American Prospect OpEd: "Gore For It"

[AlGore-08.com]

http://www.prospect.org/web/page.ww?section=root&name=ViewWeb&articleId=10376

The current Democratic leadership has a lot to learn from Al Gore.
By Jamal Simmons

“Don't talk about it; be about it” is what R & B star R. Kelly's disgruntled lover advised him to do if he wanted to remain in her good graces in his 1998 song "Don't Put Me Out." The infamous Kelly may be an unlikely tutor for American politicians, but some of our elected officials should heed the same advice when it comes to leadership.

President Bush fell down on the job of leading us so badly in the days after Hurricane Katrina and the flooding of New Orleans that even the reporters at conservative-leaning FOX News could not restrain themselves from criticizing the administration for allowing literally helpless Americans to die from starvation, dehydration, drowning, and heat stroke while waiting days for rescue. The American people, faced with the irrefutable televised evidence of babies screaming for milk and the elderly left to die seems to be losing faith in the president they elected because they believed he would “be about” protecting them. Thus, the twin tragedies of Katrina and Iraq have pushed Bush's poll numbers down to Watergate-era lows.

(snip)

One man who did care enough to “be about” leading people to safety was former Vice President Al Gore. Together with Greg Simon, head of the nonprofit FasterCures, Gore defied government bureaucracy, military regulations, and perhaps political interference to charter and accompany two airplane flights into New Orleans to rescue patients and bring them to safety at Tennessee hospitals. While other politicians appeared to be debating whether or not to leave their Labor Day vacations early or to be dithering with their consultants over the political ramifications of various actions and statements, Gore did what many of us watching television from our homes only wished we could do: He flew into New Orleans and rescued people.

Desperate for effective leadership, factions of the Democratic Party have been wrestling with one another about whether we should go left or right in order to win elections. Gore's actions have punctured a hole in this debate by simply going forward. The tragedy of Katrina was not political so much as humanitarian. American citizens were dying, homeless, and injured, and those who truly cared about them could not sit by and watch from the height of their private planes or the comfort of their ranches and beach houses. Gore not only cares about America; he proved he cares about Americans enough to land a plane in the midst of the misery and “be about” rescuing more than 200 desperate people.

(more... )

[Carolab]

1. I think Gore is our man for 2008. I really do. n/t

[AtomicKitten]

6. Me too. Oh please let it be true.

I would be thrilled beyond belief if he ran. I would be so obnoxious people would vote for him just to get me out of their face.

[FreedomAngel82]

15. Same here

I would love it if he ran again and got back at the republicans as president. *Sigh* What could've been... I just hope he does and I would fully support him and no other canidate (even though I'm a major Kerry supporter Al Gore came first). I think Gore is just right. He's not hard-core left and he's not hard-core right but just perfect. It's guys like Gore that make me proud to be an American, Tennesseean and a democrat.

[FrenchieCat]

2. Jamal Simons, author of this piece

was Wes Clark's spokesman during and after the campaign. In fact, he was at WESpac's fundraising event just a couple of months ago.

He also did work for the Gore/lieberman campaign back in 2000.

This is interesting information, just in itself.

Mr. Simons is correct. Dems have to go forward.
--------------


Jamal Simmons was traveling press secretary for the 2003-2004 presidential campaigns of General Wesley Clark and Senator Bob Graham.
Articles by Jamal Simmons from The American Prospect:

October 3 2005 Gore For It
The current Democratic leadership has a lot to learn from Al Gore. By Jamal Simmons

May 3 2005 The Chairman's Colorful Cabinet
Howard Dean is bringing minorities to the top of the minority party. That's rarer than you might think. By Jamal Simmons
http://www.prospect.org/web/page.ww?name=View+Author§ion=root&id=1231
----------
My opinion--
I like Gore and would vote for him IF he won the primaries for sure....but I think he should have ran in 2004, if he was gonna run again. To me, that was a timid choice he made on that score. If he felt strongly that he and our nation had been wronged...considering how badly Bush's performance had been, I'm amazed that he deliberately chose to sit out on the most important election in a lifetime. It makes him appeared to have been intimidated...and coming back now, would look like he's running cause the "coast is clear".

[FreedomAngel82]

16. Maybe he wanted to give someone else a chance

:shrug: I really don't know. And people do change their minds about things like that. And it is interesting he would be talking about this since he worked for Gore before. Do you know if he still has contact to Gore?

[drummo]

19. Gore didn't run in 2004 because as Donna Brazile put it

after the 2000 campaign " the Democratic Party kicked him to the curb"
The assholes in the establishemnt thought that a "new face" just because it was a "new face" would be much better.
It worked out pretty well, as we know it.

