There are no details for me to give you yet, but I just got off the phone with Steve Robinson of AlGore.org. We had a long conversation in which we agreed that it's time for us to make our move. We need to find ways to get all Gore supporters working together to get Gore to run. As things stand right now, we're all operating in our own little orbits--GSC, algore.org, draftgore.com, moveon.org, DU, dailykos, etc. We need to find a way to harness and unify the growing surge of people calling for Gore to run.

Since it's probably unrealistic to think that we could get the heads of all these websites together in one place (figuratively or literally), it seems the best thing would be to operate through meetup.com, which is how Howard Dean grew his support in '04. We need for this thing to catch fire, and it will. So starting this weekend, we're beginning the process of trying to get people directed to meetup.com, and those people can get other people, who will get other people, who wil get other people . . . The beauty of this arrangement is that it won't be done through one Al Gore group or website. Meetup.com is neutral ground.

As the plans become clearer and we start actually getting things going, I hope many of you on this site will volunteer your time and whatever resources you have to helping out. Steve seemed to think that Gore should and will (if he runs) wait very long before declaring he's in, even longer than many of us have been saying. But in the meantime, we need to organize and get as much support for Gore as we can so we can sweep him into the White House. Steve said he knows for a fact that some of the buzz going around now about Gore running is coming from within the Gore camp. That's very good news for us.

Please stay tuned to this thread for more information. We need to work together. We need people to post on other forums. We need people to organize meetups in their area. We need to get the word out. More details on how to do all this as they become available . . .

good to hear.

I agree about him waiting a long time to get in. i really do think that if/when he decides to jump in, if its timed right, there will be a national "sigh of relief" and he'll be a shoo-in. the longer he waits to announce, the less time the nasties have to pick at him. let them exhaust themselves beating up hil! with his "brand-recognition", and financial position, he does not need to get in 'til the last minute

Agreed, he doesn't need to get in until the last minute, but we need to be there behind him well before that. We need to get the support network in place, both so he'll see that it's "safe" to run and so that the media will be less likely to do a number on him again.

It's funny. The buzz is even louder now than it was in the spring during the promotional blitz when "Truth" came out. Almost every time I turn on the TV, there's some other person calling for him to run, saying he's the best candidate and how he's the only one who could turn this race on its head.

So rather than let this slide into a long, silent winter, we need to keep the buzz up and make it even louder. I'm ready! :good:

I agree. I am not very political, until the past year, mainly because of all the ignorant mistakes Bush has made. I am definitely interested in becoming more active, however I am not really sure where or how to start. I looked up meetup, but there does not seem to be anything in my area :(. Where are the plans for this?

I have long been interested in things political as a 'spectator' and voter. this past election, though, i got a little bit involved in a local congressional campaign, and believe me, it was a fascinating and exhilarating experience. the idea of somehow having even a modicum of influence on something like that made me realize what democracy REALLY means. So do keep an eye out for a means to get involved. you'll be glad you did - just imagine watching Al Gore take the oath of office and being able to say to yourself 'I helped (at least a teeny bit) make this happen!

Welcome, Gaeth and I know what you mean, there isn't any meetups in my area either. In fact where I live people just don't care. I have talked to many people about how much we need AL GORE as our president. They usually don't have much to say, even if they despise Bush.

But I haven't given up. :)

:spikey:

So, people despise Bush. So, most people don't care. So, we do care a lot.

Therefore we will win. They aren't motivated to stop us :wacko: :clap:

Thank you so much, Karen, to taking the initiative on this. I do think that meetup is a good idea. Yes, he should get in late (after his Oscar win :Y: , maybe May/June, after his next book comes out???), and we should have his back before then.

I gotta go to a "Truth" house party, but, yes, we need to coordinate.

Thanks again, Karen. :good:

Dinah

Glad to hear it's starting!

Gaeth I also know how it feels. I live in Ohio 8th district. My congressman is John Boehner. Everytime time I open up my local paper I always read stuff like "Bush may not be the best president but just think of what would happen if Al Gore was president". I hate when people say that, if Gore was president their wouldn't be 3,000 dead troops!

I'll also work on that Myspace page.

