Gore Should Heed The Call — And Run

The Nation: After Winning A Nobel Prize, Al Gore's Next Logical Step Is The White House

(The Nation)  This column was written by John Nichols.

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Having now won the Norwegian Primary, it is reasonable to ask why Al Gore would want to slog his way through the snows of New Hampshire.

But the inconvenient truth is that never has the man who might yet be president needed to more seriously consider his personal legacy - not to mention the small matter of his potential to make the world anew - than now.

There is, after all, the matter of the open space at the end of what is now the most remarkable résumé of anyone seeking - or considering seeking - the presidency.

Let's review.

This is how Al Gore's résumé reads as of this morning:

Son of a great senator.

Harvard graduate, with honors.

Vietnam veteran.

Award-winning investigative journalist.

Congressman.

Senator.

Vice President.

Winner of the popular vote for President of the United States.

Best-selling author.

Environmental activist.

Academy Award winner.

And, now, Nobel Peace Prize winner - he shares the prize with the UN's Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change - for "their efforts to build up and disseminate greater knowledge about manmade climate change, and to lay the foundations for the measures that are needed to counteract such change."

As résumés go, that is one for the top of the pile.

But it begs the question: Shouldn't a man who has gotten this far be thinking about how to finish the journey?

And isn't the last stop the Oval Office?

To think that Gore is not pondering these questions today would be absurd.

Of course, the former vice president says, "The climate crisis is not a political issue, it is a moral and spiritual challenge to all of humanity."

No doubt about that.

But Gore cannot feign ignorance of his own "political issue." When he appeared in San Francisco on the eve of Friday morning's announcement, at a fundraising event for California Senator Barbara Boxer, the man of the hour tried to deliver an earnest address about climate change. But when he concluded his remarks, the crowd burst into chants of "Run Al Run!"

That message echoed the full-page ad that was placed by the burgeoning "Draft Gore for President" movement in the front section of Wednesday's New York Times. The advertisement bluntly suggested that the announced contenders for the Democratic presidential nomination lack Gore's “vision, standing in the world, and political courage" - not just with regard to climate change, but in his outspoken opposition to the war in Iraq, his defenses of civil liberties and his advocacy for a renewed commitment to science and reason.

"There are times for politicians and times for heroes. America and the Earth need a hero right now," read the Draft Gore movement's open letter to the soon-to-be Nobel man. "Please rise to this challenge, or you and millions of us will live forever wondering what might have been."

Now, that's pressure. But it is a velvet grip in which the peace prize winner finds himself.

Al Gore has arrived at the point that most politicians can only imagine in their wildest dreams. The entire world is asking him to be not merely a candidate but an ecological - not to mention, ideological - savior. And there is simply no question that he is viable. In fact, he is more viable than he has ever been.

Can Gore resist? Probably.

Should he resist? Probably not.

Sure, it will be said that Gore can do more to address climate change as a private citizen. But no one who as been so close to the presidency as he will miss the point that the most powerful official on the planet has some sway in matters involving the planet.

The last serious presidential prospect to win a Nobel Peace Prize was Teddy Roosevelt, who got the award when he was serving as president in 1906. (The Norwegians were impressed that he had convinced Japanese and Russian representatives to come to Portsmouth, New Hampshire, and that he had then gotten them to negotiate an end to a nasty little war they had been waging.)

Roosevelt exited the presidency in 1908 and almost immediately began to regret the decision. The peace prize was not enough to get Republicans to ditch his successor, the hapless William Howard Taft, and put Roosevelt at the head of their 1912 ticket. But TR did run the most successful third-party presidential campaign of the 20th century that year - as a "Bull Moose" Progressive.

Roosevelt never got over his belief that, had he just won the Republican nomination in 1912, he would again have been president. And, eight years later, at a point after the horrors of World War I when people were taking peace prizes rather more seriously, he was widely encouraged to make a run for the Republican nomination that probably would have secured him not just the party line but the presidency.

Roosevelt did not need much encouragement. Barely 60 - the age Gore will turn next March - the Rough Rider was ready for one more charge; indeed, family members and friends reported that he was raring to go.

Only the coronary embolism that did him in on January 6, 1919, was powerful enough to cure TR's case of presidency lust. And there is no reason to believe that Al Gore, a man who bid first for the presidency in 1988, considered running in 1992, spent eight years as an understudy, then bid again in 2000 - winning the Democratic nomination and the popular vote, but losing the job on a 5-4 technical call by the Supreme Court - is any less inclined that Roosevelt was to give it another try.

There will be a lot of "fire-in-the-belly" talk over the next few days.

But Al Gore should not be worrying about checking his gut.

He should be thinking about the résumé he has spent a lifetime preparing.

It is more impressive than ever.

