Dear Al. Shit or get off the pot.

[needledriver]

Let me start by saying I am a huge Al Gore partisan. His ongoing impact on the world stage shows that he is a Statesman in the true sense of the word. He is intelligent, passionate, committed, experienced, and on so many subjects RIGHT before it was cool to be right.

He is not just an Old School "Business As Usual" candidate .

He is a candidate for the 21st Century.

Having said that, I must draw your attention to a DU post from a couple of days ago.

http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=view_all&address=132x3603477

When I read this, I thought for the first time that Al Gore might have a really good reason not to run for President.

It grieves me, but what Peace Patriot said makes a lot of sense. Al Gore may be the best, most qualified, and experienced candidate we can field. But he may not be the best man for the sick, calculating, morass that politics is today.

He's certainly smart enough to know it - if it is true.

So what I ask here, is to drop the coy evasions, and come out with an unequivocal statement.

Don't make us wait until the deadline to register for this or that primary has passed.

Don't keep us guessing, hoping.

Commit, one way or the other so we can put our energies into the efforts that WILL get a Democrat elected .

[FormerDittoHead]

1. If he said "absolutely no." - he knows MSM will forget about global warming.

His job is to get the message out, and what he's (not) doing now is keeping him in the news.

He wouldn't be doing his job if he said "no way". The MSM would forget all about him, and back to the HillaryGate.

[joshcryer]

46. That's a pretty lame approach if true.

Many many people believe he can do more for global warming as president than he ever could as a citizen. (And really the arguments against it are silly and naive at best.)

[dmallind]

2. He's never been on the pot. He's never claimed to be or said otherwise

Al Gore has not given one hint, one innuendo, one clue or one slight suggestion that he wants to run for president. He has denied any such intent numerous times. Any propinquity between him and the pot is entirely in the mind of his acolytes and the desperate subset who would accept any potential candidate with a chance to beat Clinton for the nomination.

[robinlynne]

3. I think he already got off the pot.

[HughMoran]

6. LMAO!

:hippie:

[Kurovski]

13. ...but he still needs to wash his hands.

[Yukari Yakumo]

31. ...and flush

I heard of conserving water, but this is ridiculous.

[HughMoran]

4. I find the speculation refreshing. "Hillarybashfest 2007" makes me weary

of coming to DU. The Al Gore speculation is a welcome distraction during this time of much consternation on DU.

[patrice]

5. Al Gore is not coy.

Some of his supporters are delusional.

For the time being, I think he can do much more for Earth in his current position. Apparently he agrees. He can't help it if some people can't take No for an answer.

[Whisp]

7. Gore on Gore.

http://www.guerrillanews.com/articles/2301/Some_Inconvenient_Truths_About_Al_Gore

By Stephen Marshall
The inside track on "Cousin Albert"
Editor’s note: With the release of his global warming documentary An Inconvenient Truth, Al Gore has reemerged as one of the Democratic Party’s most high-profile stars. Despite his repeated statements that he is a “recovering politician” and is not interested in running for office, many believe Gore will throw his hat into the presidential ring come 2008. But despite his many years in high elected office, what do we really know about Gore’s politics? In this exclusive excerpt from his forthcoming book Wolves in Sheep’s Clothing (Disinfo, Jan. 2007), GNN’s Stephen Marshall talks with Gore Vidal about some inconvenient truths about his relative:

While his “cousin Albert” has effortlessly inhabited the vestments of a liberal politician, to hear Gore Vidal tell it, the former Vice President’s liberalism is merely a prop developed to bring him to the head of the Democratic Party.
“Well, although we are cousins, and I was a friend of his father’s, I’ve always thought he was absolutely pointless as a politician. He’s just another conservative southerner.”

In fact, Al Gore’s voting record as a senator was surprisingly conservative until he rolled his eye toward the White House. Throughout most of his career, he was pro-life and had an 84% anti-abortion rating from the National Right to Life Committee. From 1979 – 81, he voted five times on the side of a Republican sponsored rider that granted a tax exemption for schools like Bob Jones University that discriminate on the basis of race. He was openly anti-gay, calling homosexuality “abnormal” and “wrong,” and telling the Tennessean in 1984 that he did “not believe it is simply an acceptable alternative that society should affirm.” Gore was such a strong supporter of the gun lobby – ultimately voting against the critical 1985 legislation for a mandatory 14-day waiting period for handgun purchases – that National Rifle Association leader Wayne LaPierre once said, “We could have made Al Gore NRA Man of the Year – every single vote.” Finally, when it came time to vote on conservative Supreme Court nominees, Gore publicly praised but voted against the scandal-ridden Clarence Thomas. He voted in Antonin Scalia. If the wider public had been more aware of his legacy, few would have recognized the Al Gore of 1988 who ran for the Democratic presidential nomination.

