Al, Don't Run - The Nation in 2001

[StudentsMustUniteNow]

"But did anyone believe that Gore--who a year earlier was siding with pharmaceutical companies in their battle against the government of South Africa, which was then crafting laws to lower the cost of HIV/AIDS treatments--was a populist at heart, willing to put the public interest ahead of his popularity and his campaign-finance interests? He had not begun his 2000 bid as a foe of the powerful. He had first pitched himself as the candidate of "pragmatic idealism." Or was it "idealistic pragmatism"? (Whichever--that was his silly and short-lasting retort to George W. Bush's "compassionate conservative" shtick.) ....
...
Moreover, Gore's tactical retreat was all-too consistent with his past habit of spouting profound, dramatic and incautious calls to action and then acting with caution and political expedience. Consider, as an example, his 1992 cri de cœur, Earth in the Balance: Ecology and the Human Spirit. Gore wrote, "I have come to believe that we must take bold and unequivocal action: we must make the rescue of the environment the central organizing principle for civilization." He added, "We must all become partners in a bold effort to change the very foundation of our civilization." Gore has rarely, if ever, behaved in full accordance with these noble principles--and he has particularly not done so in the me-no-speak months since January...."

read more: http://www.thenation.com/doc/20010917/corn/2

It's an old article.

To me it seems that Gore learned his campaigning lessons. Everything the article states he did wrong, he's been working on for the past 7 years. I think he has had the presidency in mind since then and is building a good brand name for his 08 campaign.

:beer:

Thoughts?

[madfloridian]

1. Please put 2001 in the subject line.

.

[Reverend_Smitty]

2. Al Gore is a completely different person than he was in 00-01...

and because of that I would support him 100% if he decides to run in 08

[IndyOp]

3. Yes - PUT 2001 in the subject line - entirely misleading otherwise... (n/t)

:hi:

[depakid]

4. The article made sense in 2001

however, much has changed since then- though it remains to be seen what Gore's positions on key progressive issues will be.

[John Q. Citizen]

23. He has endorsed single payer universal health care. That's huge. n/t

[depakid]

25. No doubt!

Not sure about his positions on so called "free" trade though... and there are some other regulatory issues that were largely ignored throughout the Clinton administration. Hopefully, from what I've seen of "Assault on Reason," he's come around on many of those, too.

[GreenPartyVoter]

5. We need more than a good brand name, we need authenticity.

What good is a candidate who sounds populists if actions show otherwise?

I very sincerely hope Mr. Gore means to be a populist, and if so I hope with an equal sincerity that he runs.

[StudentsMustUniteNow]

9. How is Gore NOT a populist?

On which issues?

[Uncle Joe]

36. I can't think of anything more populist than the Internet. n/t

[endarkenment]

6. We never let anyone run twice.

Why would we want an experienced candidate? Nope, we run a newbie each and every time, unless of course by some accident we manage to actually win an election, then we grudgingly allow the incumbant to run one more time.

[Amy6627]

11. What about Nixon? n/t

[endarkenment]

14. We is us Democrats.

When was the last time we let anyone who lost run again?

[StudentsMustUniteNow]

15. Adlai Stevenson n/t

[StudentsMustUniteNow]

7. Sorry guys

I fixed it.

[LSparkle]

8. Every time I extol Gore's virtues, a friend of mine tells me to look into his past

There's an article in a book called "You Are Being Lied To" that he says talks about how Gore was in bed with big business and other unsavories before becoming VP.

I agree with you that he's been working on atoning for any prior sins over the past 8 years. I think the 2000 loss was a "wake-up call" for him and pushed him back toward his (real) Dem roots, and away from the DLC that had seduced him. I still hope (and pray) he runs because I think he's potentially the LEAST divisive candidate -- everyone can agree that he won the 2000 popular vote (and the ELECTION had all the votes been counted) and deserves the chance to lead our nation.

[Tom Joad]

12. I think he could rally many of the big donors to unite.

[grasswire]

19. make him produce that article

...so we can examine it. Seriously. Do it, please.

[StudentsMustUniteNow]

20. Yeah that would be helpful

I think it's best that we discuss and analyze the candidates as well as possible.

Gore's a good guy, but I like making an informed decision better.

