Posted on 06/28/2007 6:42:53 PM PDT by blam
Gore edges ahead of Hillary in key state
By Alex Spillius in Washington
Last Updated: 2:08am BST 29/06/2007
Democrats in the key state of New Hampshire would prefer Al Gore to run for president in 2008 even though he has yet to enter the race for the nomination.
Al Gore has said he has 'no intention' of running
A survey of Democrats in the US state has shown that the former vice-president would force Hillary Clinton, the current frontrunner, into second place by six percentage points.
Without Mr Gore the former first lady polled 37 per cent over her nearest rival, Barack Obama, with 19 per cent, in the poll by 7NEWS and Suffolk University in Boston, Massachusetts.
New Hampshire is one of the first states where party supporters will choose their presidential candidate next January and strongly influence states that vote later.
The results will add to the pressure on Mr Gore from his supporters to run for White House again, despite losing to George W Bush in 2000.
In recent years he has reinvented himself as an Oscar-winning environmentalist and multi-millionaire. In a further sign that he might be considering a run, Mr Gore has even dispensed with his beard.
Left-leaning Democrats in particular are pushing for him to declare his candidacy because of his strong stance on climate change and on the Iraq war, which he opposed from the outset.
Mrs Clinton on the other hand voted for the war in the Senate, though she now says she was misled by the Bush administration.
David Paleologos, director of Suffolk University's political research centre, said Mr Obama's weak debating performances could be aiding Mr Gore.
"He takes the most votes from Obama. I think a chunk of Obama voters in New Hampshire are anybody-but-Hillary Democrats," he said.
Mr Gore finds himself among a high-profile list of potential candidates.
It includes Fred Thompson, the actor and former Republican senator certain to announce his candidacy next month; Michael Bloomberg, the billionaire mayor of New York who is likely to finance his own campaign as an independent; and Newt Gingrich, the Right-wing former speaker of the House.
Camping at the bit for draft, ‘er we?
My unscientific sample of Dims with whom I am thrown together indicates a great uneasiness with the Hildebeast and a longing for Gore. They are fully aware that half or more of the country, including independents, dislike and mistruct her.
Al Gore video.
Al Bore invented the Internet.
Putfile Version (Higher quality)
Hillary, on the other hand, is merely the Queen of all things evil.
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