we move closer to 2008, al gore appears to be the best if not the only (not dissing clark, Kucinich or edwards) one who captures the true spirit of what is the heart and soul of those like me who want to return the nation to its past sense of honor, duty, and leadership in the world as a moral force.

i think al gore comes in first or second with most DUers they would be comfortable to have running the country.

his populism scares the hell out of the entrenched pols who fear that a gore presidency would decrease their power.

from the day howard dean won the DNC chair my intense hope for a gore candidacy in 2008 was rekindled.

gore attracts virtually all the major interest groups and factions in the democratic party, labor, environmentalists, urban, intellectuals, technocrats, young, old.......except for the moneyed interests.. that is why we have to get going at the grass roots early to be able to build momentum and make a gore candidacy inevitable.and lets face it.. al gore standing in front of a crowd of democrats and saying......"see what happened?" would exact a frenzy from the crowd.

i have his move on speeches squirreled away and read them from time to time just for the inspiration.

the an is a class act, who has been thru about everything an american politician has been thru.

its his time, its our time. we need this guy, now more than ever.

[Brundle_Fly]

8. in 2000 Americans were given a choice.

other than the fact they (stole the election) people would be thrilled to have gore come back and stand up for all the misdeeds done by this bozo crue.

[tritsofme]

9. Wasn't Dean basically the DU candidate in 2004?

And we saw how well he did when he got before primary voters...

It seems rather obvious to me, that on average DU is pretty far to the left of the mainstream in the Democratic Party.

Such a candidate would most probably be too far left for me, I intend to support Governor Mark Warner should he run in 2008.

[Poiuyt]

10. I HEREBY NOMINATE...WILLIAM RIVERS PITT!