TPMCafe: Gore Camp Denies Report of Secret Campaign

[flpoljunkie]

Gore Camp Denies Report Of Secret Campaign
By Greg Sargent

Naah. Not happening. Al Gore's camp is denying a report saying that his friends have "secretly started assembling a campaign team in preparation for the former American vice-president to make a fresh bid for the White House." The report is now one of the lead stories on the Drudge Report and is being played up elsewhere.

But Gore spokesperson Kalee Kreider emails us this: "There is not a secret campaign operation in Nashville or any other part of the country to mobilize a campaign...other than that which the former Vice President has stated, to mobilize the American people to address the climate crisis."

Adds former Gore adviser Michael Feldman: "Pure fantasy."

Just in case you didn't know this already.

http://www.tpmcafe.com/blog/electioncentral/2007/apr/22/gore_camp_denies_report_of_secret_campaign

[KittyWampus]

1. AS I mentioned on the other GD thread. The article came from Telegraph UK. Not reliable.

In fact, I wonder whose agenda wanted that piece in the Telegraph.

[Joe Bacon]

8. You mean the "TORYGRAPH"!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

A.K.A. Conrad Black's homage to the Frankenstein monster :puke:

[JustABozoOnThisBus]

2. Gore has a "camp"?

Verrrrrry interesting ...

Run, Al, Run!

[Clarkie1]

3. K & R...it's not good to live in a fantasy world. Gore will not run. nt

[rocktivity]

4. Well, how does Gore know that his friends aren't keeping it a secret

from HIM?

:crazy:
rocknation

[DRoseDARs]

5. How soon before we see an AP article on how much his haircuts cost? n/t

[Milo_Bloom]

6. Of course, that's why it is a secret.

Hmm, they denied that they are assembling IN SECRET. Well.. Duh.

I think there is no doubt left that Gore is running.

[regnaD kciN]

7. While I was hoping that Gore would run...

...I think it's a bit late for him, now, what with so much fundraising and endorsement-gathering already accomplished by the declared candidates.

(Off hand, I think there's something patently ridiculous about a "campaign season" where candidates have to get their operations up to full speed more than a year before their party's convention, but there you have it.)

[AlGore-08.com]

9. Actually the fund raising and endorsements would not stop him from entering this fall

He has the ability to outraise probably anybody online, based on his extremely high approval ratings among the online activists. His contacts with/ability to tap/preference by major donors is at least as good as Clinton's if not better. My understanding is that it's perfectly legal to donate to multiple primary candidates - - so that if somebody like Rob Reiner had already given the max to candidate A, he could still give the max to candidate B. And if Reiner had held fundraisers for candidate A, there's nothing stopping him from holding fundraisers for candidate B.

Additionally, Gore is now wealthy enough that he could fund his own primary (and possibly general election) campaign if he really wanted to.

As far as endorsements go, they provide very few actual votes in themselves. (This is not true for Republicans because the right wing organizes their groups better than we do.) What they mostly provide is free earned media ("Emily's List announces endorsement of... ") and talking points for the endorsee ("I'm proud to have been endorsed by Emily's List... "). In other elections - - state races, local races - - endorsements are more meaningful, because they help introduce a candidate to an electorate that still largely ignores politics until the last minute.

And there is nothing that stops anybody from withdrawing an endorsement from candidate A and endorsing candidate B instead. It happens all the time after a primary is completed - - people and organizations who endorsed Howard Dean or John Edwards or Dick Gephardt did not refuse to endorse Kerry after he won the nomination. And it happens when a candidate changes their position on a key issue for the endorser or is suddenly embroiled in scandal.

Finally, there is nothing that would keep folks working for any of the current candidates from quitting and joining a Gore campaign. (For example, Chris Lehane made headlines in the 2004 cycle when he quit Kerry to work for Clark.)

[Labors of Hercules]

11. And He's got a core of loyal people working for him...

He said after 2000 he would lose the hired political henchmen, that he would keep his campaign on his own terms, run by his own people. I agree, no matter when it is, if he decided to run he would blast his way to the head of the line with little effort. So I say: HELL YEAH! GO FOR IT AL! :woohoo:

[Milo_Bloom]

13. Sept/Oct would be fine

Gore doesn't need to announce until just before the first primary. He could raise tens of millions in a week online. Further, he is running in 3rd, despite not being a candidate... what happens when he announces.

As for endorsements... Once again, we need only look to Howard Dean, who had locked up nearly all of the key endorsements before taking 3rd in Iowa.

Take it to the bank... he is running.

[Ninja Jordan]

10. LMAO

Gore isn't running.

[Milo_Bloom]

12. Of course he is.