Unfortunately, the suddenly more impressive character of Gore's résumé only serves to emphasize that it remains incomplete.

A Nobel Prize for Peace is a fine honor. But take it from a man who won the presidency and the prize but could not leave the political arena.

"It is not the critic who counts: not the man who points out how the strong man stumbles or where the doer of deeds could have done better," Teddy Roosevelt said as he prepared another run for the White House. "The credit belongs to the man who is actually in the arena, whose face is marred by dust and sweat and blood, who strives valiantly, who errs and comes up short again and again, because there is no effort without error or shortcoming, but who knows the great enthusiasms, the great devotions, who spends himself for a worthy cause; who, at the best, knows, in the end, the triumph of high achievement, and who, at the worst, if he fails, at least he fails while daring greatly, so that his place shall never be with those cold and timid souls who knew neither victory nor defeat."

[logicanada]

the office of president has been tainted by the bush jihadists. it is beneath the stature of gore to run.

[logicanada]

al gore please do not run for president. the bush regime has tarnished the office. it is beneath you

[logicanada]

al gore please do not run for president. the bush regime has tarnished the office. it is beneath you

[lawandorder7]

GOD please don''t let this man run. We do need him in the white house, let him keep doing what he is doing. He is not hurting anyone there. But no the white house.

[katg21]

What sad little impotent liars they are!
Posted by MyIDonCBS

You meant to say democrats.

[katg21]

Oh please, Al Gore, RUN! It would give me such pleasure to watch you lose again.

[chad55555]

Gore is the only hope the demoncratic party has, Obama has let it be known he is a racist and christians have no place in his America,Clinton past shows she has no love for America just what she can get from it. Is there anybody that wants to make America great again if there is please stand up . I wonder if there is any hope.

[quatrops]

Any of the leading Democratic candidates could win the next election, as could Al Gore. But for all his credentials and near-perfect resume, Al Gore would not make the best president.

Making the right decisions and having the right policies do not, alone, make for the best president, particularly at this point in history. We need a leader who can inspire the citizenry, make them enthusiastic about their country, give them hope even if they disagree with him/her on a particular issue.

The president must have the charisma, the public persona, and the ability to articulately inspire people in this country and the world. Al Gore, God bless him, just doesn''t have that ability.

"An Inconvenient Truth" worked because of the facts and information presented and because of the many inspired people involved in its production, not because Gore narrated it.

[pepperwood2]

Reminds me of a song Teresa Brewer sang in the 50''s possibly one that Al Goreee invented??? If not should be given credit for. Does it sound familiar???

Mutual Admiration Society
by Teresa Brewer
Lyrics by: Jim Vandelhei - Al Goreeee

Lyrics

We belong to a mutual
Admiration society
My baby and me
We belong to a mutual
Admiration society

I think he''s handsome
And he''s smart
He thinks that
I''m a work of art
I say that he''s
The greatest man
And likewise he''s
My biggest fan

CACKLE CACKLE CACKLE

[slipster01]

http://edition.cnn.com/2007/TECH/science/04/02/biofuel.debate/
"If you add in all the various factors involved in actually growing and manufacturing biofuels," says Deepak Rughani of BiofuelWatch, an organization that highlights the environmental drawbacks of the global biofuel industry, "then the latest scientific research shows that biofuel use results in between two and eight times the carbon emissions you get from burning fossil fuels."

http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=9647424&ft=1&f=1024
"A new study from Stanford University suggests that pollution from ethanol could be even worse than from traditional gasoline. Study author Mark Jacobson, of Stanford''s department of civil and environmental engineering, explains.
"

http://www.livescience.com/environment/070418_ethanol_main.html
"Studies hint, for instance, that ethanol might guzzle more energy during its manufacture than it provides, and that it might strain valuable water resources. Recent findings also suggest fuels high in ethanol may pose an equal or greater risk to public health than regular gasoline"

[slipster01]

http://www.sciencecodex.com/nobel_prize_winning_chemist_biofuels_will_lead_to_global_warming_from_laughing_gas

[myidoncbs]

SlipSter01, does it make you feel POWERFUL to hit the "Publish" button over and over again?

[myidoncbs]

SlipSter01, you are absolutely out of your effing mind to blame the "levels of gasses in the atmosphere" on biofuels, which are rarely used by anyone, anywhere.

[myidoncbs]

Boy the repugs simply cannot tell enough lies to keep themselves happy, can they? Their response to every bit of news from the real world is to resort to name calling, slander, innuendo, etc. to SLAM the personality of the person or persons involved. They simply cannot respond logically, rationally, or intelligently. It''s all about slinging mud for them. And to top it off, when that doesn''t do the trick for them, they they accuse "libs" of being "haters"! You''d think it would take some mighty big cajones to pull that off, but really it''s just that they''re too blind or too stu-pid to understand what they are doing. So, they live in a world of total DELUSION, the world we call BushWorld, where slavery is freedom, death is life, up is down, etc., and they slop muck around at everyone from their little hidey-holes.

