Posted on 03/28/2007 5:24:56 PM PDT by bruinbirdman
Sen. Hillary Rodham Clinton faces a possible new threat to her presidential ambitions.
Former Vice President Al Gore has again been entertaining offers to run for president. Gore has been discussing a run for a third party nomination with family and close aides.
"Al Gore has been energized by the attention he's been receiving as America's leading environmentalist," a political source close to Gore said. "He believes this might present an opportunity to become president or at least try again."
Sources close to Gore said Ralph Nader has sought to recruit the former vice president to run as the candidate for the Green Party. They said Gore has not rejected the offer and was consulting with family and friends to determine the feasibility of such a candidacy.
At this point, Gore stands behind Clinton and Sen. Barack Obama in any race for the Democratic presidential nomination. But the polls report that many Democrats who support Clinton could switch their support to Gore.
Still, Gore, largely estranged from former President Bill Clinton since 2000, is said to have concluded that he stands no chance of beating Hillary for the Democratic presidential nomination. But sources close to Gore said the former vice president believes that he could present himself as a genuine liberal in any general election that would include Clinton.
For her part, Clinton has been monitoring Gore's feelers regarding a presidential race. The sources said Clinton has expressed concern that a third party effort by Gore could hurt her chances in the general election.
"Gore is invulnerable on several issues," a political strategist familiar with Gore's consultations said. "Unlike Obama, he can't be attacked as inexperienced; he has much more experience than Hillary. And, he was Bill's vice president."
Nader, a harsh critic of then-President Bill Clinton, was for a time the leader of the Green Party. Nader has used the movement for previous races for the presidency. Nader's campaign was believed to have spoiled Gore's efforts for the presidency in the 2000 election, particularly in the state of Florida where George W. Bush won by only 537 votes. In 1996 and 2000, Nader was the presidential nominee of the Green Party.
Over the last month, Gore's profile has skyrocketed in the wake of his Academy Award for his documentary, "An Inconvenient Truth," which examines global warming. On March 21, Gore testified to two congressional panels that global climate change marked the greatest danger in U.S. history and issued a 10-point plan that included an immediate freeze on new emissions from cars and power plants.
"This is not a normal time," Gore said in his first appearance on Capitol Hill since 2001. "We are facing a planetary emergency. I'm fully aware that that phrase sounds shrill to many people's ears. But it is accurate."
Although a handful of Republicans criticized and questioned his research and the factual basis for many of his claims, many Democrats on the Senate Environment and Public Works Committee viewed Gore's appearance as a homecoming. The Democrats, with Sen. Hillary Clinton sitting on the committee, said Gore was leading a nationwide movement that sought drastic changes in the environment.
"You have acted for us," said Senate Environment and Public Works Committee Chair Sen. Barbara Boxer, California Democrat. "You have acted more than anyone else."
The sources said Gore, who also serves as an adviser to Google, would quietly test the waters in a series of polls in the spring of 2007. They said his high profile will probably be maintained over the next few months when he publicizes his latest book, "The Assault on Reason" in May. The book is said to be an indictment of American politics.
You're wrong, babe. The truth of it is, Gore would outpoll Hillary, because tens of millions of Leftard DUmmies would finally be able to "align their conscience" with their presidential vote.
Hell, we'd keep the White House and get back both houses in one fell swoop. Gore at the head of the Green Party (with future matching funds) would destroy the Democrat Party for a generation.
Wrong! He should have waltzed in 2000, and he and the entire planet knows it, but he couldn't shake the spectre of a morally corrupt President Clinton.
She, on the other hand, was pleasantly absorbed by Gore's dressing down of Klink after Al conceded the 2000 election; and the only remotely bad blood running between them (and we're talking petty stuff) is between Madame Cankles and Tipper Gore (she of the PRMC).
A Green Party ticket led by Gore is Hillary's worst nightmare. And the Cankles cadre hasn't even worked the scenario -- until now.
If this actually happens, I wonder what effect it would have on the RNC? Would they back a REAL Conservative instead of a Semi-Conservative?
We can only hope!
How can I sign up to be part of his campaign?
Gee that would include all the Rat lefties.
go Gore! go!
I see history repeating itself YET AGAIN.
I wonder what ever happened to good old Giant Sucking Sound Ross? We haven't heard much from the old fellow lately.
As crazy as it may sound, an Al Gore green run really makes sense for him.
He can't fight the Dem. establishment anyhow, so why not go outside? He doesn't have a snowballs change in global warming of getting through the Dem primaries. But if he could somehow peel off enough of the democratic base it is not inconcievable that he could win a three way race between bland Dem and bland Rep. Imagine if he could pull just a sizeable portion of the black democrats, a majority of the greenies, a large chunk of the anti-war crowd....he could built a crazy coalition that could perhaps win a three way race.
It'd be precarious, but it is not out of the realm of possibility. There are probably 4 to 6 states he would win right now as a green. If he could run a serious campaign (and this is doubtful given his previous attempt) he could make a run at it.
I'm not saying he would win, but it would be interesting as hell. Maybe if he had a black veep or a Popcelebrity VP (I'm thinking hip businessman..Steve Jobs...hehe) and the greens, and anti-war nuts and solid support from the loony left he could really throw a monkey wrench in this thing. It would give him a political party to run by himself and set him up for 2012. It would be a platform for him and allow him to talk about the "inconvient truth" for 8 months of the year on national television. The only question is does he believe his schtick? If he believes then he must run to save the planet. If not it is all just personal hype.
Run AL RUN!
I pray you're right! :) I'd LOVE to be wrong about The Beast gaining any traction; that's for sure!
It's later than he thinks.
Good graphic Phil, love the colors.
The Green Party could capture 1/4 of the D vote. This could be entertaining.
America's leading environmentalist? Please. Hubris won't help him produce ambergris.
Lots of polls report Mr. Clintoon's negatives -- about 45% would never vote for her. Those negatives are quite a concern at the DNC.
I wonder what Gore's negatives are.
yitbos
Forrest Gore.....PERFECT!
Kinda fits too... from serving in Vietnam to being a pro-life senator to be a pro-abortion vice president to being a failed presidential candidate to documentary producer, tv channel owner and global warming zealot.
Too bad he didn't learn ping pong.
This election is going to be one hell of a freak show. A crossdressing Mayor, a communist Senator, a guy whose name sounds like a terrorist, and now a lunatic who thinks the world is going to turn into Venus tomorrow. This is like some kind of mad reality show.
while Hillary Borks Hussein Obama
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