Gore Must Weigh In Eventually

There is a new piece of gossip going around the Democratic race that Al Gore is going to be the nominee. In a move that would pummel the Democratic party back to the stone age, this rumor alleges that superdelegates would withhold their vote on the first ballot at the Convention, then unanimously submit Gore on a second ballot. This rumor is ridiculous and I urge you to treat it with extreme skepticism. Edwards would be a more likely second-ballot winner, and even that is nearly as much science fiction as Gore.

Imagine the media free-for-all: Al Gore brokers the ultimate back room deal in the smokiest of rooms, the same thing that was done to him in 2000 by the Bush regime, and steals the nomination from inside his own party? If Al Gore wanted to be President next year, he would have put his name in a long time ago. The Democratic party has been looking for the guaranteed winner ever since Gore lost. They took a chance on John Kerry, who tried to dodge by blaming Edwards. The only true survivor of 2004 is Howard Dean, who is looking blustery and defensive right now. No doubt, he is out of his depth. With names like Gore, Clinton, Carter, Mondale and Kennedy taking the headlines again, the Democratic leadership must be walking on pins and needles. If Al Gore were to be the nominee, the entire Democratic party would stand to be completely demonized as the ultimate hypocrites. Less damage would be done if Nancy Pelosi or Howard Dean just said, "Will you just give it to Hillary already??"

I find the idea laughable. What I find much more believable is that the potential kingmakers are being knocked out like dominoes. Bill Clinton went first because of his obvious lack of objectivity. Nancy Pelosi is a woman, so if she supports Clinton she will get slammed for that, and if she supports Obama she will be accused of falling under his spell. It's a lose-lose, so she has confined her influence to platitudes about fairness. Howard Dean has the most direct control, and that has him in a choke hold. Al Gore and Walter Mondale are still standing, so the media is starting to exploit every angle on what could happen. The Gore rumor is the extreme end of it.

More likely, Al Gore will eventually have to express some sort of advisement. No doubt Mondale has already been asked to weigh in, but likely his advice will remain private as the comparisons to 1984 are pretty dire for the Democrats in general. Early attempts to combat this resulted in Obama being compared to Reagan, which is such a bad idea, it only lasted a couple weeks. I believe in general, the "party elders" would be foolish to let any negative comparisons get too much play. Al Gore has sagely distanced himself from any bone picking over his defeat. He is the President That Wasn't, which makes him both the most acutely empathetic voice and the most apparently removed from it all. He hasn't uttered a peep. More likely than staging a very undemocratic coup, Gore will either address the Convention or brief the party captains in a less formal setting of his recommendations.

On the heels of this Gore coup rumor, are the toss ups that Obama-Gore might happen. Obama-Clinton is more likely than that. Now that Obama has nearly said he would not accept a VP spot under Clinton, the rumors are open to fly again. First, let me reiterate my belief that, if he lost the nomination, Obama would jump at VP. He would be foolish not to, as he does not have the pedigree that Clinton has, and would not be able to secure a high ranking Senate spot as easily as her. I also personally believe that if Obama was serious about being President, he would be pitching for Secretary of State as his contingency plan. I also think that office would hold more appeal to Clinton than VP. I am still not sold on the idea that Clinton would take the bottom of the ticket, but I know it cannot possibly off the table entirely. It cannot be off the table for either of them. I am also not sold on the idea that a combined ticket is the "dream ticket" either, although I have spoken in favor of Clinton-Obama.

What I am sure of is that Al Gore is not interested in being Vice President again. The words "Gore" and "backpedal" do not go together very well. Al Gore is doing exactly what he wants to be doing: saving the world. Gore has always had the environment and climate change at the very core of his convictions, and he is getting his voice heard much better now than when he was the understudy to a rock star president. All this rumor is brewing because Al Gore, by attrition has become the closer of the Democratic Will. The question has been asked, who has the influence to tell Clinton, "It's time to call it quits." Gore is definitely one of those people. (Although in reality, if it does become necessary I think it will be Bill.) Conversely, who has the stopping power to say to Obama, "Not this time." Again, Gore. I also don't think John Edwards has been dealt out as a kingmaker. Two things tell me this. First, if Edwards co-announced an endorsement and a VP grab for one or the other, it would be smooth sailing. Second, he is still holding 26 delegates. It may come to that.