Holy Tartar Sauce :o

I have had a couple e-mails from Steve R, but not for several months. He said personal issues were taking up a lot of his time but he thought things were looking very hopeful and he was looking forward to getting involved again in a major way. If he says some of the Gore buzz is coming from Gore's friends and associates then I would assume that is true. The first caucus is not until January 2008, so, May 2007 could be too early for any announcement. We'll let the big guy make the decision on the best timing. Maybe he could wait until October or November :?:

Time to circle the wagons and hang together :good: Count Me In :D

Steve actually said he wished Gore would/could hold out until November.

While my interest in politics has been long lived, since The late 60's I differ with Gaeth in that way but agree with him in others and join AGIML in welcoming him. Let me also thank Karen for her efforts and initiative in this area.
Second let me add that I'm facing the same problem as AGIML. People her just don't care.

It's very sad to think that people here are willing or so subdued as to let whatever or whoever happens to their Government.

It can be so frustrating trying to get through to people. I live in a town where there is alot of tourism in the summer, so I meet new people every year and still it doesn't seem to matter. I'm beginning to think that the majority of the people in this country don't care and that's really sad. Maybe they have just given up.

Half of the adults I know don't even vote, so I don't have the answers. :?:

You guys are all going to have the opportunity to start meetups. AlGore.org will pay for the "coupon" you need to register a meetup in your area (it costs $70 for each group to register). I know you feel there are no other Gore supporters in your area, and I'm sure you would have to hunt for them, but you'd be surprised. Lurking out there somewhere, there are Gore fans. You just have to find them. And once you become registered on meetup.com as the host of a meetup, then others can join you. It will be up to the rest of us to get the word out so people can find you.

We're working on this now, and details will be available soon as to how to proceed. I've been appointed as the recruiter and "coupon lady," among other things, and when people are ready to sign up, they'll have to contact me for how to get a coupon to sign up at meetup.com. More details later . . .

We're going to do this, folks. We've signed up two new meetup groups already, one in DC and one in Ohio. Seattle will follow shortly, as will California (these are known contacts--people we know are willing). Then, once I get my mass e-mail out, we'll have lots more. It's exciting to be getting this thing started. We are going to draft our man, show him that the people want him to run. We can do it. But we all need to help. :good:

Re: 1. Granted that meeting physically would be insurmountable, wouldn't it be possible for the leaders of these groups to form a chat/strategy group for themselves? Could be on yahoo, by invitation. There might be a lot of disagreement as to the whens or hows, but the desire to support Al Gore's run is the north star for all of us, and is the common ground. Karen, you've already spoken to Steve, and you know a lot of these people. And you're so good at this - exercising your social skills and helping people find common ground. You could be a formidable force in gathering the experienced activists together - not to do our work, but to talk about the need to coalesce in order to make something happen. (No pressure :laugh: but some are good leaders and others have the sense to follow good leadership).


Re: 2. Can you tell us more about Steve and what he has told you about what's being said within the Gore camp. That sounds very exciting. Who said what? - spill it, sister! :P


There's not very much going on in meetup, but there are some groups around the country. They may all be in hibernation or waiting for leadership, for all I know. Or they may be waiting for Al Gore to look like he's going to announce. And of course that's too late. But here's the link:
http://draftalgore.meetup.com/

Hi again,

I didn't see your own post until after I posted mine, Karen. That's great! You ARE a force for change!

I am very reluctant to start my own meetup - my mother and sister have such predictably unpredictable health crises, and I can't make a responsible commitment. I've signed on to find others near me who want to start one, and I'll be eager to be a part of it, if someone else can take the reins. Meantime, the closest active meetup to me is Cambridge. Unfortunately, Tuesday is my music rehearsal night, and I've missed too many. But check this out - especially anyone in the Boston area. This looks very exciting!

http://draftalgore.meetup.com/1/calendar/5323523/


RSVP for The Cambridge Draft Al Gore 2008 January Meetup

Want to participate in this event?
Add this event to your calendar :

When:
Tuesday, January 9, 2007, 7:00 PM
Where:
Want to know where this event is? Sign up for this group

Description:
We are pleased to announce that Elaine Kamarck, who was senior policy adviser to Vice President Al Gore from 1993-97 will be our special guest to present: "How To Draft Al Gore to run in 2008."