What sad little impotent liars they are!

[thgdriver]

Al Gores 10 top reasons to run.

1- Nailed a big tipper.
2- Nailed the same award as J. Carter.(snicker)
3- Make all fat folks feel good again.
4- Proved the bigger the lie the more believe it.
5- Invented the internet(snicker).
6- Friends in Hollywood. (snicker)
7- Controls climate warming by Casting a large fat shadow.
8- Promoted the "Do as I say, not as I do" agenda for all.
9- President of hypocrites anonymous club.
10- Has all Demon. candidates scared to death he may run on Green Party ticket.

[thgdriver]

I have been trying to lead a grass roots call for Al Gore to run as the Green Party candidate for president. It would also help if Obama would consider an independent run if he can not nail down the Demonrat nomination. Who''ll join me in my quest to present true leadership to the voters?

[frb01]

Go back to the 60 Minutes interview prior to his announcement that he was running in 2000, where he said he really didn''t know if he should run. We have Clinton, Obama, Edwards, Richardson, Thompson, Romney, Guiliani, and McCain as our first tier candidates, all are qualified to become President. The ridiculous part of this is all the money that is being raised for the campaign, which has drown the little guy out. Al Gore would do us all a big favor it he aggressively become the spokesman for true campaign reform which would include a public financing component for Presidential races, a contribution cap in which no one could spend more than the cap and a calendar. This primary situation is a joke. I suggest a calendar which starts with announcements beginning Nov 1, a year ahead of Election night, so in this case it would be no campaigning or fund raising until 11/1. If federal dollars are involved, candidates would not have to do a lot of fundraising. Primaries by region, Feb and Mar of the election year. All candidates could concentrate on one region of the country, then go to the next region. This would have to be further looked at because of momentum issues. Conventions either in May or June. The campaign for the White House could start in July, could have a July 4th weekend type kickoff debate.

[cfcrta]

i thin k gores electric bill is around 8000.00 per month explain how this is being a green person ?

[slipster01]

Nobel is rolling over in his grave. His Peace Prize has become an environmental/political hack prize, controlled by the liberal political elite of Europe.


Gore''s win is as substantial as Carter''s Nobel Peace Prize. Carter had meeting after meeting after meeting in Camp David on Middle East Peace. The killings never ceased, the bloodshed never stopped, we had hundreds of Americans kidnapped, and he gets the Nobel Peace Prize for it. Go figure.

Gore has been proven in a court of law of at least nine glaring lies in his so-called documentary movie. Yet, he still wins anything? An Oscar I can understand, Hollywood is full of his friends. But a Peace Prize? The Nobels have become worthless political tools.

And now, scientists are saying biofuels are WORSE for the climate than regular gasoline, because they failed to take into account the effects of other gasses released by using biofuels. The environmentalists are responsble for whats wrong with he climate, because they insist on jumping into every new idea without looking at the consequences first, because it''s the ''in'' thing to be seen as green. So now, we are at levels of gasses in the atmosphere scientists thought would take us decades to reach NOW!

This gonzo wants Gore as President, then he surely wants the total collapse of humanity as we know it. At least that way, Gore''s VP can get their Nobel Peace Prize as well for being in on the collapse of our economy.

Which has nothing to do with PEACE!

[slipster01]

Nobel is rolling over in his grave. His Peace Prize has become an environmental/political hack prize, controlled by the liberal political elite of Europe.


Gore''s win is as substantial as Carter''s Nobel Peace Prize. Carter had meeting after meeting after meeting in Camp David on Middle East Peace. The killings never ceased, the bloodshed never stopped, we had hundreds of Americans kidnapped, and he gets the Nobel Peace Prize for it. Go figure.

Gore has been proven in a court of law of at least nine glaring lies in his so-called documentary movie. Yet, he still wins anything? An Oscar I can understand, Hollywood is full of his friends. But a Peace Prize? The Nobels have become worthless political tools.

And now, scientists are saying biofuels are WORSE for the climate than regular gasoline, because they failed to take into account the effects of other gasses released by using biofuels. The environmentalists are responsble for whats wrong with he climate, because they insist on jumping into every new idea without looking at the consequences first, because it''s the ''in'' thing to be seen as green. So now, we are at levels of gasses in the atmosphere scientists thought would take us decades to reach NOW!

This gonzo wants Gore as President, then he surely wants the total collapse of humanity as we know it. At least that way, Gore''s VP can get their Nobel Peace Prize as well for being in on the collapse of our economy.

Which has nothing to do with PEACE!