Below is a letter I've just sent out to all the AlGore.org organizers. I'm sorry to have to deliver this news.

Dear Organizers:

We have received a communication from a member of Al Gore’s staff discouraging our efforts to put Al Gore’s name on any primary ballots. This includes California, New York, Massachusetts, and the write-in effort in New Hampshire, as well as any other states that are working to get him on the ballot. Accordingly, effective immediately, we are recommending that all groups cease their signature collection and related fund-raising activities.

Some of you may wonder about the discrepancy between this message and the one sent out last week. We have attempted to bring you information as we receive it, and only information that is credible, and last week’s information came from credible sources, but not sources from within Gore’s office. Unfortunately, today’s communication comes from Gore’s staff and trumps the information we received last week.

We’re all reeling and in a bit of a state of shock, and our main objective right now is to get people to stop working for something we’ve been discouraged from pursuing. Beyond that, we recognize that for many this will feel like getting hit by a Mack truck. It’s impossible to convey the deep disappointment we all feel, but we’ve been to hell and back again with this, and just as we hung together in the past, we’ll grieve together and get support from the community we built. Regardless of how we attempt to deal with this blow, we should at least now be able to turn our attention back to family, friends, and jobs that have been neglected over these long months of hard work. We built a community of support and supporters, and I believe our lives were enriched for having known each other and worked together for this cause we believe in so strongly. Many of us have formed permanent bonds with people in this movement that transcend the political ideology that brought us together in the first place. These are ties that will last a lifetime.

We’ll be putting out more communications in the days ahead, but for now we felt it was urgent to get this information out to people so they wouldn’t put any more time or money into the effort. I hope we can turn our grief and disappointment into something more positive and productive in the future.

There are no words to express our sorrow at having to deliver this news, but I’m afraid it is real, and the request needs to be heeded.

With deepest regrets,

--Karen

Karen Wunderman
Chief of Staff, Volunteer Division
AlGore.org

That's pretty much what it feels like, Ralph. Hope you're okay . . .

Is there any chance at all that this is in
preparation for his staff to do this for us?
Is this the only 'request' being made?

Yes, it was the only specific request that was made, but no, I don't think there's any chance that he or his staff will do it for us. We were given no reason to believe that, and I think it's highly unlikely.

Because "discouraging our efforts to put his
name on any primary ballots', is different than
asking us to stop the draft effort.
Have they also asked us to stop the
draft effort?
I see these as two separate issues.
I am absolutely willing to continue with the
draft. Anyone?

For the life of me, I will never understand his decision, but I am pleased that he did not allow our efforts to continue to be spent in vain indefinitely. The fact that this information was not conveyed to us sooner at least suggests that he was hedging some. I never wanted Katherine Harris, Jeb and the man who played 18 holes of golf the day after Katrina (GWB) to prevail in their efforts to keep Gore from claiming what was rightfully his and ours. I am afraid that we will never be able to realize a Gore presidency as a consilation to the theft of 2000. And, as time goes on, fewer and fewer people recognize just how ruthless and immoral their conduct was in keeping America's best hope from the Oval Office.

This creates an untenable situation for a Democrat and Gore supporter. I would rather Bush serve a third term than McCain or Rudy be our president, but a Hillary victory or that of another Dem likely eliminates any chance Gore will be president, unelss we look way ahead to 2016. He's positioned perfectly for 2012 if we lose in 2008, but my brain is too diluted to think that far ahead too seriously.

Now, I wish my second favorite Dem., John Kerry were running. Now, I feel like all of those Houston Oilers fans: no one to root for when their dreams left town. This hurts!

I agree with what you write jharri1992....

It's probably time to give ourselves a couple days to evaluate where we are at

:dripple:

This though does NOT stop a 3rd party independent run in Summer 2008
(perhaps with Mike Bloomberg).
IF he does not like what is going on.

(Even if he endorses Obama, and Obama does not win, that still would be possible).

