WP, Dionne: Free To Be Al Gore: "...right about the power of the Internet, global warming, Iraq."

[DeepModem Mom]

Free To Be Al Gore
By E. J. Dionne Jr.
Tuesday, May 22, 2007; Page A15

....Gore, so gracious after that unfortunate court ruling, lets it rip (in his new book, "The Assault on Reason") against Bush on Iraq, civil liberties, global warming and much else. Gore writes of "something deeply troubling about President Bush's relationship to reason, his disdain for facts, and his lack of curiosity..."

That sentiment will speak to the multitudes disgusted with the Bush presidency -- and draw vituperation from the same people who accused Gore of trying to "steal" the 2000 election simply because he wanted Florida's votes recounted.

Seven years later, the mood is quite different, partly because of the rise of a new Internet political community that Gore wants to protect from the designs of big companies. Say what you will, the blogs and other online gathering places do promote a culture of engagement rather than passivity. The raucous back-and-forth they encourage looks, at least sometimes, like real, live democratic politics.

But the larger change is that the very process Gore describes -- of propaganda taken as fact, of slogans taken as arguments, of repetition substituting for logic and, yes, of lies and half-truths taken as truth -- is now well-recognized. What worked against Gore during the recount and what worked for the administration in the run-up to the Iraq war doesn't work anymore. That is an advance for democracy and for reason.

Gore, to his credit, won't talk about Florida, but I will. Whatever flaws he has, Gore suffered through an extreme injustice with great dignity. His revenge is to have been right about a lot of things: right about the power of the Internet, right about global warming and right about Iraq.

http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2007/05/21/AR2007052101437.html?nav=hcmodule

[illinoisprogressive]

1. excellent post. I want to read his book.

[Mojambo]

2. Al, Al, Al... Please, baby... Let er rip!

We got a country to save.

[progressivebydesign]

3. Dear God.. Al would you PLEASE just run? Your'e really our only hope.

Everyone else seems to suffer from corporatism, newbie-ism, not enough name recognition. You're truly the only electable one hope that REALLY gives a damn about the average people. Remember when presidents used to TAKE ON corporate interests when they were screwing the public? Now the politicians just line their pockets with lobbyist cash. Please.. what do we have to do to get Al Gore to run in 2008???

[CTD]

13. This is my theory...

...which I posted earlier.

I think finally figured out what Gore is up to with this book and the book tour interviews.

I suspect he is test-marketing his message, and how it plays will determine whether or not he enters the race.

Back in 2000, as he noted in the book excerpt posted online, he was criticized for his sighs during the debates with W. Repeatedly in the excerpt, Gore laments the victory of style over substance. But he knows that "substance" is his thing, it is what he does best. So unless the climate has changed significantly or unless he manages to change the climate in advance of a run, he would only lose were he to run.

So, it looks to me like he's making a case for substance (a pre-emptive attack of sorts) and, at the same time, attempting to shame the media into focusing on substance for this election cycle. So, with the book out and him doing the interview circuit, I imagine that how that message is received over the next few months will determine whether or not he decides to enter the race.

If he can frame the debate on his terms and set the stage to dismiss baseless attacks with the help of a "shamed" media, the race is his to win. But if, as in 2000 and 2004, anyone can say anything and have it repeated ad naseum in the media echo chamber, Gore will lose to the guy with the lowest morals and largest war chest (Hillary?).

Looking at the book excerpt and this interview in this light makes it all make a lot of sense. I think it explains the angle Gore has taken, focusing on the internet as the savior and TV as the problem. Since I'm inclined to think that he'd be the best candidate running were he to get in to the race, I'm inclined to forgive the deception.

[il_lilac]

14. I believe as you do

If we the people want it bad enough to quit looking at haircuts and botched jokes and to focus on the real issues and solutions we must prove it! I believe he will run if WE THE PEOPLE want it.

[CTD]

16. We have to want it or at least the media has to think we do

It's all about whether substance can supplant sensationalism in our MSM.

[Scout1071]

4. Hear hear!

Run, Al, run!

[tblue]

5. How to give Al a boost and our kudos & thanks: BUY HIS BOOK!

http://www.amazon.com/Assault-Reason-Al-Gore/dp/1594201226

Let's send it to the Amazon Top Ten! Come on! It's only $15!

[DeepModem Mom]

6. Great idea! Thanks for the link! nt

[Warren DeMontague]

8. Oh yeah, I'm so there.

Thanks.

[mak3cats]

17. It's #1 on the non-fiction list 05/22/07 at 1:30 pm EDT... (n/t)

[Triana]

7. I love Al Gore...

...there. I said it. The man is a true Visionary. There was NO ONE more qualified to lead this nation into a new century than he was. But - well, maybe his true purpose was elsehwere - and larger - than being POTUS. NOT that I don't think he'd make a GREAT president. And if he ran he'd have my vote right from the get-go. But I don't think he will run. I think he got burnt so badly on politics and feels he has bigger fish to fry -- or bigger planets to keep from getting fried.

Dumbya certainly can't do that. He's not qualified. Heck. He's not qualified to clean toilets but we won't go there.

Al's the man. Love him to bits...

[Elwood P Dowd]

9. Gore-Clark would destroy the repukes in 08

but the DLC would never allow that.

[tblue]

19. Hands down! nt

[lostnfound]

10. EJ, I love you..

just as much as I do Al, which says quite a lot.

Thank you EJ for your judgment.

[razzleberry]

11. Can I bring up Florida?

I have some issues with the ruling of the
Florida Supreme Court,
but no one wants to debate me.

Anyone?

[MagickMuffin]

12. Al, Just for You and the Rest of Us who are fed UP, Please Reconsider....

[malaise]

15. Great article

Wow!!

[mod mom]

18. RE-ELECT AL GORE!