Howard Fineman: Running Hard By Staying Out ("Gore is a deep-dyed Democrat. ... He is "50-50")

[Pirate Smile]

Running Hard By Staying Out

By Howard Fineman
Newsweek

-snip-
So who is planning—or dreaming? Among independents, Bloomberg has brains and bucks, and has been studying a run with great care. "He has an almost British style, which is to make it all look effortless," said polltaker Frank Luntz, "but he's learned all the details of how it would work." Vastly wealthy from his eponymous media empire, he flirts publicly and privately with the other loose electrons circling the nucleus of traditional politics, among them Gore. A mutual friend of the two in the New York financial world has even suggested to them that they should run as an independent ticket—an idea, I am told, the former veep dismissed.

Gore is a deep-dyed Democrat; the real question is whether he will be a late entrant for the party nomination. He is "50-50," according to one of his closest friends and financial backers. On the one hand, Gore inquires about Manhattan office space for his business and charity ("It has to be a 'green' building," said this source, who didn't want to be named discussing Gore's affairs). On the other hand, he keeps his face in front of big donors, as he did at a recent dinner in Miami. Gore is all the rage among corporate executives, who see wisdom—and profits—in going green, and who appreciate Gore's prescience. "Al has set this up so he can jump either way in the fall," said the close friend. "If there is an opening, I say he goes."

In the meantime, Gore practices the Zen of running-by-not-running. Some Democrats tout a team of Gore and Sen. Barack Obama, whose effort to overtake Hillary has stalled, at least temporarily. In this version, Gore enters Iowa late, storms to victory and asks Obama to be his running mate. "Gore-Obama is a very big ticket, probably unbeatable," said Kerrey. He was not at the Palm when he said so, but he may as well have been. It is not just a restaurant, really. It's a state of mind.

http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/18881809/site/newsweek/

[TwilightGardener]

1. I'm frankly getting a little more pissed with Gore with each passing day.

Shit or get off the pot. Or get over yourself.

[FredStembottom]

2. Me too.....

My past postings are full of hope that Gore will run - but things are getting to damn serious and awful for me to tolerate any mor coy games-playing.

With Kucinich being worthy from the get-go - and now Edwards suddenly wanting to say things of true relevance - I don't think I will wait anymore.

In fact, typing this just decided me.

Gore, I am not waiting any longer. America burns. I need to get busy.

Good luck!

[liberalnurse]

4. Not me.....

I love a savvy strategy.O8)

[Me.]

5. LOL, Here's Where I Have The Patience

I think it's smart. He's always in the news and in 6 mo, we'll be on candidate overload. The entire campaign started way too soon. I look for him to get in Oct./Nov., when I think it will be another different world in this country. I'm also certain that the second he gets in the mudslinging begins but they can't do it until he officially gets in. Getting in later cuts out months of publican swiftboating.

[TwilightGardener]

7. What's his reason to run?

[Me.]

12. Based On His Recent Interviews

I think he believes we are in the midst of a perfect storm in this country and we need less vested interests to help restore this country. Also, he seems, after having been kicked to the ground and humiliated beyond belief, to have come out with much less of an ego than most politicians have. I truly believe his decision to run would be based on service, to try and help a country he cares deeply for.

[polichick]

21. I think it's smart too.

The Nobel Peace Prize is announced in October I think ~ he can wait 'til after that.

[janx]

8. HAHA

It's very early--Gore can afford to wait. ;-)

[blm]

10. Not me - he has commitments he needs to fulfill - his book and concert. AFTERWARDS

he can announce and I predict he WILL.

But for now he would be doing the point behind his book and his environmental efforts an injustice by obscuring them BEHIND a political quest.

Once the media starts portraying him ONLY as a candidate he loses the ABILITY to further his other serious messages.

[CTD]

13. Oh come on. This campaign started WAY too early.

He's compared starting a campaign this early to stores having Christmas decorations out before Halloween. For Gore, there is nothing to be gained and a lot to be lost by getting in this early. He's a smart man and the impatience of people like you isn't a factor in his decision. He would be stupid to get in this early.