Dr Kamarck is a Lecturer in Public Policy who came to the Kennedy School in 1997 after serving in the Clinton administration. In the 1980s, she was one of the founders of the New Democrat movement that helped elect Clinton/Gore. While serving in the White House, she created and managed Al Gores' National Performance Review, also known as reinventing government.

In 2000, she took a leave of absence from the Kennedy School to work as Senior Policy Adviser to the Gore campaign. She conducts research on 21st century government, the role of the Internet in political campaigns, homeland defense, intelligence reorganization, and governmental reform and innovation. Kamarck received her PhD in political science from the University of California, Berkeley and is the author of "The End of Government As We Know It: Policy Implementation in the 21st Century.


This will be the sixth Meetup of our Cambridge Draft Al Gore Meetup Group having started meeting last June. We will have our draft Gore petitions and bumper stickers. Come and bring a friend to this exciting event.

Well, the meetups are starting, whether they're through meetup.com or individual websites. Steve and I talked about draftGore.com and were both of the opinion that it's unlikely they'll decide to join forces with the other groups. There's precedent for us to think that way regarding them. But they're a legitimate and powerful force, and if anyone wants to check out if draftGore.com has meetups in their area, please go ahead and attend those. It really doesn't matter who signs up the meetup groups. What matters is that the meetups take place and that they continue to multiply.

If anyone here is interested in hosting a meetup through meetup.com, please contact me at krw@superlink.net It costs $70 to register to host a meetup, and AlGore.org will pay for you to register. We need as many people hosting meetups as we can get, so please, think about how badly you want Gore in the White House, and then do your part to make it happen. We have mentors to guide you through the process of how to have a meetup, so don't be shy. Just do it!

I would expect that members of this hard-core group of Gore supporters would be clamoring to help put Gore in the White House. But so far I've only heard from one of you, and she's unable to help right now for personal reasons.

Are you guys serious about getting Gore in the White House? If so, then we have to work for it. Won't you please consider hosting a meetup? The process is easy, and we have people to help you set up your meeting. We pay for it. We train you. All you have to do is have the meeting. Sitting around here chatting is fine, but it does little to help us meet our goal. Please. If it means something to you to have Gore as your president in '08, join us to get the word out.

And if you don't want to host your own meetup, register at meetup.com (draftalgore.meetup.com/) to find meetups in your area that you can attend without being the leader.

It's time for us to make this happen! LET'S DO IT! :good:

With the exception of the tourism you get, I understand exactly what your going through. My answer to you is yes in all areas. Especially the half not voting. Are they too lazy, don't really care or can't take the time from work. As you I just don't have the answers and I just can't seem to understand why something so important is so trivial to them.

It's funny that you mention "take the time from work," many of them don't even work. There is definitely a bad case of 'lazy' in my town and it's quite annoying. If you don't vote, you don't care, more like you don't give a damn. Some of these people in my town, I actually try to avoid because they are so shallow, immature and just totally irritating. And these are mostly middle-aged adults I'm talking about, forget the younger crowd.........they are beyond hope. Too busy partying. :bad:

I am looking to put together a Students for Gore 2008 movement. Anyone interested please message me. Thanks.

Let me kmow, I am ready to do whatever can do...send me info!
Thousands of co-horts! :P

Glad you joined us and are so willing to help. I'm not the one to give you instructions, I'm just a worker myself, but I have no doubt you will be contacted. Thanks for offering.

Well txcogore my student days passed around thirty plus years ago but this is how the protest over Vietnam started. Keep up the efforts and you might remind those students 18 or older that regardless of what they say on Capitol Hill the draft is in the future and they are eligible for it. They can't drink when they come back, at least not here in Texas, but they can vote and they can be drafted and sent into a war they don't want to go to.

Hell, the first drink I got at Love Field when I returned after my first trip to VN was not legal. The bartender simply saw my uniform and combat infantry badge and looked at my ID, under age of course, then he said F**k Em, your old enough to die your old enough to drink. Loved the guys attitude.


:rules:

Welcome, jeetere, and I'll be contacting you personally. :good:

www.draftgore.com

You're fabulous, txcogore and jeetere! I think Students for Gore and young people in general could be a very powerful force in a campaign. You are Al Gore's natural constituency. After all, he's the most interested in a healthy future, and in saving the planet for future generations.