Also-IF the scenerio for a brokered convention, well, then his being on the ballot
now would not matter for that either.

So, thoughts I had a few weeks ago, can still happen...

Let alone a VP run with whoever the lesser is who would then be nominee if not Al.

Slim chance? Sure, but not hopeless. :dripple:

So let me get this straight, someone from Gore's office, not Gore himself has made an attempt to "discourage" our efforts to put his name on primary ballots and consequently we are just going to give up our efforts altogether to make him our president now after all these YEARS of begging, pleading, hoping, praying and waiting? I can't help but wonder if all those supporters of General Sherman would have given up their efforts if one of his staff members "discouraged" their efforts. Perserverence and determination along with hope and faith in our chosen candidate and country should be guiding our efforts, not the request of one staff member. Personally I am waiting for Al himself to tell me there is no more hope in him becoming president. To the contrary, I've heard no Sherman statement, no endorsement of another candidate and he has not completely ruled out a run for 2008 as he very clearly did during the 2004 election cycle. This time is different. 2008 is not 2004 and we should, IMO, continue to show our unending and unconditional support by proceeding with our efforts. What kind of draft proceeds only with the consent of the candidate anyway? Someone please clear up this confusion for me.

To Al Gore: NOT RUNNING IS NOT AN OPTION! :coolwink:

Karen - Was this request specifically to stop the ballot efforts, and nothing else? Did the staffer tell you to stop trying to get him in the race because it won't happen under any circumstances? If not, this doesn't seem to be the declaration he made in 2002 which clearly closed the door on a Gore candidacy. Is there a way you could contact his office for confirmation that it is indeed over?

This is a difficult issue to parse, particularly because we can't be specific about the details. As I said above, yes, the communication was specifically about the efforts to get him on the ballot in states where we could do that. And it was also about the write-in effort in NH. Nothing was said about other efforts, but we don't have any other major efforts going on. We were told that putting him on the ballot in any states would create other problems. We didn't ask for clarification of what that meant. But the message was very clear--to stop our activities that are designed to put Gore's name on the ballot in any state.

Does that mean we give up the draft effort? We don't have to, I suppose, and that will be evaluated in the coming days and weeks. But really, what are our options at this point? Can we have massive civil disobedience, rallies, etc., showing that we want him to run? Sure, but is there any point? I think Gore has made it quite clear that he doesn't want to be in politics right now. Apparently he got the message loud and clear from our letter-writing campaigns and the "My Two Cents" campaign, and the polls, etc. He knows people want him to run. I don't know what else we can do.

Another problem is that we have been bleeding support left and right. With each day that dragged on past the NH filing deadline, people were dropping off like dead flies. With this latest announcement, I would expect the majority of people to jump ship. Sure, some will hold on. Some will say that there's more we can do, and as I said, we'll have to revisit that once we've recovered from this blow and have a chance to evaluate what our options are. I don't, however, think there are many.

We are making some phone calls today, doing what we can to clarify things and make sure we've got it all right. I don't expect to hear anything different from what we heard yesterday, but we may at least get some clarification that will give us a better idea of what we should do now. Our main priority right now is dealing with the after-shocks. Most people are taking the news reasonably well, but there are many who have given their lives to this movement for the last year or so, and they are not taking it well. We need to be there to support them. We also have to deal with the media, and we need to do that right. We don't want anyone thinking that we've stopped because of a lack of support. We were on track to succeed in California and New York and other states, and that's an important point to get out.

There will be strategy talks in the coming days to examine what, if any, options we have left. And obviously no one can stop individuals from doing what they want to do. But we do know that wthey hhen we get a specific directive like this, we owe it to Gore to heed what has been said.

This is heartbreaking news. I just read this after reading the thread that "Gore has not made a Sherman statement." So what does this all mean. I wonder if there's any chance that Gore will decide to get in himself but that is probably wishful thinking on my part.

