***Important Update on Michigan Draft Gore Ballot Petition Drive*****

[SharonRB]

A meeting was held in Ann Arbor yesterday, where it was decided to proceed with the petition drive to get Gore's name on the ballot for the January 15 Michigan primary (if, in fact, we wind up participating in the primary and don't go back to the caucus plan).

If we do not get enough signatures to get Gore on the ballot, he will not be on even if he announces. We're not sure if we have enough volunteers to gather all the needed signatures, but at this point we don't have the funds to hire petitioners. If we can raise funds, we will hire petitioners to help in the effort. Checks can be made out to VOLUNTEERS TO DRAFT AL GORE FOR 2008 and sent to the address noted in the press release I have posted below.


MICHIGAN DRAFT GORE PETITION DRIVE
LAUNCHED FOR JAN. 15 PRIMARY BALLOT

For Immediate Release: September 24, 2007, 9:00am

Contacts: Douglas Kelley, 734-662-1731
Bob Alexander, 517-351-0965

Supporters of former Vice President Al Gore agreed to launch a petition campaign to put his name on the January 15 Michigan Presidential Primary ballot at a meeting yesterday.

"Our initial goal is 3,000 signatures of registered Michigan voters," said Michigan Draft Gore Co-Chair Douglas Kelley. "We are well aware that under the new Michigan primary law, to put Gore's name on the primary ballot, 12,396 valid signatures must be submitted to the Secretary of State's office in Lansing by October 23. Al Gore must submit a candidate affidavit along with the petitions. We're glad that the petition campaign manager will be Co-Chair Bob Alexander, who has had plenty of experience in statewide petition campaigns."

"We are doing this out of our conviction that Al Gore is the best qualified candidate for President," stated Alexander. "We are confident Gore could win either the January 15 Michigan primary or the Michigan Democratic caucuses, in view of the Detroit News statewide poll of 400 likely Democratic voters (August 14): Gore, 36%; H. Clinton, 32%; Obama, 16%; Edwards, 8%."

"Although we already have over 50 volunteer petition circulators active throughout the state, we do not as yet have the resources to assure gathering 12,396 signatures. But we're hopeful that Al Gore may become an announced presidential candidate sometime during October, and that we'll gain the resources to greatly boost our target number. In any case, if the Michigan Democratic Party decides to opt for caucuses instead of the January 15 primary, we'll be able to urge all the Gore petition signers to take an active part in the caucuses," continued Alexander.

Doug Kelley leads the South Michigan Draft Gore group based in Washtenaw County, and was a John Kerry delegate to the 2004 Democratic National Convention, and by appointment of Governor Granholm, the roll call spokesperson for the Michigan delegation. Bob Alexander leads the Mid Michigan Draft Gore group based in Ingham County, and was the Democratic nominee for Congress in Michigan's 8th Congressional District in 2004. Both have worked on prior presidential primary efforts in New Hampshire and Kelley in Iowa.

Contributions in support of the Gore petition campaign may be mailed to
VOLUNTEERS TO DRAFT AL GORE FOR 2008,
c/o Kelleys
910 Sunset Rd.
Ann Arbor, MI 48103

The organization was formed in 2006, and is registered with the Federal Election Commission.

Former Vice President Gore is scheduled to speak to the United Nations about ways to combat the climate crisis, today, September 24. He is among the nominees for the Nobel Peace Prize; the winner is to be announced in Oslo, Norway, October 12. Further information about Draft Al Gore for President activities throughout the country is presented on the following websites:

http://www.AmericaforGore.org
http://www.AlGore.org
http://www.DraftGore.com

[Frances]

1. If Gore wins in Michigan, what difference will it make to the US?

[Tom Rinaldo]

2. I still want Gore in the race

but at this point his interest in joining the race seems highly suspect if he still is not taking steps on his own to make sure he can even get on the ballot in time for deadlines without being certain that others have the capacity to do it for him.

All it would take for Al to get on any ballot that he wants to now is for him to say he is running. He has the support, and he has the money to hire as many paid signature gatherers as he needs if there aren't enough volunteers available to get the job done in a very narrow time window. If Gore is leaving the matter of getting onto ballots up for grabs depending on whether or not enough volunteers step forward to do it for him on time, to me that doesn't bode well for a hope that he will soon decide to run.

By very early Summer I reached a conclusion that only Gore or Clark had a chance of beating Clinton this year based on the dynamics of the race. Now I feel Gore is the last realistic hurdle for Clinton to clear for victory, but the race is moving toward the home stretch and that hurdle isn't even on the track. The real problem isn't getting Gore onto the Michigan ballot. The real problem is getting Gore to accept a draft at which point he would have zilch problem getting onto the Michigan ballot. Gore knows the deadlines as well as anyone. I suspect that if he has any remaining interest in running this year that if you can't find enough volunteers some donors will step forth to hire professional signature gatherers before the clock strikes midnight. Am I correct in reading that the signatures will only be valid if Gore himself signs off on having them submitted? That means we should know a whole lot more about his intentions by October 23rd.

[Tom Rinaldo]

3. Hey guys, I'll throw you a bone.

I know the tone of my post above is a downer, because that reflects my honest appraisal and my political writing on DU is starting to more reflect what I think is real rather than what I dream for in this Presidential race.

But if Al Gore is truly wavoring in his decision making right now, swaying back and forth on top of that metaphoric fence equally likely to fall either way, than yes. A powerful smash success volunteer effort that gets out there and gets the job done quickly and effectively for Gore in Michigan or anywhere else for that matter could effect his mood positively while he is pondering the final coin flip.

It's just that I think it extremely unlikely that Al Gore could still be that undecided at this point in the process. It is far far more likely that he has already made up his mind not to run OR that he has decided that his decision whether or not to run will be determined by whether he wins or loses the Nobel Prize Award. I have to believe that Gore by now knows in his heart what he is going to do regarding the Presidency in 2008. It is conceivable that he is temporarily witholding word on his decision for strategic reasons until after the Award announcement. Not likely in my mind, but possible. To be honest though, I could make a case either way as to how winning or losing the Peace Prize would effect Gore's choice, if that is what he is waiting to hear before settling on his immediate course for the future. If Gore is still considering running, I also have to believe that he already has contengency plans ready that deal with meeting deadlines for getting onto ballots. Gore is a pro. If he doesn't have those plans in place by now, then he isn't running.

[SharonRB]

4. We can't leave it to chance in Michigan

Our state chair submitted a required list last week of potential candidates for the ballot, and he refused to include Gore's name. If his name had been included on this list, all we would have needed would have been Gore's signed affidavit. Now, even if he declares and we have a signed affidavit from him, he can't get on the ballot without this petition drive. We have to start now to have any chance of getting all the signatures we need by October 23. If he officially bows out before then, we stop. If he officially declares before then, then his campaign organization would most likely help us complete the task.

[Tom Rinaldo]

5. Good luck to all of you, but I know it is your hard work that will make that good luck n/t

[SharonRB]

6. Thanks, Tom

We'll know one way or the other in another month or so, I think.