Al Gore Superstar

[Prisoner_Number_Six]

I just watched him on both Letterman and TDS, and realized something very important- he doesn't HAVE TO run.

Listen to the crowds. Everybody knows who he is. Everybody knows what he's done. Everybody knows what he's saying.

He's now a celebrity. He's hot. He's cock o' the walk. He's explaining it all to the cheering studio audiences- the environment, the war, *bush's absolute idiocy (Carter gets dissed, but Al sez it and it's carved in stone!), and they're eating it up!

All he needs now are a few disciples to follow him around and a half dozen catchy orchestrated rock tunes, and by the time the election comes 'round he'll simply ASCEND to the Oval Office!

I was wrong about him- he ain't running because everyone else is doing his work FOR him. All he has to do is sit in the side chair and smile.

He's even smarter than we thought.

[pinto]

1. Yeah. He doesn't have to be president. I've always admired him,

and it looks as if he's found a national role that fits *for him*. More power to that.

[Phredicles]

3. Yes he does; the country needs him:

I like Edwards and Obama, and I realize HRC has her admirers. But no one has the vision and ability to unite the country behind him that Gore has right now.

And in my opinion, the next president, whoever it is, HAS to get it right, and that's if it's not too late already. Gore offers by far our best chance of being the one to get it thus. And I have to think he doesn't believe it is too late, or he wouldn't be working so hard right now.

[pinto]

4. Good points. If he is the nominee I will certainly support him.

[Raksha]

6. I think what the OP is saying is that he can be president without "running."

Who else in either party can do that? Al Gore has been doing his homework for the past eight years. In a sense, he's been "campaigning" without campaigning for the past eight years. So he doesn't have to "run" now...he can just be who he is and WALK into the Oval Office--assuming of course that the enemies of democracy don't bump him off.

[Prisoner_Number_Six]

7. Yeah. What you said.

:yourock:

[BattyDem]

2. LOL ... that's an excellent point!

:toast:

[wildhorses]

5. he is running the smartest most sophisticated non-campaign

that has ever been my privilege and pleasure to witness:patriot:

[kiteinthewind]

8. Spot on! No need to rush out and give the RW crazies target practice. He doesn't need to

jump in this early. This really is early, guys. He keeps talking about how far away the election is. He can bide his time and see what the waters feel like in the fall. THAT is when he will make a decision. I think he will see our country drowning (worse than it is now) and he won't be able to turn his back on that. He is a great man!
:hi:
:kick:

[Name removed]

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[Prisoner_Number_Six]

10. The best part is, he already has a guaranteed vote percentage

which is everyone who voted for him once and believes he won and wants him to try again.

Now he's working on slowly increasing that percentage to a point of invincibility in every precinct.

Too, too slick.

[kiteinthewind]

11. He's playing it smart and close to the chest. He's been there. God, I love this man!

:toast:

[SammyWinstonJack]

15. ...

:thumbsup:

[lildreamer316]

12. He-llo. NAIL ON HEAD.

Th'man is BRILLIANT; and every time I see him and he answers the "question"; and then proceeds to lay his case on the table; I snicker uncontrollably like a schoolgirl 'cause I know I am in on the prank.

It is a joy and a wonder to watch him craft this non-campaign. A lesson for all.I find myself addicted to guessing what he's going to do next. It's such a dance; I may characterize it as a well-crafted tango: teasing; stopping just short of full-out expression of lust; very controlled; with the fire burning underneath.

And he still leaves the door open the other way also. IF he decides, for whatever reason; that this is not the time; then he can exit just as gracefully. But I think it is obvious he has already stepped through the door towards the goal; not away.

It's the most exciting thing in politics and US history at the moment. This will be looked back on as a watershed moment. And I can say I WAS THERE!