I really feel for everyone in the Draft movement because you guys have worked so hard to make this happen...those who have been out petitioning, those responsible for getting the NYT ad and tv ads done and all the work to gather up donations. Sure, a lot of us have donated and sent letters. I've tried to do what I could, given the red State I live in. But there have been so many who have done so much. I just want to say "thank you" for all you have done. I may respect Gore for how he has gotten the climate crisis front and center, but I respect you guys because you made a difference. You got our voices heard. People sat up and took notice and believed in our cause. There's not very many modern day grassroots movement around anymore and I really believe the Draft Gore movement could have succeeded if we had just had a willing candidate. I just hope something turns around somehow. I am still hoping against hope that Gore will see the proverbial light and get in this thing by December. But if not, at least we can say we tried. :(

Thanks for the info, Karen.

In hindsight, it makes total sense that Gore didn't want to be a candidate (if this is indeed the case, although I'm not 100% convinced) because he would be destroyed by the right-wing lying machine that would accuse him of using his accolades and his global warming campaign as nothing more than a publicity stunt. That may result in people not taking global warming seriously as they are now, and that may be a risk that Gore isn't willing to take. If there were a huge outcry to solve the environmental crisis, I wouldn't doubt that Gore would already be in the race. Unfortunately, about 25% of the people in this country still believe that th Earth is flat, and their loud lies could swiftboat Gore.

It's a Damn shame because we all know that he is clearly the most qualified and competent. But it also reinforces his character because the Earth is far more important to Gore than the ego rush of running for President. I think we can agree that most politicians do what they do not because they genuinely want to help you and I, but for themselves - the ego, the power, the money. The same can be said for most (but not all) of the current crop running for President - both Dems and Repukes.

Gore is in a much better position to fight for the cause he believes in, which will help all of us now and for many generations. He has no need to feed his ego; he doesn't crave power; and he doesn't need the money. He is not running because it is the best option for the Earth and the best way for him to use his already mighty influence to save it, and to save us.

Knowing this makes it easier for me to accept his decision, and reinforces my already everlasting respect for the man.

Karen, last week, it kept periodically hitting me "I think I have to accept now that Gore isn't going to run. He would have gotten in by now. I have to try to face the fact that it is over for 2008." As of this morning (before seeing your thread), I decided "Edna, it's over. He's not running."

I can't describe to you in words how sad and dismayed I am to conclude this. On the bright side, he has made it clear that he doesn't rule out a future run, with quips like "I'm only 59. 59 is the new 58!" While I am glad to hear he doesn't rule out getting back into presidential politics in the future, again I must express, I am profoundly dismayed that he has chosen not to run in 2008. That said, I am sure it was not a decision made lightly or without great consideration and thought. I'm sure he feels he can best serve the cause of reversing global climate change in other ways right now. While I may not agree, I have to respect his decision.

But that doesn't mean I don't get to be very sad, dismayed and upset right now. I feel lost, like I don't know what to do. I was so SURE he was going to get in! I am decidedly non-passionate about the Democratic field of candidates. As of this moment, I'm for Edwards...not that my primary vote will be counted, as Dean and the DNC have opted to disenfranchise Florida and Michigan Democrats. But hopefully, just for a change, just for something different, my vote in the GENERAL election WILL count. And, as of now, it will be cast for Edwards.

But I'm NOT happy about it. I know that the entire course of the world doesn't rest in the hands of one man, but at the same time, I feel that Al Gore is a very special leader who is the specific person we need as President at this moment in history. *sigh* On the bright side, if he is able to accomplish as much as a private citizen in the next eight years as he has in the past eight years, we may all understand his decision not to run better eight years down the road.

For now, I'm crushed. But we go on.

Yes, crushed, Edna.

I keep coming back to the fact that this still hasn't come from Gore's lips, though. Maybe it will soon. I think that if he truly will not be in the 2008 race, he needs to say that, and say it very soon. He has to stop teasing us with talk about the possibility of getting in in the future. It's enough already.

