asking Al Gore to run in 2008!
Visionary Leadership
Posted September 5th, 2007 by Janet
Visionary Leadership: The AP reports that Al Gore is writing a new environmental book, entitled "The Path To Survival", which will be released on Earth Day 2008. The article states:
According to publisher Rodale Books, Gore will continue where he left off in "An Inconvenient Truth" and offer "a visionary blueprint for the changes we should make as a world community."
"He (Gore) explains how making bold choices now to protect our environment will also create new jobs, propel sustainable economic improvements, and inspire a new generation to tackle our most challenging issues with moral leadership," according to a statement issued Wednesday by Rodale.
"Part scientific manual, part expose, part visionary call for a new planet-wide political movement, the book will appeal to those who were motivated by the call to action of `An Inconvenient Truth' and who are now ready to fight for the solutions that were considered politically impossible only a short time ago."
Standing Up: The Blogosphere is beginning to weigh in on Vanity Fair's review of the media's apppalling behavior in 2000, titled "Going After Gore". Among the best reads so far: TPM's Reed Hundt, Jeff Bercovici over at Condi Nast (nails it) and, as always, Bob Somerby.
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Response to Without Gore, Republicans Win
If Vice President Gore decides not to run, I hope he will endorse Barack Obama. Hillary certainly won't win, but I believe Barack Obama can. And he will take Mr. Gore's positions on the environment seriously and work with him to support what needs to be done.
A thought
My worry isn't about whether or not Hillary can win, because I think she will if she gets the nomination, I am just not sure she would be a good President, and I think she might well lose in 2012, and be very damaging to the Democratic Party. I think Obama would be a much better President than Hillary. People talk about his inexperience, but actually what experience does Hillary have? only 4 extra years in the Senate, and being first lady, and I have never heard anyone say that Nancy Reagan or Mamie Eisenhower had enough experience to be President. And lets face it, is there any job that would be effective training for being President? Even Al Gore would be entering new ground if he became President on January 20th 2009. The Presidency is such a unique job that anyone taking it on has a learning curve. Truth is that the harder the challenge the more quickly people learn, usually.
I wonder what it all means
I do think Al Gore is being honest when he says he has no plans to run in 2008. I am also begining to worry that there is a lack of time for a magic moment that might bring Gore into the campaign. The problem is that really there isn't a high level of dissatisfaction with the Democrat field. I think a lot of Democrats would be satisfied with Clinton or Obama as the candidate. The only problem is that we know the Democrats can do better. But Gore needs to be persuaded to run, and that there is a need for him to run, and that needs to happen soon.
I'm standing up
Thanks, Janet, for the extra links. I just cyberspaced serendipously from link to link. Some great stuff there. I just spent a week with my Dad, including a 7 hour plane ride to San Jose. My Dad is what I would consider your classic rightwing Christian.. He listens to Rush, O'Reilly, and Fox news. When I listen to him speak I cringe. It sounds prejudiced, slanderous, and preposterous. In other words, it sounds ignorant. Now, I am not going to tell my father he sounds ignorant. I find fighting against that kind of rhetoric difficult because I have to start using the same hateful tactics as the ones he uses that make me cringe. I think that is the problem for Liberals and why they do not counter right wing crapola--it just sounds too immature--like kids in a playground calling each other names. What I discovered however was that I could lead him to question what the truth was. By the time we reached San Jose he agreed that when Petraeus gives his report on the war, he may not tell us the truth. I called that progress. I don't care if he questions the truth of everyone. Maybe that is an appropriate tactic--simply create doubt. Let everyone search for the truth. Do a little research, explore what people are saying. Decide for your self what makes the most sense. Those who speak the truth have nothing to fear.
Going After Gore
The Vanity Fair article is really worth the read. The "regular folks" like you and me who watched the debates would believe that Al Gore always nailed Bush. We would watch Saturday Night Live and find the "lock box" skit to be funny. We understood what Gore meant about "inventing the Internet" because of his position in Congress.
It is amazing how journalists characature politicians. Bush has been lampooned by so many, yet he was back in the White House in 2005 because of the skills of his team.
This team was most likely not created by Bush, the team recruited Bush.
With Bush's continued positions on Iraq and the economy never changing despite change in the environment, you would think that the media and Congress would catch on.
Karl Rove was one of the people who skillfully masterminded the negative press in the last two elections. He went back to Texas to ready himself for another round of attacks against the Democrats.
Todays news covered Bush as saying that he has again postponed when he will determine a date for the pullout from Iraq. We were again reminded that he once before said that decision would be left for the next president to determine.
Al, we need someone with your integrity and leadership capablities. Maybe the media will be more humble this time around. Maybe they will actually recognize that you have always been right, and it is their failure as journalists, that is partially responsible for the state of our country and its position in the world today.
It's that simple.
If Al Gore doesn't become a candidate the Republicans will win in 2008, it's that simple.
Al's New Book
If he's writing a new book, do you think he'll have time to run for President?
Writing a Book and Running for President are both full-time enterprises.
Is he sending us a signal?
Yes! Absolutely!
This book is already written basically. It's been written for years; his message hasn't changed. He can do this in his sleep.
And what a clever way to get his "air time". No need to run expensive ads. Genius.
I thought there was some rule about that
no unfair extra time or something like that. Does anyone know?? Can you promote a book while campaigning??
He isn't yet
He isn't running yet, officially. And when he is, he won't need to promote the book.
I'm sure he'll make sure there is no conflict.
Equal Time?
That's about television:)
Many presidential candidates write books before they run.