----
I have some sembling of hope that Al Gore has changed. These things do happen. and when someone comes from the darkside to the light - they are usually more effective with their passion and all the more to be appreciated.

[DemocratSinceBirth]

10. I Met Al Gore ...I Respect Him....He's A Very Thoughtful Man

But a cardboard saint he is not...

His vote reflected that of a Democratic congressman trying to represent a conservative district...If he was to get in the race he would be more like Hillary, Obama, and Edwards , and less like Mike Gravel and Dennis Kucinich...

Candidates and activists have very different obligations... A candidate's first obligation is to get elected and to tailor a message that will appeal to a plurality or majority of voters...An activist's job is to create awareness by any means necessary...

[EST]

8. Easy answer.

Gore has made no evasions.
Every time he has been asked the same stupid, self-serving questions, he has answered with candor and as much accuracy as can be wrung from history and prediction.
He has never even said "I might" any time I have been aware of. In my own, none too valuable opinion, there has never been much question outside of the minds of people who are desperately seeking a "yes" or even a "maybe" answer.

Reporters and talking heads don't want to hear exactly what he said because they want a fight. They are a little twisted, in my opinion, but that's the way they are.
Partisans and patriots don't want to hear "no" because of their own good and valuable reasons.
To both these groups, only a "HELL NO!" will suffice.

Al Gore has said "no" again and again, while pointing out the reality that some kind of emergency, if sufficiently chaotic, could change anything and everything we think we know about ourselves and life and might force him into something he doesn't want to do but has no other choice. He is far too smart a man to assume he knows everything there is to know about the future.

Maybe my experience is too limited, but I am aware of no occasions in which Gore has given anyone except those who read into it what they wish to see any reason to hold out a hope for his candidacy.
People need to give it a rest. But if it makes them happy to continue as they are, who am I to try to redirect them into something that might reduce that pleasure.

[DefenseLawyer]

14. My only question

is why didn't he give the kind of definitive "no" he gave in 2003? He left no doubt, and he also told the "Draft Gore" people to knock it off. Why is he letting them twist this time?

[CCfromNY]

9. Gore...

... shit or get off the Waterless, Evaporative, Solar, Environmental Toilet.

[IndyOp]

11. I understand enthusiasm & impatience. I am grossed out by your title.

R-e-s-p-e-c-t ... we could use more of it.

[AtomicKitten]

12. Good things come to those that wait.

[Yukari Yakumo]

32. Except time's running out. {nt}

uguu

[Writer]

15. I think he already got off the pot, but those obsessing over his running for president...

cruelly glued the pot to his back end so that he can't remove it. Although he's perfectly happy being off the pot... and he's winning Oscars and Nobel Peace Prizes for being off the pot...

(I pray for some critical thinking here.)

[Kurovski]

17. He can say "No" Just like he said for the '04 campaign.

"No." Easy, breezy...done. Pot unstuck.

Not complicated, needs no deep thought.

"No."

[Bitwit1234]

16. This is for people who can't understand what the read or hear.

Al Gore has said so many times, he is not going to run for president. His family has said it, his workers has said it. NOW do you all know how to spell NO> Al Gore does.

[Kurovski]

18. "No" and "No plans for now." Two different things.

[xchrom]

19. you must have struggled all day to come up with such a charming op.

:eyes:

[needledriver]

47. Actually, It just popped into my head

Of course I'm sure you meant subject line.

Yes it's earthy.

Pithy, too.

Everybody knows what it really means, and most of the responses have been aware of my intent.

[maximusveritas]

20. I agree

I'm a big Al Gore supporter and will support him if he enters the race, but I'm getting annoyed the longer he fails to commit one way or another. I guess I could understand waiting until after the Nobel Prize, but there's no excuse for not committing now.
The longer he waits, the more he hurts the announced candidates and the harder it will be for us to win in 2008.

[Veek]

21. Use your energy elsewhere, and don't leave a footprint

I so admire Al Gore -- I'd follow him almost anywhere. That said, Gore
can't and won't run. It would look opportunistic if he used the Nobel prize honor
to advance his political career -- no thanks to our fair and balanced
press and the right wing noise machine. If not mired down in political wrangling,
Gore can maneuver more adeptly as a free agent for his longtime cause to avert
environmental disaster.