:clap: :clap: :clap:
Well said!!

He is the visionary - we have to trust that he knows best.

We all need to make a concerted effort to remain cohesive - in our support for him and his ventures, as well as each other, in our commitment to bettering the world, and in our determination to make the necessary changes in our government!
If we all push the proverbial envelope and go even greener than we already are (ex. jobs, investments, starting businesses, electing politicians, running for office, etc.), we can help him make those changes that the world needs so desperately.

:Y:

Enough already. He owes his supporters that Sherman statement. People have worked so hard to try to get him on various ballots. So much work has gone into word-of-mouth campaigning for him, I want some kind of statement from him, putting all of this to rest. To quote a friend of mine, "this coy game of his is really getting on my nerves!"

President Hillary Clinton. (Sorry, I just threw up in my mouth a little bit!) How could he allow her to have what she helped to keep from him?!

Well, this sure has been a morning for bad news, well all I can say is this sucks. This whole year has been a waste of time. I'm not happy about this one bit. Looks like another lousy Christmas :angry: :bad:

I have not posted on here in a while but have been keeping an eye on things. EM.....kudos to you and all involed in the effort. You gave it all you had and then some. I was trying to get people locally in my area energized about Gore, but as the days went by it became difficult to convince people there was a reason to consider him. Seems people not close to the situation, decided they better start paying attn to the candidates that were running.

I agree that he needs to start saying publicly that he will not be in the race in 2008 if that's truly the case. I don't believe he owes us much--we did, after all, take on all this voluntarily with the full knowledge that it could end this way--but I do think that he should say, in clearer terms now, that he has made up his mind and that 2008 is off the table. Assuming, of course, that that's true. There are many who are still clinging to a slim thread of hope that he will get in on his own. I doubt it, but hey, we've been wrong before. :blush:

Your anger and despair are completely understandable, AGIML, and are shared by many. However, I don't see what we've done as having been a waste of time. Maybe I can't afford to look at it that way since I've literally spent every waking hour for the last year working on this. But truly, I believe this was a fight that had to be waged, and had we not done it, we'd always wonder if we might have succeeded but didn't because we didn't even try.

This was a cause we believed in, and when you believe in something, you have to fight for it. So we did. We gave it our all. There are many things that I'm sure we could have done better, but I don't think it would have mattered in the end. We pulled off the remarkable feat of getting together a huge national network of supporters, despite not having a candidate, despite not having money, and despite having no encouragement from anywhere.

I don't think you can ever say it was a waste of time to have fought for something you believed in. The outcome is irrelevant, although obviously we would wish it had turned out differently. We did what we had to do, and I know I personally couldn't have lived with myself if I hadn't tried.

I've been offline a couple days, so this was not vey welcoming news to come back to for obvious reasons that I share with many of you. I feel positively empty at this point and devoid of anything of importance to say. So until I have time to fully appreciate this sad news, I won't be saying much. However, I am left with a nagging feeling at the moment that Al may never re-enter the "political scene" and run for office. That much was gleaned from a statement on public life vs private life in a prior comment he made. I may be taking this wrong considering my current state of unrest, but that is the thought that flashed across my mind.

I am deeply saddened... and I know I am not alone in this. My heartfelt and best wishes to you all.

Actually what I meant by that statement was everything that went on this year. It was not meant towards AL GORE. The truth is AL GORE has been the only good in still yet another terrible year. He is never waste of time, but think about it, 2007 hasn't been a very good year for many reasons. :( :angry:

When I made that statement in my previous post, it was shortly after I watched CNN news and all the news I saw was very disturbing and then they go right to Christmas commercials, which I'm not in the mood for. It just started my day off wrong, and then the bad news here. :(

Several questions, since the timing sounds strange and a little suspicious:

1) How come Gore hasn't come out and stated this himself? I'm aware that he recently joined a VC firm, but he didn't say anything different than before regarding a potential candidacy.

