Clinton team obsesses about Al Gore

In recent days, the Clintons and their high-ranking supporters have begun preempting any future announcement by Al Gore that he will enter the presidential race.  If you look at what has been said this week, Bill Clinton and especially James Carville are daring him to throw his name into the hat.  All of this was said on the same day.  A coincidence?  With the Clintons, not likely.

Thursday night on Larry King Live, Bill Clinton hinted that Gore might run:

"..you have got the prospect that vice president Gore might run."

That was apple sauce compared to what came out of Carville's mouth earlier that day at Tulane University:

"Gore will run again because, quoting George Will, running for president is like sex: 'You don't do it once and forget about it.'"

Barely any talk about the former Vice President up until this point, and then bam!  You get Bill Clinton and James Carville, two of the most successful political strategists during the 1990s, bringing up Al Gore in the span of just a few hours.  Coincidence?  Or is there a possibility that the Clinton team is now in the process of game-planning for a Gore arrival into the presidential race?

To me, they appear to be daring Gore to get in.  Politically speaking, if that did happen, John Edwards' presidential hopes would be toast.  A lot of Edwards' support comes from online activists.  Without the backing of some the top blogs, such as Kos, the former North Carolina Senator would have little infrastructure left standing. 

Deep down, I know that some bloggers -- and I will include myself -- have a fantasy scenario of Gore declaring his candidacy in September, beating Clinton in the primaries, and then going on to win the general election.  Not that I even want that to happen, or think it would be best for the party in the long run.  In fact, I have yet to be convinced that Gore is electable.  But there is that inner yearning for 2008 to end up how 2000 should have been.

I give it a 20% chance that Gore will enter the race.  A lot of it depends on his Nobel Peace Prize, and whether the former Vice President can raise enough money in a matter of weeks.  Either way, the buzz has the Clinton family worried, clearly bothered and strangely obsessed.

Comments

[Philip Johnson,P.E.]

I WISH AL GORE WOULD RUN. I WISH JAMES CARVELLE WOULD KEEP HIS MOUTH SHUT.

[ThatBozGuy]

The Clinton war room sees Al Gore as Obama's Nader.

I signed the petition for Mr Gore, I wish Mr Gore would run even though I would be hard pressed to make a choice between Gore and Obama.

I believe both men bring leadership and solid ideas to the table, but in the political sphere the Clinton political machine is definitely in need of a divide and concur strategy when it comes to opponents and make no mistake it is them against the world and no one can get in the way.

The Clinton's are a political machine,machines do not have tolerances for variances. They will be removed or the machine will not work.

I wish them well but my vote is with others.

[granny]

"In fact, I have yet to be convinced that Gore is electable" ~ Chief Ed. Todd.

Well, he won the last time he ran. That's a head start on all the other candidates.

[Chief Editor: Todd]

I see your point, Granny, but that was in 2000. We were dealing with an entirely different political climate now. People still think of Gore as an old face, whereas most Americans want someone new at the helm. For example, if it was Gore vs Fred Thompson, Thompson would have the advantage because he is more of a fresh face. I know, I know...that is no way to pick a president. But almost all Americans, especially independents (those who end up deciding each election), want change. Many independents would worry that a Gore victory might encourage some of the same hyper-partisanship on both sides of the isle.

With Obama or Richardson, on the other hand, the right would have a harder time attacking the left. Obama and Richardson are perceived as realists. Politically speaking, it's harder to attack a realist. Not saying that Gore is not a realist...many Americans just don't perceive him as one.

[George]

Todd, I think you're wrong about Gore. He's remade himself brilliantly. No way he'd lose to any of these Republican jokers much less Thompson. I have all the confidence in the world in Gore or Obama winning the White House.

[granny]

I don't know, Chief Ed. Todd. Things to think about alright. But I agree with George about the work Gore's done, and beyond that my thought on your first comment:

"but that was in 2000. We were dealing with an entirely different political climate now."

is that there are an incalculable number of people keeping mighty quiet out there, who wish they could go back to "before 43", (2000) and would vote to do just that, realistic or not.

And if we could move to actuallly thinking it out as voters. Who has done anything like the work of making the real contribution gore has, instead of pounding podiums. Obama has a start.