We Love You, Al, But Never Mind

[proud2BlibKansan]

We Love You, Al, But Never Mind

By Art Brodsky

All through the first Democratic candidates’ debate, I couldn’t help feeling there was something missing. Each of the candidates did a reasonably decent job of explaining his or her point of view. One might have been shaky on one answer, another firm with a different issue, but on the whole, heck, even David Broder was impressed with the depth of the field.

And yet, something, or should I someone was missing: the person who should be president.

If the Democratic party or the candidates had any sense of dignity, they would call Al Gore and say Al, the nomination is yours if you want it. You deserve it. I know that won’t happen and more’s the pity for the party and for the country. As good as the field of candidates is, Gore simply outclasses them all as a public figure. That’s the heart of the matter. Perhaps he has transcended politics and can influence public policy more, and have more fun, doing what he is doing now than getting into the mud puddle of a campaign, much less the swamp of a presidency.

In my closet I have a photo of some people sitting around a conference table. On one side, looking attentive and taking notes, are a group of reporters – trade press reporters at that. On the other side was Gore, the vice president. That may have been one of the few times in history when those of us who covered issues in the trades got to sit in a small group with someone so high up in government. I was a telecommunications reporter back then, and the discussion ranged around tech policy and telecomm, issues in which Gore had taken an interest for years. While in Congress, he promoted the idea of an Internet long before many others knew what he was talking about.

What I remember from that day, however, wasn’t the topic or the details of the discussion. My lingering impression was of Gore himself. Ask him a question and you got an answer. Not a recitation of a talking point, but an honest-to-God thoughtful, original answer. He would take some technology and some philosophy and some history and weave it all into a learned discussion of the question. He did this for about an hour, and I came away thinking he was the smartest politican I had ever covered.

more . . .
http://www.tpmcafe.com/blog/specialguests/2007/apr/27/we_love_you_al_but_never_mind

[Erika]

1. I love Al Gore n/t

[SammyWinstonJack]

26. Same here. nt

[Cha]

2. We do love him but we

don't get him for Prez..one of the biggest robbery's ever.

Our US corporatemediawhores did a fine job of making Gore seem "goofy" to Americans not paying attention..and making bush seem like someone who gave a shit.

[Erika]

3. Yep, W was a seen as a common man

and Al Gore as an intellectual elitist.

W is as far from the common man as possible but Gore fights for the common man. Thanks bushbots.

[GOPBasher]

12. Well Bush does give a shit about some stuff.

Don't act like President Bush doesn't care about anything. He cares about plenty of stuff, such as securing profits for his super wealthy elite friends, even if it means war, environmental destruction, the perpetuation of poverty, the sky-rocketing of the national debt, the sky-rocketing of the trade deficit, the shrinking of the middle class, etc. He cares about big oil and big pharma. He cares about making the United States of America a fascist theocracy. He cares about things like that.

[Cha]

24. I meant gave a shit about

us. I know he fucking cares about himself and his fucking string guys.

[SammyWinstonJack]

27. And those are the only things he cares about. He couldn't care less about ordinary everyday

Americans. Hear that FReeps, he doesn't give a rat's ass about any of you, unless you're filthy rich like he is. He fooled you twice. Shame on you!

[tinfoilinfor2005]

32. But let's not ever forget that more ACTUAL people voted for Gore

than for bush, regardless of how the Florida count went.

The bushies have spent six years trying to rewrite history by making everyone think that george won the popular vote with his man-on-the-street personality, when in fact, he did not.

[Cha]

35. Yeah, they don't have anything so they

have to try and rewrite history and lie their way through history.

Gore won both ways..the Popular vote and in Florida.

And the sicko five on the supreme court betrayed our country and the USA mediawhorecorp did the same.

the deranged monkey is your fucking payback.

[WiseButAngrySara]

4. Gore is President-Elect of 2000. Always. ...n/t

[WiseButAngrySara]

5. And God and the Universe know this to be true. ....n/t

[Erika]

6. Yep. No doubt

Americans wanted to go with Gore. Their choice was stolen from them.

[Blashyrkh]

16. Could you ask either one of them to step in and sort this crap out?

[RestoreGore]

29. yes, and we know that as well

And he has more than gotten back what was stolen from him and us in the moral sense. He IS the better man, and for that I surely do love him.

[StarryNite]

18. I still consider him my president.

[The Count]

7. Wearing a REELECT GORE 2004 T-shirt...no other reason - it was gathering dust

in my closet...

[wiggs]

8. Good Lord. Look what he tried to start in 2004. Three years later this month

and have we moved the ball forward or have we taken a step back? One of his several great speeches from 2004.


www.youtube.com/watch?v=z6caCs5i6Dg

[WiseButAngrySara]

10. Thanks so much for the link! Powerful. ....n/t

[joshcryer]

14. Holy shit, I love that man. I wish he'd run. I really do.

[loudsue]

25. Holy shit!! I hadn't seen that video! Thanks for posting!

Did he kick some geedubya butt, or what??

