Al Gore: Waiting In The Wings?

Online "Draft Gore" Members Hope The Former Vice President Will Have A Change Of Heart

(CBS)  Al Gore could not be clearer.

"I don't plan to run," he said on The Daily Show, a phrase he has repeated several times.

But diehard fans are unconvinced, reports CBS News correspondent Bill Whitaker.

"Al Gore is the most qualified," said Adam Belanoff.

Belanoff joined the Los Angeles chapter of "draftgore.com," a nationwide group pushing the seemingly impossible: to get former Vice President Al Gore to run for president — again.

"If enough people out there say 'Run Al, we believe you,' I think he'll throw his hat in the ring," said Heather Allyn, a Draft Gore member.

Their Web site boasts 70,000 signatures on its Draft Gore petition.

The L.A. group meets once a month at an outdoor market. While others dine, they strategize.

"We need to be a fast response type of campaign," Patrick McGovern told Whitaker.

"I'm not convinced by any of the other candidates by a mile," said Derek Bevil, another Draft Gore member.

Eighty-four year old Hilda Rolfe's first vote was for FDR, when the country was at war.

"Right now I feel the same way, that this country is in terrible trouble," said Rolfe.

When Al Gore says he doesn't plan to run, the folks at draftgore.com say that's not the same as saying he definitely won't run. Plans change, and with 18 months until Election Day, he still has time to change his mind.

"In a way he's a cult figure," Josh Kraushaar of politico.com tells Whitaker. "He wouldn't have any trouble raising money immediately if he decided to jump into the race."

That's a big change from the days when he was mocked as a boring fanatic.

"You know why I call him ozone man?" asked the first President George Bush years ago.

Now he's the star of an Oscar-winning documentary on global warming, "An Inconvenient Truth." He's so hot he's cheered on one of the coolest shows on TV. Here's a recent exchange between Mr. Gore and Daily Show host Jon Stewart:

JS: "Al Gore walks into a Hollywood movie producer's office and says I've got an idea for a film combining the mainstream appeal of climate science with the non-stop action of Al Gore giving a lecture."

AG: "You forgot the slide show."

Gore says his movie was a hit because the time was right. Draftgore.com says the time couldn't be better for Al Gore to run for president.

[cassandraw1]

Please Run Al!!!!

Go to www.algore.org to sign up to a draft Gore group nearest you!

[lorinkundert]

I can hardly wait, Al has a reputation of a flap, swinging in every direction the wind blows. Hows that largest electric bill in your town Al?

[cassandraw1]

Please Run Al!!!!

Go to www.algore.org to sign up to a draft Gore group nearest you!

[strewthmate]

I think it was Thomas L. Friedman (Green the new Red-White-and-Blue doco) who said in a recent interview, "we don't need the first woman President or black President, we need the first green President". I agree.

Puhleeze Al, go for it! ...the people are ready for an honest, intelligent authentic President.

[strewthmate]

I think it was Thomas L. Friedman (Green the new Red-White-and-Blue doco) who said in a recent interview, "we don't need the first woman President or black President, we need the first green President". I agree.

Puhleeze Al, go for it! ...the people are ready for an honest, intelligent authentic President.

[select8549]

Our next president will be left with a very messy war to deal with, an enormous deficit (if you count what has been spent in Iraq), a mandate to turn our country toward carbon neutrality, low standing in the international community, and many other pressing issues such as healthcare, education, security and immigration. Much of what needs to be done will be very unpopular. With our voting population split, we need to assure that one party controls the White House and the Congress to effect the necessary changes.

Only one person has the skills to attempt such a monumental undertaking and is presently in a position to step in to the race on a moment's notice. Experience, standing, a communicator, an effective campaigner, completely vetted, and tested in the trenches. That man is Al Gore. Go to AlGore.org to find out how you can help draft Al.

[cbs_oliver]

He's doing God's work right now.

If he decides to run for President I'd vote for him.