Although Al can walk and chew gum at the same time unlike the amoeba who
now calls himself president, there are any number of urgent national problems
among which he'd have to divide his attention. I don't know of any other global
figure with Gore's credentials to keep global warming foremost among
all other international concerns.

Besides, the current Democratic field is strong. There's no real niche for Gore, and
he'd have to compete with the rest of the field. He wouldn't automatically win the
nomination. In fact, he can't win the nomination. Note - not being president
in no way diminishes Gore. Has being president in any way enhanced George
W. Bush's prestige?

Sadly, I must remove the Draftgore.com sticker from my car bumper.....tomorrow.

[Kurovski]

23. Incoming! Welcome to DU!

:hi:

[Veek]

24. Thank you!

Long-time lurker (yrs), short-term poster.
:toast:

[Kurovski]

25. Years! Wow.

How did you ever resist all the charm and kindness displayed here for so long? :-)

I take it You must know all about the election season "love-ins" by now?

[Veek]

27. Re: DU charm

Ahem. Well, you know.....Have I missed the love-ins, too???

DU is home to many with much to say and who say it well.
Is there a smilie for "steep learning curve?" I could use it!

[Dawgs]

34. I respected your post until "In fact, he can't win the nomination."

And, since when does being President diminish someone?

Unfortunately, the "Gore supporters" that believe he's better off not running will find out soon enough that he will become irrilevant after it's too late for him to enter the race.

[Veek]

35. Don't Shoot

I respected your post until "In fact, he can't win the nomination."
Posted by Dawgs

And, since when does being President diminish someone?

Unfortunately, the "Gore supporters" that (sic) believe he's better off not running will find out soon
enough that he will become irrilevant after it's too late for him to enter the race.
_________________________

Al Gore irrelevant? In what universe?
I can't be a "Gore supporter" - as you type it - without putting forth
the questions I have? The right wing noise machine shoots the messenger
because it can't win the argument on merits. I expect something
smarter from fellow Democrats.

Gore has to get in right now to have a chance, but the press will skewer him just
because they can. Would he have time to recover before the primary election begin to take place?
This ever earlier primary season is screwed; the eventual nominee is more an artifact of the process
than a choice of the people. Money and the impressions it can buy skew any election, but
with this crack-of-dawn primary season, first impressions are nearly all a candidate
has to count on as the voting begins. There's little time to get to know the candidates
in depth. Money would not be Al's problem. He has a 46% unfavorability rating to overcome, as
hard as that is to believe. We can thank our intrepid press for that travesty.


To clarify, being President only diminishes the stature of the incompetent office-holder.
Hmmmm...let me think of an example....

[PurityOfEssence]

22. Yes. It's simple respect for the system.

To keep people hanging keeps so many candidates and voters somewhat treading water. It's time.

[ginchinchili]

26. How many times does he have to say "no" to satisfy you?

[joshcryer]

30. He hasn't said no. Do you know what unequivical means?

[Dawgs]

36. Thank you. If he doesn't want to run all he has to do is issue a statement to the press.

Just like Fiengold did at the beginning of the year.

I sometimes think it's the supporters of other candidates that think he's already said no; or say he's better off in the private sector.

It's really quite sad.

[ginchinchili]

39. No, but I'm quite aware of the meaning of unequivocal

I've heard Gore say he has no intention of running for president. He's been saying that for several years now. And who can blame him? I heard that President Carter has asked him on several occasions, each time Gore answering "no," and Gore finally had to ask Carter not to pose that question anymore. It's not Gore who is keeping those rumors circulating.

[joshcryer]

43. In 2003 Al Gore came out with an unequivocal "no."

He stated, outright, flatly, that he was not running. What this "no intention of running" business means is that he doesn't feel like running but it is not out of the question. It allows the question to keep being asked, and he allows people to keep hoping and pushing him to jump in. We won't have an unequivocal answer until after primary deadline, unless he makes a statement before that time. Either way he is for some reason refusing to say no, and he is almost completely responsible for the "rumors circulating." Do what you did in 2003, Al. Please. If you're not in it, then do it. Don't torture us.

[CK_John]

28. You're asking a "fact finder" to become a "decision maker". He is not able to now and has no chance

of getting the nomination. Why not let him enjoy his success?

[Orangepeel]

29. He isn't on the pot.

Hasn't been for some time.