2) Was this a phone call or a letter to the Draft Gore movement?

3) Kalee Kreider has been doing most (if not all) of the communications regarding Gore's activities. Now, all of a sudden, a unnamed Gore staff member tells the Draft Gore movement to stop the petition drive?

If Gore is really not running, that's one thing and will be sad and unfortunate. Gore would have made a great President.

But if this is some kind of DIRTY TRICKS CAMPAIGN initiated by a rival candidate or the right-wing to try and discourage a Gore candidacy, something needs to be done about this.

In a very real sense, both Al Gore and Gore supporters have won. You know what I'm saying. The entire world has demonstrated support for Al, we did everything possible. And Al Gore is moving mountains to bring awareness to the climate crisis.

More later...

Very well and beautifully said, Earthmom. Bless your heart.

When I heard he joined the corporate CA board the other day, I knew for sure...

well this just sucks, "President Hillary Clinton". I guess you DO really get the democracy you deserve.

I too will never understand his decsion. I have now really lost hope of things getting better in this country.

I'll contribute to edwards if he is still around by Florida, but I am voting for Gore, even tho I am very disappointed in his decision.

Easrthmother,
Would it not be in the nation's best interest to keep the signatures going, and if he makes a good showing, maybe,he would change his mind about running. I still can'st believe that he is not hearing our cries.

First of all, IF any of you think a staff member of Gores made this call without his full knowledge and approval then you don't have a clue about Gore at all!!!!!

Put it in the bank as from Al Gore, PLEASE.

NEXT, HE OWES NO SHERMAN STAEMENT, HE NEVER LED ANYONE ON, EVERYONE LED THEMSELVES ON AND TO MAKE THAT STATEMENT NOW WOULD APPEAR THAT HE WAS JUST HANGING AROUND HOPING, WAITING, PERHAPS A StUMBLE, OR ONLY IF IT IS A CAKE WALK AND I ANSWER NO QUESTIONS BUT THE MEDIA SPIN ON THAT UNEEDED STATEMENT ALONE WOULD INJURE HIS GREEN EFFORTS AND CREDIBILTY!!!!!

Quit transferring your needs to him.

25 great years of public service. Did ya know he has literally saved thousands of childrens lives through his groundbreaking car seat legislation, etc!

It is over folks, get over it!

I am in state where it doesn't matter and even if it did, I will write in for Gore cause it will be the last vote I ever make for president. H-rod is just two cents away from as bad as any of them, Obama included and that is why when he stepped back, he fell out of love with politics!

He found a better way to influence the world for the better!

There will be no Sherman statement and at best there will be an endorsement that I bet many of you still will spin as a left handed way to get into the race then?

I SUPPORT THIS MAN 110 PERCENT IN WHATEVER HE WISHES!

Why, if you are truly Gore supporters, can't you all do the same??????????

Nice to hear from you, blueraider...

I don't see this as the 'do all - end all' 'it's over' event
that some others might.
A staffer asks that we discontinue ballot efforts because
it 'would create other problems.'
It's completely understandable how these efforts might create
technical problems. We were not told to abandon the
draft.

We sure a shit gave him the option.

That he even had to write this letter shows you how close we came.

I'm probably goint to support Dodd, and vote Obama if he's close.

Meanwhile Hillary is planting softball questions on energy because she has the worst non plan of the bunch.

I'm going to cry in a beer, and hope Iowa can save us from Hillary.

Like many here, I've never campaigned so hard and the date for teh HN primaries is not even set.

Love to all.

I'm still not going to vote fore anyone but Gore. I've been critical of people throwing away votes by writing in their choice in the past but frankly, if not Gore, I don't care who runs. I don't think anyone else will make a difference.