[FrenchieCat]

22. Maybe Al Gore should have told them to "Kiss his ass" and gone to

the people. Bottomline is that he made the final decision not to run in 2004....and yeah, it didn't work out very well for US, the people.

[drummo]

33. Dean went to the people -- that helped him a lot as we know it

It's foolish to think that the people somehow are always better than the "elite"

Often the masses are so damn stupid, dishonest and unfair it's hard to believe.

The people put Bush to the White House in 2004, for one thing.

[FrenchieCat]

35. I disagree

The media and the machines put Bush in the White House in 2004.

The media and the machines and the Supreme Court put Bush in the White in 2000.

The people are always better than the "elites", whoever they are.

[drummo]

38. In 2000 the people chose Gore that's true. But in 2004

they chose Bush. Even if Kerry won Ohio he lost the popular vote by more than 3 million votes. That's way to much to be just cheating.

As for the media, the stupid people bought their lies.

Most still think that Gore said he invented the Internet.

Most still think that Kerry lied about his Vietnam record.

They could be like us and know the truth. But they are not interested in the truth because that is less entertaining.

[Stevepol]

46. Is this supposed to be satire? Kerry won the 04 election by 3%,

5 million votes according to the exit polls, Edison-Mitofsky and the state polls as well.

The electronic voting machines which count 85% of the vote now are made to steal elections, not count votes.

Don't muddy the waters.

[drummo]

48. Exit polls are not foolproof.

Also, the vast majority of counties nationawide did not use touchscreen machines.

But would you give a link to the source, anyway?

[FrenchieCat]

26. I don't think that Mr. Simmons talking up Al Gore negates his

support of Wes Clark. Clark did not say he was running....nor has Al Gore.

I think one person can believe that there are more than one leader in the Democratic party.

In addition, I don't think that folks who have worked campaigns most of their adult life necessarily burn bridges...meaning, he can have good things to say about a lot of folks without there being a contradiction.

I met and had a discussion with Jamal Simmons back last year at a WesPac event (yes, he attends them regularily) and I don't think that he's exclusive of Wes Clark being the only Democrat worth a damn. In fact, I link to a piece that he wrote on Howard Dean that was very positive as well. He just appears to be one who is positive on the Dems that deserve it.

[DU me]

24. How True! Forget Left, Forget Right. Lets go Forward!

I think this should be the Dem Slogan!

[drummo]

34. Gore said that "slogan" right after the 2002 midterm debacle

when asked on NPR -- if I remember well -- what the Dems should do now, go left or go right.

[AlGore-08.com]

42. Kicking it up for President Gore

:kick: :patriot: :kick:

[NoodleBoy]

3. wow, hard to argue with that one

I was waiting for Gore to step into the 2004 primaries and just steamroll right over everyone-- including Bush-- and when he didn't I thought he might as well have been dead.

Now things like this come around, and it makes me think he could do that in any future election.

[BootinUp]

4. no, his rescue efforts should not be

politicized.

If Gore wants to get back into politics in a big way thats up to him of course, but I don't see his Katrina rescue as having anything to do with it. This article is really kind of annoying. Lets celebrate what Gore did without looking for political ways to take advantage of it, thats exactly what Gore didn't want.

[AntiFascist]

40. Here's a suggestion....

If Gore were to use his Katrina rescue efforts in campaign speeches or commercials then they might seem self-serving. But, I don't think his grass-roots supporters should be prevented from talking about them over and over again, and comparing them to Bush's non-efforts.

[Chevy]

5. Simple not Fuzzy math.

Gore is the one who can ask better than anyone."Is America better off now then it was 8 years ago?"

[longship]

7. A nomination for Gore.

and :kick:ed

[JNelson6563]

8. You go President Gore!

Show 'em what it's all about! :yourock:

[kwolf68]

9. Just more misery

Stories like this just showcase what we could have had in this nation, what we willingly gave up.

Yea Yea I know I know…The election was rigged, but in the end we should have won even without Florida and we didn’t. I am saddened that this man is not our President and this aristocratic chimp fucker is.

God Bless Mr. Gore. If he runs in 2008 I will put everything I got behind him. He is my clear #1 choice based on how he has handled himself since 2000.

[montana500]

27. hmmm

God Bless Mr. Gore. If he runs in 2008 I will put everything I got behind him. He is my clear #1 choice based on how he has handled himself since 2000.


agreed.

[sendero]

10. Al Gore and Wes Clark..

... are the shining stars, the real leaders in our party. I will be ecstatic if either or both of them are nominated!