[beaconess]

33. Al Gore has paid his dues. He can do whatever the hell he pleases

He has said he doesn't intend to run, but for some reason, that's not good enough. Only a fool would say, "I don't intend to run and I will never, ever, ever, no matter what the circumstances, ever, ever run for President." And Al Gore is not a fool.

If people are guessing and hoping, that's their problem, not his. He's made himself clear.

So, if given his statement that he does not intend to run for president, people are still guessing and hoping, and having difficulty focusing their energies on working for someone who IS running for president, they have only themselves to blame.

I would love to see Gore run, but since I have no control over what he does, I'm going to turn my attention to reality and focus on the candidates who are running. If, down the road, Gore does decide to run, then I will decide whether to support him or another candidate.

But Al Gore doesn't owe me or you or anyone else a damned thing more than he's already said and done.

(Congratulations, Al Gore!)

[Vickers]

37. You do realize this is the primary season, right?

It ain't time to "put our energies into the efforts that WILL get a Democrat elected" quite yet.

[needledriver]

49. Yes, I do.

It certainly IS time to put our energies into the efforts that will get a Democrat elected.

The decisions, effort, support, and contributions to the candidate of your choice NOW will affect who the eventual Democratic candidate is.

Who that Democratic candidate is will affect who eventually wins. We cannot take 2008 as a done deal for the Democrats. We need to work hard and effectively for the candidate of our choice, then fully support whoever the eventual Democratic candidate is.

I am being hung up on working to support another candidate until I know in an unequivocal fashion that my preferred candidate is not running.

The cartoon of Al the tortoise waiting at the finish line is a lovely fantasy, but it don't work that way.

[Imagevision]

38. The powers that be said NO to Gore and YES to Nader {spoiler time}

Bush was installed at key time when the country was prospering too much for big biz and they said what this country needs is a George W.Bush to slow things down for the small fry and allow Big biz to prosper.

[LanternWaste]

40. Or... maybe we can simply assume he won't unless he says otherwise.

Or... maybe we can simply assume he won't unless he says otherwise.

His non-comkmital is not hurting the support I give the candidate I'm backing. Seems odd that someone would think it would hurt theirs...

[Honeycombe8]

41. He has made it quite clear. If there's any confusion, it's on the part of others.

He has repeatedly and unequivocably said that he has no intention whatsover of running. That's about as strong a statement that any politician will make about future events.

[joshcryer]

44. So you're saying every time the question is posed, people are just confused?

The thousands, the tens of thousands, every media outlet, every newspaper, when they ask the question, the answer isn't ambiguious and we should've got the picture by now? Please.

[Honeycombe8]

48. It's a puzzlement why "supporters" keep asking the same question, like they...

expect a different answer. Media doesn't really ask it, as such, anymore. I haven't heard it in awhile...except to ask something about his supporters keep asking about it, or to ask about a specific rumor from some source.

Any confusion about his intentions is purely on the part of those who wish the answer were different.

[oregonjen]

42. I will ask this question again and see what you guys think

On his appearance on Larry King a few months back, he was asked if he would accept a cabinet position. He flat out said "No." However, when asked about running, he doesn't answer with a flat out no. How do you explain that?


Al Gore on CNN's Larry King Live, May 22, 2007

KING: Let me get another call in from Lexington, Kentucky. Hello.

CALLER: Thank you, Mr. King.

Mr. Gore, given the foreign policy expertise that you have exhibited on Mr. King's show tonight and the expertise that you gave to the administration of President Bill Clinton, would you consider the secretary of state position in a Democratic presidential administration?

GORE: Thank you for your kind words, but, no.

KING: No cabinet position?

GORE: No.

KING: No federal position?

GORE: No. Not because I don't have the greatest respect for what an honor it would be to serve in such a position, but I have -- I have zero interest in doing something like that.

http://transcripts.cnn.com/TRANSCRIPTS/0705/22/lkl.01.h...

[joshcryer]

45. Heh, he repeatedly used to make references to his not making a "Sherman-esque" statement.

And on top of that in the Larry King interview you noted there, he claimed he wasn't going to necessarily nominate someone before the primaries.

That interview is so coy and amazing. Has Al Gore really been putting it out of his mind until deadline time? A week before the deadline is he going to then sit down with his wife and family and pose the question? If so that would be remarkable. But I'm not holding out hope.

[calteacherguy]

50. Gore's never been on the pot; it's his supporters who need to get off the pot. nt

[weeve]

51. Oh yes he is ...

He's running. He'll announce within 10 days. It's a waste of time to speculate one way or another before then. This is his moment. Everything has fallen into place. It's going to happen.