[royleegee]

Petition signature count has grown by 10,000 in the past 30 days! Over 80,000 and rising! Al Gore's new book, Assault on Reason goes on sale May 22, followed by a 12-city, national book signing tour. Join the movement to convince Al to run. There is a Draft Gore group near you. You can find Gore groups at algore.org or meetup.com. sign the online petitions at draftgore.com of algore.org or write a letter to Al Gore. Write to:

The Office of the Honorable Al Gore
2100 West End Avenue
Suite 620
Nashville, TN 37203

Or call: [phone]

[j0hnwi11iams]

Gore greatest qualification is that he is NOT an idiot.

[sparks224]

lorinkundert,
Sounds like you've been watching The Fox Noise Channel.

[sparks224]

Re-elect Gore in 08!

[frb01]

Part of running for President is wanting to be President. 60 minutes bring back the interview from 2000, where he said he wasn't sure. He may be doing things for the environment which is fine, there are at least 18 other people that I want to know more about, maybe 17 if you remove clinton. This election is about new faces, we don't need one tied to a previous administation.

If Hagel wants in, let him get in.

[sparks224]

Has the Supreme Court given his Oscar to W yet?

[cosmoquark]

IMAGINE

how different America and the world would be if Al Gore%u2019s victory in 2000 had been honored, if he had been President of the U.S. instead of George W. Bush:

%u2022 What if the warnings of Richard Clarke and the CIA had been heeded and the 9/11 attacks might had been prevented?
%u2022 What if we had not launched an unprovoked, incompetently-executed %u201Ccrusade%u201D by invading and occupying Iraq?
%u2022 What if we had retained the respect and cooperation of our allies and the world community?
%u2022 What if we had already started combating global warming and preserving the planet rather than putting greedy oil companies in charge of our energy policy?
%u2022 What if we had continued to generate budget surpluses and paying down the national debt, not amassing huge deficits to pay for war and greed?
%u2022 What if our president had been committed to protecting and expanding our civil rights rather than attacking the Bill of Rights?
%u2022 What if we had been supporting stem cell research rather than pandering to the radical religious right?

IMAGINE where we will be in ten years if we elect Al Gore president in 2008?

If you can imagine, VISIT our GRASSROOTS WEBSITE

WWW.ALGORE.ORG

learn how you can JOIN OTHERS WHO ARE ACTING TO BRING WHAT YOU HAVE IMAGINED INTO REALITY!

[dogpatch6]

You could end up with Al Gore running against Fred Thompson. Do you really want these Tennessee hillbillies running the country?

[granolaboy1]

Yeah, that's all fine and good but he's still an H-1B Visa supporter... I'd rather draft Lou Dobbs.

[sparks224]

Maybe if we give the Republicans a handicap they won%u2019t cheat so much this time.
We all know they can%u2019t win a fair election.

[sparks224]

"Yeah, that's all fine and good but he's still an H-1B Visa supporter... I'd rather draft Lou Dobbs."
Posted by granolaboy1

granolaboy1,
NEWS FLASH:
The Republicans believe in cheap labor. They get their money from companies that profit by it. They have had 7 years to do something. Illegal immigration has only increased.

[wiredwilly]

Gore / Feingold 08'
God Bless America

[clemenhagen1]

"You could end up with Al Gore running against Fred Thompson. Do you really want these Tennessee hillbillies running the country?"

With a name like DOGPATCH you oughta know a few good redneck hillbillies, eh buddy. I myself see nothing wrong with the inbred Kennebunkport reared "Texas good-ole-boy" who has done run this country into the ground for the last six-plus years. "Somewhere in Texas a village is missing its idiot" but ain't we got a heckuva lot to show for it. Then again we could turn to a member of one of the world largest cults to be our leader; I can imagine the visions and prophecies of the church elders if we go that way. Or perhaps we turn to the corrupt fraud that IS "America's mayor" - he with his cronies like Kerik who brilliantly placed the command-and-control center IN the very same Trade Center building that had been bombed in 93. Ah the choices America's Nazi Party give us...please Al, won't ya reconsider.