[DU me]

Doesn't have to be either or, could be both

[DU me]

25. Doesn't have to be either or, could be both

[Apollo11]

11. In Gore We Trust

It's always good to see Gore getting recognition, and in this case respect from someone who has worked for/with him. Although I strongly disagree with the idea of turning Gore's rescue flights into a political stunt by hyping them up. Gore's actions speak for themselves. Too much spin will only get in the way - and probably backfire. The right-wing media will say that Gore only hired that airplane to make himself look good.

www.gore-08.com
http://algore2008.net/
:)

[Totally Committed]

12. I will never believe he hired that plane to make himself look good...

If he wanted to do that, it would have been accompanied by a press release, etc. And, from what I understand, it was not.I believe it was something he felt, in his Democratic heart of hearts was the right thing to do.

The RW has no stones to throw at any Democrat, as far as I'm concerned. Wes Clark's firm was down there doing work pro-bono, Kerry flew stuff in, too. Just Democrats with Democratic values doing what they could to help out. We should all be proud of what Al Gore did! He did a lot to help the people of NOLA, and he did us proud, too... all the Dems who went down and gave their time and efforts did.

TC

[FreedomAngel82]

18. So true

He avoided the media and didn't even get off the plane. He brought people here to Chattanooga and the head of the police got to meet him on the plane. He didn't even get off the plane to meet people who are overseeing things in town. The head of police (Sheriff Cupp) said how Gore didn't speak to any media while he was there. And apparently from the stories of people who he helped he did talk to people and had nurses on the plane to help as well but besides from talking to people he just stayed in the back of the plane. Al Gore is a true angel.

[drummo]

20. Well, he isn't an angel or a saint but sure there's at least one guy who

thinks he is.

Mark and Kenneth Bazile, residents of New Orleans and brothers of former Oakland City Councilmember and mayoral candidate Leo Bazile, told how former Vice President Al Gore rescued their entire family — 11 people, many elderly and ailing, and spirited them away on a plane he chartered.

"Al Gore saved my family; they evacuated us off the roof, including two 90-year-olds," Mark Bazile said. "When we arrived in Tennessee, the whole University of Tennessee medical staff met the plane. (Vice) President Al Gore is a saint."

http://insidebayarea.com/sanmateocountytimes/localnews/ci_3019986

[FreedomAngel82]

17. I think him mentioning this is a reminder

It's a reminder of who really cares. Gore didn't care about politics when rescuing the people. He just got up and did what he could and that was rescuing people. He had the ability and financing to do so and he did it while the people who had all the power ate cake, fundraised, played guitar, played golf and stayed at a fancy hotel. Gore was actually there with them and overseeing the mission in person. It's a good reminder to show how the republicans failed at leadership all around. Not one republican did what Al Gore did and this republican could have.

[electropop]

30. I don't have a problem with people doing good to look good.

Whatever it takes. And while Gore was doing good, the Chimp was committing criminally negligent homicide. Which would voters like better? Show-off or cluster-fuck?

[Apollo11]

43. BTW electropop

Technically - I don't think Hitler never won an election on his own. The Nazis never got more than 32% of the votes in Germany. They came to power as part of a coalition government with Conservatives.

[drummo]

37. And someone who worked for him

to repeat the MSM lie that he was hesitant and just not comfortable in his own skin in 2000 indicates, once again, that Gore did not have loyal and committed people work for him or people who even understood him. Instead he had "professionals" like Brazile, Schrum and this Jamal who change their colors from one election to another.

First, just because someone is camera shy or hates large crowds does not mean he is not comfortable in his own skin. I hate cameras and I hate crowds, does that mean that I don't know who I am? No way.

Gore is at his best at town hall meetings when he doesn't have to speak to cameras and he can communicate with people instead of just talking to them -- as it happens on the stump. I saw him doing those meetings many times and he was everything but unsure of himself.

And when was Gore hesitant in 2000? He was consistently populist right from the start. If that's hesitant in Jamal's world then what is not hesitant?

[welshTerrier2]

13. Gore is fine; the article is not ...

Desperate for effective leadership, factions of the Democratic Party have been wrestling with one another about whether we should go left or right in order to win elections. Gore's actions have punctured a hole in this debate by simply going forward.

first, let me say that i like Al Gore ... but this line is just nonsense: "Gore is just going forward" ... that's little more than an author getting carried away ...

will Gore teach our children? will he go over to Iraq to win the war? will he fly the troops back home? will he put in his own money to cover the budget deficit? will he put more oil in the ground? i applaud Gore's personal involvement in New Orleans but personal involvement will do nothing to address the alienation many in the Party feel from the Party's "leadership" ...

the reality is that "simply going forward" is NOT going to resolve the differences we have ... the only way to do that is with increased communication, a process of intra-Party reform, and a real commitment to making the Party more democratic ...

