Sam Smith: WHY AL GORE IS THE MOST IMPORTANT POLITICIAN IN AMERICA

[Synnical]

THE GORE QUANDARY

SAM SMITH - There are a number of reasons to oppose Gore. He's got a
corrupt side, witness by his campaign finance scandal. He failed to
separate himself from the Clinton machine in the 2000 campaign (which
exit polls suggest would have won him the election). And he is in many
ways just another establishment Democrat.

On the other hand, a reader fairly describes him this way: "Al Gore
would be a great candidate in 2008. Gore's in favor of single-payer
universal health care, against the current War in Iraq, and has spoken
out against Bush more and before any other potential candidate in the
Democratic Party. Every candidate has their flaws, but Gore would be
backed by movement progressives rather than the usual corporate donors.
He would raise money like Dean X 10."

My own view is that Al Gore - flawed as he may be - is at the moment the
most important politician in America for the simple reason that he is
the only leverage constitutionalists and progressives have for stopping
the disaster occurring in both parties as they desert republic, courage,
integrity and decent policies.

And Gore has a few redeeming qualities. True, he is like the girl who
had a little curl right in the middle of her forehead because when he is
good he is very, very good but when he is bad he is horrid. But the way
he has dealt with some of his own faults is encouraging. He has
approached his situation like an intelligent human being rather than a
huckster trying to reinvent himself. And on the matter of personal
honesty there is simply no comparison between him and the world's best
cattle futures trader - the only first lady to come under criminal
investigation.

And before Greens evict me from the party, let me point out that my
argument that the future of the Greens lies in local and state
organizing and not presidential campaigns has yet to have been in the
slightest disproved by actual election results.

I remain agnostic long-term on the subject of Gore but feel for this
month anyway - and maybe next - he's the best chance we have of knocking
a little sense into this country gone crazy.

You can comment here:
http://prorev.com/2006/05/gore-quandary.htm

[blm]

1. I'll comment here - This statement is untrue

"..... and has spoken
out against Bush more and before any other potential candidate in the
Democratic Party. "

I'd like to see how they would back it up using only the facts on record from 2001 - today. I could also go back to when Gore first came into government and compare his record of opposing BushInc with OTHER potential candidates.

I think people see what they want and find ACTUAL RECORDS to be an INCONVENIENT TRUTH for them.

And, btw...there was no REAL campaign finance scandal for Gore - that was media PERCEPTION based on GOP lies. This guy doesn't get the facts straight when he's lying from the left OR The right.

[Synnical]

7. The statement is not untrue

You can "like" all you want, but the statement is true.

"..... and has spoken
out against Bush more and before any other potential candidate in the
Democratic Party. "

[blm]

14. No - it ISN'T - and you if you believe it is then you will have no problem

citing ALL the times Gore spoke out against BushInc MORE and BEFORE any other since 2001. I know you don't DARE touch how much Gore spoke against BushInc while he was holding office as a congressman and a senator, or how MUCH he countered BushInc while he was in office with Clinton.

I don't recall him jumping in before OR after when Kerry went after Bush on Kyoto in 2001, or when Kerry nailed Bush on Tora Bora in Jan 2002, especially when all other Dems were siding with Bush as if Kerry was lying about Tora Bora. And when Kerry TWICE called for Rumsfeld's firing including after Abu Ghraib revelations. Or the silence from MANY Dems on Downing Street Memos.

There were plenty of battles between 2001 and today - show me where Gore was the FIRST and spoke out the MOST as claimed?

[Synnical]

16. You're taking it out of context

Sam Smith is referring to the 2008 race - as clearly stated in the piece.

Who else is a potential for 2008?

Biden?
Rodham Clinton?

Kucinich maybe came out first and most, but we all realize he's not truly a potential Democratic candidate. Same with Feingold. I respect both men tremendously, but understand the bitter reality that they're not going to get the democratic nomination.

And stop yelling - it's rude. Thanks.