[zykracosmos]

Gore won't run unless Hillary stumbles. If she gets involved in something really embarrassing or scandalous, he'll jump in at the last minute for sure, no matter what is going on with Obama. Gore is at least a good back up for the Dems. If Gary Hart had had a back up as good as Gore, the country would be a lot different now. This is Hillary's run, and the party machine will not dump her unless she trips herself. It is comforting to know that Al is there, though, waiting in the wings.

[select8549]

Everywhere he goes, the winner of the 2000 popular vote is asked: "Would you consider running for President in 2008?" His answer is that he has no intention or plans to seek office. But he hasn't decided not to run, either. We're convinced that Gore can be persuaded to run. Join us today at AlGore.org to build the grassroots movement that will make Al Gore President in 2008.

[bobalexmich]

Please join one of our six regional Michigan Draft monthly meetings called Meetups. Info on our regional Meetups is below. Check AlGore.org or DraftAlGore.meetup.com to find one closest to you.

Southeast Michigan Meetup for Detroit, West Wayne, Oakland & Macomb meets on May 14 (2nd Monday) at 7:00pm, Royal Oak Public Library, 222 E Eleven Mile Rd. Call Paul McCarthy 586-215-8054 or Sharon Baseman 248-892-6775.

South Michigan Meetup for Washtenaw, Jackson, Lenawee and Monroe areas meets on May 20 (3rd Sunday) at 3pm at 910 Sunset, Ann Arbor. Call Doug Kelley 734-662-1731 or Suzanne Smith 734-662-2325.

West Michigan Meetup for Grand Rapids, Muskegon, Holland and Manistee area meets on May 23 (4th Wednesday) at 7pm at a location to be arranged. Call Jim Riekse, Jr, 616-890-2282 or Cheryl Warner 616-682-1556.

Southwest Michigan Meetup for Kalazamoo, Battle Creek, and Berrien areas meets on June 6 (1st Wednesday) at 7pm at Fat Tony%u2019s, 5222 Portage Rd, Portage. Call Carol Heflin 269-806-0972.

East Michigan Meetup for Genesee, Saginaw, Bay and the Thumb area meets on the; next on June 13 (2nd Wednesday) at 7pm at the Valley Family Restaurant, Miller & Linden Roads in Flint Township. Call Beth Brophy 810-423-3966 or Mary Severn 810-762-6929.

Mid Michigan Meetup for Ingham, Livingston, Eaton, Clinton, Shiawassee and Isabella area meets June 14 (2nd Thursday) at 7pm at the Lezeez Restaurant, 2820 E. Grand River Ave, Lansing. Call Bob Alexander 517-351-0965.

[idlepugilist]

Sorry. I voted for Gore in 2000 because he appeared to be the viable candidate: intelligent, sincere, veteran, and a stark contrast to Bush. He couldn't get it done, even against Bush. The numbers just weren't there. If there had been a larger popular vote disparity, Florida wouldn't have mattered, but Gore's campaign sputtered. The title "loser to Bush" looms over this effort to get Al on the ticket. Sure would be funny if Al agreed to be VP to Hillary! That would be the winning combination, no matter what the tainted religious extremists put up.

[cosmoquark]

VISIT www.algore.org

TAKE ACTION NOW. HELP CONVICE Al Gore TO RUN!!!

[book54552134]

Al Gore would have made for a wonderful President had he won in 2000.
He had a second chance at the position in 2004 & had he chosen to run, it's likely he would have won that time around despite the country's natural tendency to support a war-time President (even a bad one,) after 9/11.
Unfortunately, I believe his time is past. He's had his chance. It's time for someone else to step up to the Democratic plate.