[kiteinthewind]

13. Did you see him on Larry King? He was just brilliant!

I am just so excited! Take your time, Al! We will be here! :applause: :applause: :applause: :applause: :applause: :applause: :applause: :applause: :applause:

[tavalon]

14. Yep, exactly

He's letting the others get bloodied by the Mediawhores and then, around September, he will enter the race. There are plenty who are saying that he won't have the funds he needs if he starts that late but they're just plain wrong. Every thing you just said works to his favor but as well, the week he announces, he will have millions of dollars, many millions. I know I'll empty my bank account and am in fact, keeping my powder pretty dry just for that eventuality.

He's a savvy politician but he is also a deeply spiritually seated statesman. That is why he will run. I'm just thrilled that he is also really good at the political game.

[tinrobot]

16. He's the chosen one.

After seeing him get so much adoration from so many people these past few weeks, I have no doubt that the presidency is his should he want the job. That's the catch, however -- does he want the job? I think he does, but he's not going to let on to it. His words are much stronger when they're spoken from a place just outside of politics.

But I think he will run, he will win, and when he becomes president, he will be one the most important Presidents we've ever had. He will fundamentally change this country -- for the better.

[InvisibleTouch]

17. There's a mythological archetype in the making here...

...you know, the story of the "reluctant hero," the guy who doesn't want to lead, but finds himself in the position of being the only one who can save the world. Whether he wants it or not, that role is his now. And he doesn't necessarily have to be President to do it.

Like so many others, it's my fondest wish that he'll enter the '08 race, and I keep holding out that little sliver of hope, because there's no question that he'd win - but if I put aside the wishful thinking and the lure of poetic justice, I have to honestly say that I don't think he's going to do it. I think a Dem will win the election, and that will help pave the way - but the world is going to change drastically in the next few years, and Gore will be the guy to lead us into the new era.

You watch.

[uberllama42]

18. This hero-worship still bothers me

I agree that what he is doing shows political savvy, and I like your observation that he doesn't have to run a traditional campaign. I also admire the work that Al Gore is doing for the environment and in defense of reason.

That being said, I think it's servile to allow him to "ascend" to the presidency. It bothers me that people are so uncritically accepting of anyone, even somebody that I agree with. That's Republican-think. If the voting public is willing to eat up everything an environmentalist says, it's only a small step before they react the same way to the demagoguery of a fascist. I don't want a servile and malleable voting public, even if the cause they all band-wagon behind is conservation or democracy or anything else that I agree with. That is the kind of thinking Gore is speaking out about in his book. Americans should be smarter than that.

[InvisibleTouch]

19. Not servile, but self-preservation.

I don't think we're at the point yet where "the voting public is willing to eat up everything an environmentalist says," but that time is coming, by necessity. It's only the threat of extinction that will make humans change their ways, if it isn't already too late - and when extinction is staring you in the face, you will indeed sit up and pay attention. That's starting to happen, little by little, and that's a good thing.

[Prisoner_Number_Six]

21. He's already won.

His "ascension" is just a matter of encouraging him to take the last step up the mountain.

It's not mystical enchantment or hero worship- it's merely wordplay. Have a little fun with it!

[cilla4progress]

20. Further thoughts

What about the "un-President," the
"anti-President," the moral compass, or, perhaps
more realistically, Sec'y of the new Dep't of the Environment?

My point is, I don't feel Al has to be Prez to have incredible
positive impact on perhaps our whole society.  Maybe being
President with all its equivocating and consensus-building
would ruin him? Maybe he has a LARGER role to play, indeed,
perhaps he is serendipitously on the road to his TRUE DESTINY
-- to change and shape and REVOLUTIONIZE public opinion for
the new milennia - from climate change to our American
national political identity?

[Prisoner_Number_Six]

22. Nope, he does not HAVE TO be President.

But it would really, really help him- and US.

[cilla4progress]

23. Agreed...

nothing I would love more, but I wonder if in the final analysis we might find that Al ends up serving a larger purpose. Wouldn't that be the icing on the cake?!

[RestoreGore]

24. Yes, I believe he is

And he can do it his way for as long as he wants the way that he wants.