-Cindy in Fort Lauderdale

[aquart]

2. "Campaign finance scandal"???

What a trumped-up crock.

[Jim Sagle]

3. Sam Smith ain't nuthin' but shit.

He ragged on Clinton for 8 years using right-wing lies, while posing as a lefty.

One of the least honest people on the Web.

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4. A Green Party Member is saying that Gore is Good

And you attack him? <sigh>

I dispute your words that Sam Smith is "posing as a lefty".

[Jim Sagle]

5. Browse his archives and read the swill he used to post about Clinton.

Christopher Ruddy was his favorite journo.

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6. I've been reading Undernews for years

Point me to what you'd like me to read. I'm a Green in reality, but a registered Dem.

[Jim Sagle]

8. Start here.

http://prorev.com/wwindex.htm

It's a treasure house of all the right-wing lying filth that was ever concocted about the Clintons - made more palatable by Smith's phony posturing as an "independent lefty."

[Synnical]

9. Yeah, the Clintons were all sweet and sunshine

So is Gore. I guess you've never read "The Buying of the President" from opensecrests.org?

2004:

http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00061XNPM/qid=1148442317/sr=2-1/ref=pd_bbs_b_2_1/103-1148388-2325456?s=books&v=glance&n=283155

2000:

http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/0380795191/qid=1148442456/sr=1-1/ref=sr_1_1/103-1148388-2325456?s=books&v=glance&n=283155

'Cause you see, I've read both books.

And for me to support Gore, well it's a tough sell, but I'm agreeing with Sam Smith's words right now.

OH! But I'm not allowed to talk about third parties on DU! My bad!

[Name removed]

10. Deleted message

Message removed by moderator. Click here to review the message board rules.

[Synnical]

11. Open Secrets - based on FEC reports?

Is spewing BS?

Okay, yeah.

Nite, now.

Edit: correction

[blm]

15. Numbers get skewed - for instance, Matt Groening can contribute to

a Dem from his Simpson's production company or a secretary from a FOX production office can contribute to a Dem, and the way it gets reported is as a FOX contribution to raise eyebrows of all those wary of ANY dollar coming from FOX to a Democrat.

If a Warner Bros. artist sent money to a Dem, it would get lumped in with the category for AOL/TIMEWarner and CNN - they'd become associates with the House of Saud, fer chrissakes, who are very large stakeholders in the company.

[Synnical]

17. Okay, correct me if I"m wrong here . . .

I've contributed to politicians and political parties. Mostly to Dennis Kucinich. But also to the DNC. And if my contribution is under $200 I don't have to note where I work, yeah or nay?

Okay, I just checked the DNC site and they have this Legal Disclaimer posted:

Legal Compliance
Check this box to confirm that the following statements are true and accurate: 1) I am a United States citizen or a permanent resident alien. 2) This contribution is not made from the general treasury funds of a corporation, labor organization or national bank. 3) This contribution is not made from the treasury of an entity or person who is a federal contractor. 4) The funds I am donating are not being provided to me by another person or entity for the purpose of making this contribution.

So, I don't really understand your post.

Forgive me for not thinking this thru further but I'm very stressed right now - won't bore you with the details, but suffice it to say I may not be employed next week and my employees haven't been paid in 10 days. I'm a manager, not an owner.

-Cindy in Fort Lauderdale

[depakid]

13. So Smith wrote the garbage on that site?

Not from what I could tell.

It looks to me that they just hawk a book he wrote that criticizes Clinton- and maybe rightly so.

[Apollo11]

12. Gore is credible on green issues

With his new book and movie: "An Inconvenient Truth" - Al Gore is positioning himself front and center of the pro-environment pro-planet movement - not only in America, but worldwide.

If Gore was the Dem nominee for President, I believe that many Green Party people would support him and work for him.

But I have no particular opinion about Sam Smith as a writer or as a person. Not familiar with his previous writing.

In Gore We Trust
www.algore.org :)