[cosmoquark]

IdlePugilist, you forget that Al Gore defeated Bush by more than 543,000 votes and that Florida was stolen before, during, and after election day 2000 by the likes of Jeb Bush, Katherine Harris, the KKK, and finally, five Republican appointees on the Supreme Court.

Add to this base the fact that Gore's activities since then have made him more popular and more human in the eyes of the public and it becomes clear that he would be much stronger than any of the current candidates.

[fauxwizard]

I like Al Gore and he's global warming alert but he also should include the jet trail affect.During the tree days of "no fly" after 9/11 the temperature fell by 2 degrees. Jet trails pollution are greater than the rest of pollution combined.

[sickofemall]

cosmoquark,
Get over it. Al had the presidency handed to him on a silver platter by Bill Clinton and he still couldn't win. Winning the popular vote by 500,000 out of 100,000,000 votes cast is esentially a tie. Cherry pioking heavily democratic counties in Florida instead of recounting the whole state says it all for me. He knew he couldn't win it fair so they had to play tricks. Besides, didn't 9 out of 10 of the major newspapers that went to Florida and did a recount on their own still find that Bush would have won? Al had his day, it's over. Let him get rich on his carbon offsets scam then goaway. I'll vote for someone else. And that doesn't include any of the Republicans and most of the Democrats.

[motherearth3]

Al Gore is now running the greatest campaign of his life in finally being able to address this climate crisis (which he already tried to bring to a political world for THIRTY YEARS which ignored him,) but more importantly the greatest campaign that WE should be a part of and yet political pundits and operatives can only see their own interests at the end of the tunnel. Such as with this "draft" that is totally unnecessary, especially since Mr. Gore himself already stated on Larry King last June that drafts do not happen in this system anymore, and he is absolutely correct.

Mr. Gore is also adult enough and has the resources necessary to do anything he may wish to do down the line. However, as he stated in the Bergen Record in June of 2006: " I miss the ability to influence events, but I do not miss politics." I think that clearly illustrates that he cannot be swayed by a group of people only looking to get their own names in the media and who think him a liar.

I say, stop harrassing the good man and if you support him for real support joining him in solving the climate crisis that is already affecting our world in a very serious way. Otherwise, if your only intention is to push him into this toxic fray simply to get accolades for yourself while we need to address this crisis, you are not to be trusted.

[motherearth3]

Oh, and one more comment... Al Gore has stated he has no intentions of running as has his own son. Even operatives that held a dinner for him last week confided that they think he will not run and doesn't have the fire for it. That is because he is now leading a movement that far surpasses any title and political rhetoric, and if those who truly supported him understood that and cared about this planet, they would be using their time to educate people on the planetary catastrophe that awaits us and that we are alredy feeling the affects of instead of playing political games simply because they want to see a Gore/Clinton grudge match for entertainment.

I will then continue to give my hard earned money to environmental organizations and support his environmental endeavors such as Live Earth. Those who continue to harrass him to join this muck as if his work currently is unworthy because he isn't doing it their way are no supporters to me.

[mike71067]

He should not run for president. No, I'm not afraid that he might win; but the current group of Democrat bozos is so entertaining, I wouldn't want Al Gore's extremely boring persona to take all the excitement out of things.

[carlylaine]

Just what we need-a lumbering oaf in office.

He says, "NO WAY"?.... Why else would the shiite spread the global warming lie? It's because he decided to run for president via different route-he decided to use lies to garner the whole world to his side.

If I'm wrong I'll buy a curly que light bulb in 10 years.

[rohink-2009]

lorinkundert,
Sounds like you've been watching The Fox Noise Channel.
Posted by sparks224


Sparks224,
Sounds like you only get your new from CBS

[itwasntme000]

go al

[corbinpartridge]

RUN AL RUN

[hawksprings]

"I dont' plan to run."
Doublespeak for "I'll run if my plans change."
Or "I'll run if it looks like I have a chance."

I don't want to get snippy about it, but Algore would be a terrible president.