[drummo]

14. What Party?

There is no such thing as the Democratic Party. There may be a lot of people calling themselves Democrats but do they form a party? The Dems weren't able to rally behind Gore in 2000. He had only 76% of Dems supporting him during the conventions. 97% of Reps supported Bush. They understood that one man cannot win elections. They learned from 1992 and 1996 when the religious right torpedoed Bush Sr and Dole. In 2000 they were silent so Bush could pretend to be a moderate.
What did the Dems do? The liberals complained that Gore was just like Clinton, a wishy-washy centrist. They even said Gore was just like Bush, no difference.
And the moderates complained that Gore was not like Clinton. He was too populist, too "old Democrat" too anti-business.

Noone can united millions of people other than those millions of people. And the Dems were not willing to do that BEFORE Bush screw it up so much that they rallied behind Kerry, not because of Kerry himself, but just to get rid of Bush.

What do you want to achieve with "intra-Party" communication when you have such a "party"?

[Apollo11]

21. the lessons of 2000

After 7 or 8 years of Bu$h, I am confident that the majority of Americans would unite behind a strong Dem candidate - whether that be Al Gore, Wes Clark or someone else.

Already in 2004 we saw a lot of unity around the Kerry-Edwards ticket. Nader got only a tiny fraction of votes in 2004 (although I would prefer that he got no votes at all ...).

[drummo]

32. Yes I think in 2008 the liberals will be so fed up with the Reps

that the Clintons, once again, can go to the White House, just because the Reps screw it up (remember 1992? Economy, Rep convention)

And then they will say, the CLintons were born to be winners -- when if fact they are just damn lucky and benefit from the Reps' blunders

Man, I'd like Gore to kick Hillary's ass in the primaries!

[BootinUp]

36. "Noone can united millions of people..."

This is one of the most negative outlooks I have ever read on DU. You are using this as an argument to support Gore?

[drummo]

39. No. I just noted it as a matter of fact

And sorry for the typo.

Only the people can unite themselves. If they want to be divided they will be divided no matter what one pol says. Democrats are not sheep. They make up their own minds.

edit: I for one do not consider Gore to be my leader. Thanks, I am my own leader. I just want someone in the government who actually can govern.

[Larkspur]

23. Gore is the only Dem potential Prez candidate I would wholeheartedly

support in 2008. None of the other declared or semi-declared candidates would earn my support. Feingold would get my vote and some money but I don't think he has a chance to win the nomination.

I voted for Gore in 2000 because of his competency. I knew Bush would screw this nation and was simply amazed at the bozos on both sides of the political spectrum who thought Bush would be a moderate.

[Chevy]

28. The sad thing is.

It took only a few minutes of research prior to the 2000 election to see what Bush was really about and what damage he did in Texas, but instead the masses swallowed the media fed pablum.

[mzmolly]

31. I was amazed as you were. And even more amazed by people who drew

comparisons to Bush and Gore. Those people haven't said much lately. Haven't seen said people rallying to help the Katrina victims either? Political opportunists, that's all they are. They wait until the dust settles and find a position that sells by undermining the only reasonable people in Government.

[mzmolly]

29. I am comforted by the thought of supporting Al Gore in 2008.

I hope I get an opportunity.

[ms liberty]

41. This is the man I want to see as our nominee in 08...

I would work 24/7/365-66 for this man.

If we want him, we have to work for it...we need to write letters, to Al - asking him to run; and to the DNC telling them we want him, and to anyone else who will listen.

We need to start NOW. I was calling people in New Hampshire last year, on my own dime, helping to try to draft him...that was TOO LATE.

This is the person we need to lead us. 2008 could be the "perfect storm" that brings a man with EXACTLY the qualities and expertise we need together with the EXACT time we need those exact qualities and that exact expertise. The real question is, are we the people, those of us with the necessary critical thinking skills; ready to fight for it?

(recommended!)

[Apollo11]

44. You got that right - ms liberty !!

In Gore We Trust
www.algore-08.com
http://algore2008.net/
:)

[Fiendish Thingy]

45. 1/20/09; Opening line of Gore's inaugural speech...

"...now where were we before we were so rudely interrupted?"

I can dig it...

[Vox_Reason]

47. Perfect!

:rofl:

So rudely interrupted, indeed.