[Tom Joad]

10. I don't know how they can criticize the man who helped Joe Lieberman's career?

The man who supported the Iraq War 1. The brutal sanctions that followed
The man who supported the attack on Panama.
the man who supported Reagan's military assault on Grenada.
The man who supported anti-labor/enviromental agreements of NAFTA and the WTO?

[StudentsMustUniteNow]

13. If what you say is true...

Then why is Gore so popular among progressives today?

I think he's changed a lot in the past 7 years. You don't?

[Tom Joad]

22. He is older. Has he changed any of the positions he has taken?

Has he said anything like "I wish i opposed the NAFTA deals"?
Or "Those sanctions against Iraq were a crime against an innocent people, i wish i had spoken out"

I don't mean to demonize him, only to say he has taken positions many progressives opposed. I know in the past he has not called himself "progressive" so why should people think he is? Does he claim to be now?

[John Q. Citizen]

24. He has endorsed single payer universal health insurance, for one thing. n/t

[StudentsMustUniteNow]

27. Do you have a link? n/t

[John Q. Citizen]

33. Here, I googled 'Gore single payer' and got back tons of hits. This link is

from ABC News http://www.abcnews.go.com/sections/politics/DailyNews/TheNote_Special2.html

[StudentsMustUniteNow]

26. That's what puzzles me

Why are we acting like he's the savior then?

I'm not the only one here TJ.

[John Q. Citizen]

34. i can only speak for myself, but I went into 2007 with three criteria for a candidate;

1. Opposed the war and the occupation
2. Supports Single Payer
3. Election integrity advocate

This leaves me 3 candidates

Kucinich (Who is my first choice) although his odds of pulling it off aren't that great. I still support him and will until Gore enters the race, if he does

Gore - If he enters he has a great shot at winning

Gravel- No shot at winning and also has the draw back of supporting a flat tax - regressive.

Who are you supporting, StudentsM.U.N.?

[StudentsMustUniteNow]

39. Undecided..

No Obama or Richardson that's for sure. They're too much globalization advocates, not pro-worker.

[Labors of Hercules]

37. erm... Tom, have you been paying attention over the past 6 years?

Or are you lost in some very complex issues from the past that Gore was not altogether successful in explaining his highly complex views on because he couldn't fit them in a 30 second infomercial?

[melody]

16. Ha, you know Al is going to run when the attack people start up on DU

They only go after the big dogs, of course.

[StudentsMustUniteNow]

18. I didn't attack him

I like him. I posted the article for discussion.

[melody]

21. My comment was to you in reference to the other comments on DU today

I wasn't incorporating you into that. Sorry, should have made that clearer.

[LBJDemocrat]

17. He was the most outspoken supporter of NAFTA in the administration in 1993

While Gephardt was fighting for working Americans; Gore was giving a hand to big business.

I don't dislike him, but I'm very wary.

[StudentsMustUniteNow]

28. Nonsense n/t

[LBJDemocrat]

29. Oh, really?

http://www-tech.mit.edu/V113/N56/nafta.56w.html

I rest my case.

[SaveElmer]

30. Not only that...he still supports it!...nt

[StudentsMustUniteNow]

31. Link? Pro-NAFTA even today???

This is insanely surprising. So is he taking our support for granted? How can be a savior if he's really pro-NAFTA?

[StudentsMustUniteNow]

32. Crickets....

[John Q. Citizen]

35. Save Elmer has his own candidate, Students, and she is pretty linked to NAFTA,

as well as being the second biggest recipient of Corporate Health Care dollars in the Senate.

[Labors of Hercules]

38. And what is your reason for hating NAFTA?

Because I've seen the good that has come from NAFTA in South America personally. American corporate greed is a separate issue, and will necessarily taint ANY trade agreements, free or otherwise.

[StudentsMustUniteNow]

40. I'm an American from the US though

I'm not South American.

I don't like deindustrialization, and I don't care that some folks will say "it's just evolution of our economy."

[LBJDemocrat]

41. A-f**king-men

We expect our leaders' first priority to be the wealth and safety of their compatriots.



:toast:

[StudentsMustUniteNow]

42. Cheers indeed LBJ!

:toast:

EDIT: by the way, sorry for saying your earlier post was nonsense. It turns out you're right about NAFTA.

[Labors of Hercules]

43. Conservative is fine to a point, but soon reality must play a role...

And should you so desire to comprise your understanding of free trade based on a culmination of sufficient facts, feel free to look me up and discuss your conclusions. Until then, we must politely disagree.