[lilbossy]

I can't get past his name. Something out of a horror film I guess.GORE, YUCK.

[sjc_1]

Al got cheated by the corrupt court in 2000. This will go down as one of the all time blunders by the court that led to the disaster we call Bush. If we are to make any real progress we need good people like Al in there and get rid of the idiots like Bush.

[toldyouso21]

I saw "an inconvenient truth" and it exposed me to facets of Al Gore that I had never seen before. I liked the man (No opinion on him prior to this) if Chuck Hagel does not run as an Independent against the Democrats, I'd vote for Gore. I can't vote for just any Republican, (I am an Independent) my conscience dictates that I do all I can to ensure they stay out of power for the next 20 years or so. (Or until they decide to jettison the neo con mentality)

[colonieny]

Gore ? Has the MEDIA forgotten about how he tried to legally BLOCK the miliary vote in Florida, take away their right to vote, just so he could STEAL the election !

If you believe that the miliary has a right to vote, Gore ? No way, what an insult.

[colonieny]

Gore ? The media has forgotton - Gore and team of slippery lawyers tried to STEAL the election by Throwing away all the MILITARY VOTES on a technicality. THEY knew most were anti GORE and CLINTON, given their poor record. So, the final INSULT take away their right to vote.

TO consider GORE again. You must have a very short memory.

He does deserve credit for the Internet. (really, good job !)

[hamiltongrad]

Gore is not an idiot. Really. No he is not. Really. Come on. He is not an idiot. No. Mr. Gore is not an IDIOT. Not a real idiot. Kind of ?

[realpatriot1]

ColonieNY,

We haven't forgotten the challenge to the military votes in Florida or the fact that those votes were counted.

Unlike you, we haven't forgotten that the votes challenged by the Republicans on similarly dubious technicalities were upheld without exception. When the legally required recount was narrowing the gap on what was left the "states rights" Republican Justices on the Supreme Court decided to ignore the election laws and halt the recount with no precedent or legal basis for doing so. They are the ones who should be impeached!

You may also have forgottent that in spite the stolen votes in Florida that Al Gore won the popular vote.

HamiltonGrad is not an idiot. Really. Would an idiot support Bush?

[gunnerv1]

How do you spell Loser? G-O-R-E!

[gunnerv1]

How do you spell Loser? G-O-R-E!

[gunnerv1]

Run Senator Thompson, Run!

[nagdoggie]

After the last two terms with the White House in the hands of a reckless, righteous fanatic, I need "a sure thing" in the upcoming election. Hillary is too polarizing to win, Barack needs more seasoning. Gore has the foreign policy experience to lead us out of Iraq, reestablish our place diplomatically in the world community, help us move away from our dependence on foreign oil, and there's the added bonus of reversing climate change. He won the election before and he can do it again, and in even greater numbers. A democratic AND a green candidate? Who knew? All we need is to convince him that the country needs and wants him to run. How about a Gore-Obama ticket in 2008? Now THAT could be the way to get this country back on track after we send the idiot back to his village in Texas. Run, Al, Run! And go back to your room, George. You made a mess.

[pared1]

As long as a Republican doesn't get in I just don't give a f**k.

[tell7]

AL GORE..Graduated from Harvard with honors in 1969. He then enlisted in the Army, not using his father's influence to escape military service.After that, he becomes an investigative reporter for a newspaper. He attends Vanderbilt University Divinity School and Vanderbilt Law School,while operating a small homebuilding business.
He is elected to the US House and serves 8 years, elected to the Senate from 1984 to 1993, 1993 to 2001 Vice President, 2001 to present has dedicated his life to environmental causes. He's intelligent, he's experienced, he's dedicated. He's admired by many citizens of the world community. He is nominated for a Nobel Peace Prize. Although he is not running for President, polls show that 13% of Democrats want to vote for him. If he throws his hat into the ring, watch out other Dem candidates, you will lose a large portion of support. GORE, BEST CHOICE FOR 2008!