[IndyOp]

15. He isn't driving this train - We are. I am hoping he'll decide in October -

he should make an announcement one way or the other by early Fall.

:hi:

[Clark2008]

20. Ummm... it's May.

If this were September, I could understand.

As it is, no one outside of political junkies is paying attention to this stuff.

[DURHAM D]

3. If Gore runs he needs to start by attacking the press.

He needs to start with a head butt into their soft bellies.

They have already written the script for this time around and he needs to slap it down hard - take them apart - upset their narrative. When they say he is angry - he needs to say damn straight.

[blm]

11. He's already doing that, which is a great sign to me.

.

[asjr]

6. Howard Fineman can go suck green persimmons.

He loves to create ripples where there are none. Our media are to be damned and pitied at the same time.

[doggyboy]

14. and some people love to just suck it up

I had thought DUer's would be a bit more savvy about the dishonesty of our media in general, and Fineman in particular, yet here we have people given this man plausability

[Adelante]

9. Gore has no reason to get in now

In the Fall, if he does, is plenty of time.

[Bullet1987]

16. Gore/Obama is one of my dream tickets...

[marlakay]

17. Do you who want him out now, want him to stop his book tours

they are getting a big message out to many people, both left and right I have heard that once a campaign is started you can't do a book tour. I say let him finish the tour first.

Be patient, once he enters the fray he has to deal with all the negative bullshit on MSM. Give him a few more months of positive media first. If your someone that really wants him to win, you would want him to have as much good publicity as possible.

[polichick]

22. Gore's is the ultimate campaign!

First the film and the Oscar, now the book tour, followed by the Nobel Peace Prize in the fall. Can't do better than that!

[Samantha]

18. I saw that interview and almost jumped with joy

By that interview, I mean Fineman's blurb on Matthews "Tell Me Something I Don't Know" segment. I had taped it and just actually saw the prediction.

Gore would never run as an Independent. Fineman said Bloomberg and Gore are exploring ways to help each other. That's great. Bloomberg, I believe -- and correct me if I am wrong -- is a former Democrat who ran for Governor of New York as a Republican. That's significant because if he jumps in as an independent, he will siphon off votes from the Republican nominee. That only helps Gore. I am not disparaging Bloomberg, I am just saying he does not have the standing among the electorate that Gore enjoys.

So what if Fred Thompson jumps in as everyone on that show seems to now be predicting. I referenced this possibility in an earlier thread, saying it would be the political equivalent of the Thrilla' from Manila -- two guys from Tennessee slugging it out for the highest office in the land. In 2000, when Gore failed to take his rightful place in the Oval Office, that roadblock was due in part to the Republican party office-holders who sent their aids to Florida to stage the angry mob theater banging on the door in protest of the recount efforts. One of those aids was later identified by Al Gore as Fred Thompson's assistant. In the realm of political justice, is the idea of Gore thumping Thompson and taking the prize in 2008 starting to sound like the ultimate in political poetic justice?

Can you imagine the energy of the political motors revving in Tennessee at the onset of a Gore versus Thompson heat for the POTUS seat? That thought does make my heart race, just imagining the sheer level of the volume of the debate in the home state of both Gore and Thompson. Once again, as in the Civil War, you will see brother fighting brother, and thinking nothing of it!

I am so excited with Fineman's prediction that Gore will jump in in September if he sees an opening I doubt I will sleep tonight. That opening could conceivably be Hillary losing Iowa, which is now looking very possible.

Another point discussed on the show was how Obama's numbers have virtually stood still over the last few months (in terms of gaining ground on Hillary). Hillary has stopped his progress, and maintains essentially the same lead today as she did when his numbers started to climb. My theory is Hillary stopped nothing. Obama is standing still due to the increased speculation Gore will jump in.

Does it get any better than this?

[Bullet1987]

19. Hillary's numbers in the 40's are national polls of Dems...

This is a deliberate misleading thing being done by these polls because there will never be a national Democratic caucus. So it's basically just national name-recognition polls of Dems. The polls you want to pay attention to are the ones in Iowa and New Hampshire...those are the only ones that matter this early.