THAT is the Gore I want to see a whole lot more of! With the passion that Gravel showed the other nite at the debate, I guess the media would say that Gore is another Zell Miller too?

Gore ROCKED the house!!

:kick::kick::kick:

[DesertRat]

9. Gore is my president.

If he wants to run again, I will send money and work tirelessly for him.

:kick:

[Gregorian]

11. I have a number of thoughts on this.

The time we needed Al Gore was in 2000. One obvious reason was to preserve what we had achieved during the previous 8 years.

Al Gore will still be here, even if he doesn't run.

The problems we have right now are not due primarily to lack of leadership, although that would have steered us into the right direction. But they are due to our own free will and desire for comfort.

Most importantly the situations we find ourselves in right now (politically and environmentally) did not happen over a short period of time. The time to start serious discussions was in the early 70's. As such, ten Al Gores wouldn't help us out in a short period of time.

I have a lot of other things to say. But none are as important as realizing what I've just said. I also believe that the environmental reality in which we are living will become self evident. In other words, we are and will be entering a crisis period. And no one will be able to ignore it. It sounds very bad. But to be honest, I haven't been this optimistic in many years. Finally, instead of sounding like a broken fire alarm, and having nobody listening, people are becoming aware. So we have just entered the first phase. Thank you Mr. Gore, et. al.

Enough. I'm semi off topic. I'm just trying to say "don't worry". And I think I failed. :)

[EFerrari]

13. I don't see any way for the Democrats to stand up for Al Gore now

after they failed to stand up for him when he won in 2000.

But, I also don't see any reason why we can't stand with him now.

/oops

[greyl]

15. If Al doesn't run and win, "We won't have a great president, but we'll still have a great leader."

That's a good way to put it.

[gipper66]

17. great link

[proud2BlibKansan]

19. Welcome to DU!

:hi:

[newyawker99]

22. Hi gipper66!!

Welcome to DU!! :toast:

[bigwillq]

23. Hello!

Welcome to DU! :hi:

[Raine]

20. Gore's my man

the one I want for 2008! :thumbsup:

[lostnfound]

21. The only good thing about Al Gore not running for president

is that he won't end up like JFK.

Well, maybe he will end up continuing to influence public policy and private action to reduce global warming. God knows we need it, as indicated in that latest bbc article: http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/science/nature/6610125.stm

[RestoreGore]

28. Also from this piece:

"Even with the more people watching his back, and as painful as it is to say this, it would be a waste for Gore to run for president. After all, does the person who has become the next Rachel Carson in waking people up to the environmental challenges around the world really need to eat his way through Lexington Market in Baltimore, again?

Should the person who came out against the war early, stridently and correctly need to put up with all the crap right-wing commentators would throw at him? And should Gore, whose January 2006 speech on the failures of Congress as an independent branch of government was ahead of the media and even of the Democratic party, have to worry about whether he is sighing too loudly during a debate? (His new book, “The Assault on Reason: How the Politics of Fear, Secrecy, and Blind Faith Subvert Wise Decision Making, Degrade Our Democracy, and Put Our Country and Our World in Peril,” sounds like a grand follow up to the speech.)

And that’s just the campaign. There is a lot to be said for being president, but it comes with a lot of grief also. Would he want to spend the next few years trying to negotiate with Senate Republicans and Joe Lieberman to get legislation passed? Assuming the House stays Democratic but there are still fewer than 60 Democratic senators in 2009, that will be the reality of the next Democratic president.

The alternative existence for Gore sounds fairly enticing. He can fly around the world and be treated like a rock star. He can consult with government and industry leaders about policy. He can make big bucks. Most importantly, he can have as much, if not more, influence over the direction of the country than if he were president while having more fun and not worrying about some moderator cutting him off after a 90-second answer in a debate. The only losers in this scenario? The American people. We won't have a great president, but we will still have a great leader."
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Exactly what I have been saying all along. He isn't going gently into that good night, and will have a great effect on this world no matter his address. Matter of fact, I think it will be a greater effect without the political muck. Glad to see others see that as well.

[Pastiche423]

30. I want Al Gore as president!

[kiteinthewind]

31. Gore, by a landslide!

:toast:

[Maraya1969]

33. I think Al Gore believe that he can do more good not being president and I agree with him

Just look at all he has accomplished since he left office. He could have never done An Inconvenient truth if he were in office.

If he is president he will have to devote too much time to other things. I think he has found his niche and he has changed the world. And he is one of the Democratic party's biggest assets.

Just my opinion.

[proud2BlibKansan]

36. An Inconvenient Truth

may not have been necessary if he were in office.

[kiteinthewind]

37. I have to disagree. Look at the 'influence' the boy king has had on our world. Can you imagine what

Gore could have done, policy-wise, to influence in the opposite direction? His passion about GW as well as his disgust with this occupation, make him a true asset for us. Gore 2008!!
:patriot:

[Jamastiene]

34. *sigh*

I do wish he would run. The man practically has enough of the votes in the palm of his hands. *sigh*