After the latest showing of "Truth" at the house parties this past Saturday, I thought that if every high school and middle school had one committed science teacher who would initiate the school-wide showing of the film as a science requirement, we would have lots of idealistic and energetic teens on the stump for a solution to the climate crisis. But there's no reason that young people themselves couldn't enlist allies (science teacher, principal, student president, etc.) to squeeze it into the curriculum, and have it shown widely. After that, it's not too much of a jump to a Draft Gore movement in the schools. It could be like the way it was when I stumped for JFK and later Bobby Kennedy, when I was a young'un. So, good on you both! :good: :good:

Speaking of Draft Gore, here's a site that folks should go to:draftgore.com/


They show a hot-off-the-presses CNN poll with Al Gore edging out John McCain! Have a look. And there's also a petition to sign, so please do. For mine, I wrote:

"Mr. Vice President, you are the Constitution's hero, democracy's hero, America's hero, and the planet's hero. If we get to have a say in the country's and the world's future, you are the only person with all the qualities and gifts capable of healing the calamitous wounds left by this administration's massively selfish, blundering, reckless, myopic, and evil machinations. You alone. There is no second choice. Please, Sir! Be all you can be. Be our president. We won't allow it to be stolen again. With great love, hope, esteem and gratitude for your decades of service to us. From Dinah K____, a member of your base (50+ million and counting)."

I've put my name down for a Draft Gore meetup group in my area. Since I can't commit to leading one now, I'm going to try to find some folks locally who could.

I will be looking into things such as domain registration and what not as I begin to form a Students for Gore organization. If anyone is interested in helping pay for this, please reply.

no more replies?

Hell yeah, count me in! :good: I'm a student also.

Domain registration is cheap at GoDaddy.com. For 1 year it's about $8.00. If you need any html help i'd be glad to help you.

Btw, if you got a myspace add Gore to your friend list. He has 11 friends as of now. If we want students myspace.com is our best bet.

Hi All,

Coming to you live from one of the reddest states around. I will start a meetup group here and see what li'l ole me can do. I have never ever played politics before (but I always vote and I always do as much research as I can before I do so).

A comment to a previous post about voter apathy and perhaps they have given up. Voter apathy is inexcusable in my opinion. Although the 2000 election hammered home to me the absolute need to make my voice heard, and that it does count, I can see how eight years later, people might be a bit...er...frustrated.

Let's get moving...the only thing at stake is everything!

amy

Love your post, Amy. Welcome! :good:

I've sent you an e-mail asking you to contact me directly so I can get you set up at meetup.com. In just a few short weeks, we've managed to sign up 24 meetup groups across the country, with commitments from ten more, and we're just getting started!

We're very excited about this, and everything we've heard lately from Gore insiders indicates that he is seriously considering running. We firmly believe that all we need to do is show him he has the support he needs to win if he runs.

I love your enthusiasm, Amy. It's exactly what we need.

I'll be waiting to hear from you . . .

January 9th, '07


Yes, I agree, Al Gore IS needed to run again for president. This time he won't be up-staged by former president Bill Clinton. Al Gore CAN be a strong candidate to run to be elected president.

George Washington warned against the kind of factionalism we see in the Bush administration. His former defense secretary Donald Rumsfeld and Vice President Cheney plus Paul Wolfawitz and a few other Adminstration higher-ups formed a small faction within the White House and themselves led President Bush to go to war in Iraq even though this country had NOTHING to do with the attacks of 9-11. These despots (Rumsfeld, Cheney, Wolfawitz et al) made up the faction that is most responsible for leading America into an unjust war!

As Americans, now, we all have blood on our hands thanks to President Bush letting himself be led astray by his devious trickster of a vice president. Dick Cheney has always been sly, operating in the shadows, and not to be trusted. Some might even say Dick Cheney is the president by proxy.

Al Gore CAN add his voice and political skills to at least make a gallant effort to run in '08. Just because George Bush can't run again doesn't mean that Dick Cheney won't keep hanging 'round the halls and chambers of government 'cause I'm sure he likes pretending to be the leader of WE THE PEOPLE!

People will try to undermine Al Gore, however, I'm sad to say. Let me tell you what I mean. In December I was invited to attend a free screening of "An Inconvenient Truth" at a local point in Salt Lake City not far from where I live.

