Don't run, Al. Don't! (Camille Paglia tries to warn dems)

Salon ^ | June 13, 2007 | Camille Paglia

[tlb]

The Gore boomlet betrays subterranean tremors of doubt. After two major televised debates by both parties, only a Pollyanna on helium would believe that any of the top-tier Democrats will definitely be able to defeat a leading Republican like Mitt Romney or Rudy Giuliani.

What was surfacing in Hillary was the old family psychodrama of the bright, brittle, high-achieving daughter contemptuously outflanking her befuddled, resentful, mediocre brothers at the dinner table. It wasn't a pleasant sight -- and all too reminiscent of the bullying Rosie O'Donnell compulsively hogging the spotlight on "The View."

The second Republican debate, in contrast, overflowed with spontaneous energy.

I continue to be alarmed at what I perceive as Republican momentum toward next year's national election. Democrats are already acquiring a dismaying reputation for underestimating the threat of global terrorism.

When Joe Biden tried to break out of captivity by boldly addressing the live audience, Hillary tried to match him by instantly raising her voice and keeping it at that abrasive level.

Nevertheless, Hillary's abundant negatives don't make a Gore candidacy any more attractive. Gore is a mass of frustrated yearnings and self-defeating vacillation.

What exactly were Gore's achievements in his eight years as vice president? What steps did he take at the time to shape public policy on global warming? What did the Clinton administration do to win U.S. adoption of the Kyoto accords? (Answer: next to nothing.)

Democrats who long for his return as the anti-Hillary may not realize how Gore has become a risible cartoon character for much of the country at large.

[neocon1984]

“She is a unapologetic liberal unlike Hillary “

I give her credit for intellectual honesty, although we usually come to different conclusions about public policy. The annoying thing about CP is that she often writes in a dense, academic fashion, as if to show how learned she is and how dumb the audience is.

BTW, I agree with MIchael Medved’s surmise that Algore is psychologically disturbed. I hope he runs because the pressure will make him unravel in public.

Schadenfreude is terrible, but I cannot resist.

[claudiustg]

-—Right now, the Democrats’ best hope may be for the Republicans to veer right and nominate an erratic aging boy like the seedy Newt Gingrich or a Hollywood caricature of vintage 1910 American small-town life like the phlegmatically pithy Fred Thompson, whose homespun act feels tired and looks tired.-—

I fully agree with her on this point, which is why I think Romney is perhaps our best hope if the President doesn’t bury the party in the meantime.

[Mercat]

manbearpig ping

[Mercat]

manbearpig ping

[Popocatapetl]

Run as a Green, Al! Run as a Green!

[Eagle of Liberty]

His response was “neither”. What he said was true in 1992 but it changed under Clinton and there was no threat in 2002.

Let me guess. Clinton was successful in neutralizing Saddam with the 1998 airstrikes was his next statement, right?

[gcruse]

Paglia is an intellectual Ann Coulter on another reservation. I like reading her. Thanks for posting.

[isthisnickcool]

Damn! That lesbo can write!

[2ndDivisionVet]

Just say NO to Amnesty!! Keep calling!! It’s NOT OVER!!

U.S. Senate switchboard: (202) 224-3121

U.S. House switchboard: (202) 225-3121

White House comments: (202) 456-1111

Find your House Rep.: http://www.house.gov/writerep

Find your US Senators: http://www.senate.gov/general/contact_information/senators_cfm.cfm

[Choose Ye This Day]

I missed that one. Do you have a link?

[boop]

"Yes, Al, run! Preferably 3rd party."

I seriously doubt he would do this, but a Bloomberg/Gore ticket would get a lot of votes. Bloomberg has no appeal outside of the leftist NYC area, but Gore could do damage nationwide. It would comprise the far left of the dems with a lot of "conservative" dems. Plus lots of independants. Virtually no republicans, but they may not need them to win. BTW, interesting to read the comments from liberals to her article. They really HATE her for pointing out the obvious about the current crop of democrats. They ignore Paglia's advice at their own peril. Leftists obviously think that the candidates aren't liberal enough. And that America just "can't wait" to elect an uber-liberal to the highest office, even someone with absolutely no qualifications, like Obama or Hillary. Richardson is the only one who could plausibly claim executive experience.

[bootless]

>>Gore has become a risible cartoon character for much of the country at large.<< }}Ok, who told her?{{ Well, the large part is kind of hard to miss.

[NucSubs]

Hillary excelled in the first half by the greater specificity of her responses, but her gains were nearly wiped out at one point by her bone-chilling mirthless chuckling (like a sound effect for the Blood Countess in a horror film). Wow! We need a copy of that! Could be a Deanesque moment!

[kalee]

Thanks for posting this. She is usually a good read even if she is a leftie.

[Mr. Jeeves]

Leftists obviously think that the candidates aren't liberal enough. And that America just "can't wait" to elect an uber-liberal to the highest office, even someone with absolutely no qualifications, like Obama or Hillary. Richardson is the only one who could plausibly claim executive experience.

And they have a mirror image, right here on FR:

"FReepers obviously think that the candidates aren't conservative enough. And that America just "can't wait" to elect an uber-conservative to the highest office, even someone with absolutely no qualifications, like Hunter or Tancredo. Huckabee is the only one who could plausibly claim executive experience." ;)

[Nova]

"It's because they're afraid he will eclipse Hillary, their annointed one."

Yea, and that his obnoxious behavior will make obvious to many the absurdity of his position on Global-Warming, which all of the Demonrats are now committed to.

Reflecting on all the reasons that the rats don't want him to run I can only think, Run Al Run!

[tioga]

Irritated, I thought, "Where is Dianne Feinstein?" -- with her cool, collected and authentically presidential persona. But Feinstein obviously lacks the fire in the belly for a presidential run.

What a joke.

[hinckley buzzard]

I'm tellin' ya.

Algore is biding his time, keeping his powder dry, while the Clinton-Obama-Edwards Axis of Weevils tears itself apart and turns off the voting public. Come Fall, Algore will win the Nobel Peace Prize. Resurgent interest in his being First in war, First in peace, First in global warming, will create a wave of rock-star enthusiasm he will not be able to refuse.

Algore never heard of Camille Paglia and wouldn't have the sense to take her seriously if he had.

[PGalt]

Very good article by Camille Paglia.

Run Algore Run!

[boop]

Interesting. I have to admit you’re right!