I just spent a week in Williamsburg with my children, educating them about the making of this country. Listening to some of our founding fathers speak (living history) I was struck by how relevant the things they were saying back then are to our country today.

This is not about not about going along with business as usual because it's the easier thing to do. It's about standing up for what we believe in. Come on guys, it's not like we're having to take the big risks our founding fathers did. They did the hard part. All we have to do is use the system they put in place.

Okay, maybe we risk "wasting" a little time if Gore refuses to take his place in history. But is our time "wasted" if spent standing up for what we believe in?

Well, I am in the minority, i suppose, that this neither surprises nor disappoints me. I was sure a year ago that he'd step in, but just as sure six months ago he would not.

So I dealt with my disappointment gradually over the past six months.

I remain a big fan and wish him the best. He will go down in history, I am sure, as the man who saved the planet (if he does).

I said some time back that I will support whomever he endorses, no questions asked.


I am intrigued, though, by the apparent intrigue of this communication. The phrase

"We were told that putting him on the ballot in any states would create other problems. We didn't ask for clarification of what that meant. But the message was very clear--to stop our activities that are designed to put Gore's name on the ballot in any state"

seems both a little vague, and also over-specific. What "other problems?" If it is that it distracts and detracts from his non-political activities, well, then why not ask that everything cease? If everything else is ok, but specifically being on the ballot (as a dem) is a problem, well, that raises an eyebrow. I highly doubt that he would do a third-party thing; if he were to seek the office but not want to go through the politics he has "fallen out of love with" it would be via some oblique approach none of us can imagine. I am certainly not holding my breath, but that statement is intriguing. Probably nothing, just a staffer being careful with words. .

dbc, you bring up an interesting point. Exactly what problems would it create? I have purposely tried to dismiss the 3rd party idea, but this particular statement makes me wonder. I can't think of another reason why trying to put Gore's name on a democratic would create "other problems" other than the possibility of a 3rd party run. Okay, call me crazy, but it still makes me wonder... :!:

1) What transpired yesterday with the VC announcement has no impact on him running or not, according to the person we spoke with yesterday. He could still run if that's what he chooses to do, not that there was any suggestion that he might do that.

2) Various methods of communication were used, but it would be improper of me to divulge the specifics.

3) Just because we said the source is unnamed, you can't assume that it's this person or not that person. There's no way I will divulge who it was, but I can tell you that the source is 100% credible and that no one could possibly dispute this person's reliability if they knew who it was.

This is most definitely not a DIRTY TRICKS CAMPAIGN. Exactly what's going on, I don't know. I agree that it's odd that Gore continues to say publicly that he hasn't ruled it out for some future time (he said so several times yesterday in interviews). And I found the quote in the Financial Times interview today to be particularly interesting. He said: "I have not made a Sherman statement." Check out the whole article here:
http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/21759787/

All I can tell you is that we were told that putting him on the ballot in any state would create other problems. I'm tired of reading tea leaves to try to figure out what that means. Several scenarios seem possible, but I don't even want to discuss them. I'm tired, I'm battle-weary, and for now, we just have to go along with this. We have done everything we could. We have shown Gore in as many ways as we could that America wants him to run. We have put as much pressure on him as we could ethically put on a person. Now it's up to Al. The ball is in his court. Either he'll hit it or he'll watch it bounce past him. It remains to be seen.

FRUSTRATING isn't it EM!!!!

Can some of you perhaps imagine that a very blessed few of us from time to time are trusted with information from credible sources that we dare not reveal of perhaps we will not be trusted again???!!!

I am not saying that EM nor I, nor anyone else we know are privy to or anywhere close to an "inner cirlce" of true knowledge on Gore!!!!!

Well, let me clarify, every once in awhile we do get communication from someone in that inner circle! Not from Gore himself---(wouldn't that be something!) BUT from people we know beyond a shadow of a doubt would not say anything that Gore would ever disapprove of! Not some staff member hired to answer phones, etc!!!