Before going to this so-called free movie screening I investigated the matter. I was suspicious because of some inconsistencies on the e-mail invitation I'd received.

The place turned out to be a tiny apartment across the street from the corporate offices of my employer. No back gate existed through which to enter and park, as advised on the e-mail invitation, but instead the rear was a secluded area where anything could go wrong. Upon seeing this I decided not to attend this so-called community get-together of local Democrats to view without charge Al Gore's movie.

The day before I investigated, the invitation, I saw Al Gore on the "Ellen" (Degeneres) show. He never said anything about showing his movie through nation-wide community viewings free of charge.

It didn't make sense to me that a politician like Al Gore would show his movie in this manner free, when instead he could sell his movie in stores and generate revenue. Needless to say I didn't trust the e-mail invitation I'd received at all, truthfully. It impressed me as completely fabricated.

Investigating the address on this e-mail invitation I'd received I discovered it was sent from moveon.org. When I contacted those involved in moveon.org, which promotes itself as an internet grassroots political movement, they simply gave me the option to un-subscribe. The problem with this was I never subscribed in the first place.

This is the point at which Al Gore being used and exploited in such a manner can be undermined. That is to say those who tried to thwart his efforts by sending me the false invitation aforementioned, who was a local lawyer trying to stop me from pursuing him to justice because he ripped my son away from me whose name is David McConkie, then told those at moveon.org to let me un-subscribe from their website so that no one would have to take responsibility.

At the same time Al Gore must be aware that this kind of chicanery and beguilement will be used in his name which easily could undermine his political efforts. In fact it would be my strong suggestion that Al Gore somewhat investigate David McConkie to ensure he doesn't engage anymore political shistering in his (Al Gore's) name.

Otherwise I'm only too glad to to what I can to help in Al Gore's campaign if he decides to run. I think my e-mail addressed is in my bio profile if you want to contact me. Or, I'll just check back here occasionally. Thanks.


Sincerely,
Kathy Caudle
Salt Lake City
a died-in-the-wool Democrat

Kathy, we have a legitimate group that's already organized a Draft Al Gore Meetup in Salt Lake City. This is a bonafide group, started with my guidance under the auspices of AlGore.org as part of our recently-launched campaign to get Gore to run in 2008. I assure you there's no funny business with this group.

The organizer's name is April Brooks. I hope you'll contact her through meetup.com and join her group. Please tell her I referred you to her. I'll contact her and let her know about you as well.

To register to join her group at meetup.com, go to: http://draftalgore.meetup.com/23/?gj=sj21. Registering to join a group is free, and there's no commitment.

Please contact me if you have any questions.

Okay, Kathy, I have let April know to expect to hear from you. I hope you join her group. :good:

I have set a date for The Fort Payne draft Al Gore Meetup. It will be held at Western Sizzlin there on Feb, 3 at 2:00pm. Everyone is welcome if they can make it!

You go, speedy! :good:

I just want to give a public round of applause to apetersen for registering The Trussville (AL) Draft Al Gore Meetup Group on Meetup.com.

Congratulations!

:clap: :clap: :clap: :clap: :clap: :clap: :clap: :clap: :clap: :clap: :clap:

Were Al Gore to run for president he would face an uphill battle because he is no friend of the the elite in this country. The mostly invisible power base who run, among others, big oil, big pharm, the defense industry, and the corporate media which kowtows to them. He would be a tremendously popular peoples president, but these blue bloods would fight tooth and claw to prevent that from happening. Also, he would have to sacrifice time now spent lecturing on climate warming. What a difficult decision to make! I could well understand his deciding, after weighing all the factors, to decline to run for President so as to continue to keep writing, to keep keeping us informed, to keep teaching us how to heal a very sick planet Earth. And yet, and yet, what a great President this lecturer, teacher, true leader, would make.

Welcome, drew501.

You're absolutely right. It's got to be a tough decision for Gore to make. However, I believe he could deal with global warming very effectively from the Oval Office and have an enormous impact on the world as POTUS.

As for not having ties to big business, that's true of most of the Dem. candidates, so I don't see that as a handicap for Gore. Dems always tend to be the people's candidates, while Reps tend to be friends to big business. And we'll keep it that way. :D

Great timing following the Rolling Stone article. If you need help, I'm in, and have time.