His staff are the very best folks in their field! It humbles me as someone who has graduated recently certified to be in the top ten percent of all grads from graduate schools based on class standing and nationwide comparison of grades to know that I could understudy with a Gore staff member for 5 years and still not reach their level of capabiltiy!!!

EM has total crediblity around here I would think and she certainly does with me!!!! :good:

She has told you all she can and illuminated exactly what she doesn't understand nor know from a horses mouth!

I am completely certain that she received her info from completely credible sources and that as usual, they were vague, etc.

I postulate that exactly because of "Leaks" like ME and the rumor and innuendo, etc that swirl around every dotted i and crossed t---that they always attempt to err on the side of saying as very little as needed in any situation.

I wish I could learn that myself???? I get very frustrated by NOT being able to tell you every little detail that gives me some credibilty and understand fully and have for awhile that I could never join an inner circle cause I just have to run out and tell some other folks something, in a spirit of trying to inform and VOILA, How do ya know, where did you get that info, who told you, c'mon tell us and realize no dang wonder I can't go to a higher level? I am a big mouth!

I see the huge success he is having moving his subject to the very mouth of Bush himself and don't ya know it takes a stiff drink after he says it to go down knowing where it came from!

Gamble all of that success that just keeps pouring in against a political system so corrupt morally that the USSC overstepped history to block him for the presidency. That has not changed its media attack dogs of build them up, tear them down, that has bankrolls to trot out against him that makes EXXON look poor on a fickle American public that blows in the wind, that the people you need to vote for you actually in truth of FACT, decide on a thirity second soundbite that they only actually follow for 6-7 seconds in attention span!

EM got the back off warning. Yep, I would say they realized perhaps he was going to get on a ballot. You speculate that it might upset some secret other plan. I just as easy state that it might lower his current status to show poorly after all that effort. Recall the recent take on the failure in Iowa? The media just love to come out and say---well Al Gore ain't all that hot now is he!!!

When he finally endorses someone, then PLEASE don't spin that into a run also.

FOR THE RECORD---I told him face to face that the only way I would vote for
H-rod was IF he asked me to personally face to face!!!!!!! No phone call, no computer bank, no email, no text, etc that he would have to look me in the eye and ask me too! He just laughed in that great manner of his in a way I took to reflect that he understood I was loyal to the bone!

If he does that, I will vote for H-rod, but IF he endorses Obama, Bloomberg, anyone else, I am writing in my ballot for Gore for the last time and attempting to learn how to be SHALLOW the rest of my life left!

I love you all and I am sorry to down your dreams, cause they are my dreams too, after all---I might have gotten a tuna sandwich from the White House kitchen?

Hey Blueraider!

It's good to hear from you and everyone else too. I just have some rambling thoughts... We might like to hear a Sherman statement from Gore himself but for reasons outlined by ole blue that may not be a good idea in the big picture of things. Also, in the very, very unlikely scenario where the winner of the Democratic primaries dies in a plane crash or some other unthinkable case, Al does not want to say he would turn down the Democratic Party in that situation. Mostly, he is probably leaving the door unlatched for 2012 ;)

As much as I want to see Al Gore in the White House I have to trust that he has good reasons not to run at this time. There would be the almost inevitable result that all of his hard work to bring awareness to the climate crisis would be seen as a political ploy for his presidential ambitions. I know that would not be true and you know it -- but substantial numbers of people would be influenced by that argument. Maybe Al Gore understands that the earth cannot take that chance. He has been so very successful that he may not be willing to jeopardize all that by re-entering politics in this cycle. It won't matter who's president if it's 151 degrees outside.

He may not be a candidate this time; but he will always be First Emperor of the Moon. I will continue to support Al Gore.

Yes, Wayne, what you said, but I also wouldn't totally rule him out for '08. Anything can happen. Not that I'm saying I have any reason at all to think that it might (the contrary, actually), but you just never know.