I'm sure that everyone has been keeping an eye out for any word Al might jump into the 2008 election. I spotted this article today that states there are "Rumors" that Gore is being courted by Nader and the Green Party for 2008. So, could he run Green and win? Have we reached the "tipping point" he speaks of where Americans will actually vote in a third party candidate? I know many believe he would never run third party but it seems that the Environment has become as Al states, "a bipartisan issue." Would it then make sense for him to become the GREEN party candidate? Where's Earthmother? I'd love her insight on this?

Third Party Candidate Still A Wild Card

The positive of a third party run would be that he could avoid all of the hassles of priamry deadlines; in fact so many have passed that it is probably too late to enter as a Democrat. The first problem is that he is heavily, heavily invested in the Democratic Party, as evidenced by the fact that he recently, and routinely, sends out DNC, DCCC and DSCC fundraisig letters/solicitations. The second problem, whether fair or not, is the fact that the Green Party has been very badly branded, in large part because it has cost the Democrats key election victories, none more than Al Gore's in 2000. In fact, the giddiness of Jim Webb's victory over George Allen overshadowed the fact that the Green candidate in that race almost siphonned just enough votes from Webb to hand Allen a victory even though the Greeen candidate had ZERO chance of winning. Finally, the third problem is that the Green PArty has become synonymous with being a foreign policy/national security dove. And, even though Gore's foreign policy credentials are incomparable, the second he became a Green candidate, he would lose all national policy credibility. Any thoughts?? He would also siphon far more votes from the Dem nominee than from the Republican one and likely ensure a Republican victory.

I think if he decided to do that, which I seriously doubt, he would remake the party and its foreign policy position would be whatever he said, rather than the other way around.

Damn! I would love to hear that converstation:

Nader: Al I'm so sorry I lied about you in 2000 and screwed you out of the Presidency. No hard feelings I hope. But now is your chance to screw the Dems out of the Presidency in 2008. How about it, Al?

Unity08 with Mike Bloomberg

Gore/Bloomberg

As there is no real green party

The two party system is 100percent broke. You gotta admit both Perot and Nader were right on that, even if we don't like what Nader did in 2000 (not that the Bushies wouldn't have stolen it anyhow)...

Gore/Bloomberg can win it outright. (As I have said all along). Unless Al has been paid off to just go away and accept awards, it may still happen.
No money would need to be raised and both are the Greenest candidates this side of Kermit

Don't buy the loyal democrats who want Hillary to just win.
Gore could win 3rd party and HIllary can come in 3rd
That would be the best poetic justice of all time, being that the Clinton's helped screw Gore in the rear end in 2000 during the recount, and of course, in 2004, when the Dem's told Gore to go F--- himself and go away, and don't come back another day.

GORE/BLOOMBERG UNITY08
If it is good enough for Mario Cuomo and Hamilton Jordon to be part of their membership, it's good enough for me.

You folks shouldn't even be talking about an Independent or Third Party run here. It's a forbidden subject on this board....
Seriously, if events continue as they have recently with Clinton and Obama (and to a lesser extent Edwards) you are looking at a prescription for a Deadlocked Democratic Convention and we know who that favors....
So if all fairness running outside the parties for Gore might be a moot point.

Naw, splintering the progressive vote so that a repug wins is fine by everyone here! :dripple:

Third party run or no third party run, I really question whether Hillary or Obama can win over whoever wins the Repug nom. Looking at the polls and seeing how Hillary is neck and neck with Guiliani concerns me. She may win the Dem. nom. but I am not confident that she can win against Guiliani.

The campaigning had been fairly civil up until recently. But I get the feeling that the mudslinging is about to kick into high gear and I don't doubt for one minute that the Repugs will try to swiftboat Hillary and then what? We are stuck with another Republican?

Frankly, on the remote chance that Gore ran as a 3rd party candidate, I wouldn't have a problem with it because I think he'd have a better chance of winning against the Repug than Hillary would. I believe his support is that strong.

I agree completely.

If Al did this it wouldn't be to 'try.'
It would be to WIN.
Democrats would follow Al in droves.

First off, Hillary does NOT have the progressive (liberal) votes in her pocket

What part of Hillary makes her a progressive?

At best she is a centrist, at worse she is a Barry Goldwater republican she was in college masquerading as a liberal to pick up votes

If Obama is the candidate, there would be no talk of a 3rd party run, as Obama has Al Gore's views (and what a great team an Obama/Gore ticket would be if Al is not leading the ticket).

Hilllary is not green, is for the war and the Patriot Act (til she was against the war)
and this republican/democratic spin that a Gore (or Bloomberg) 3rd party run would hurt the democrats is a straw-man theory.

You watch, should it happen they will outright win, because people are tired of
politics as usual.

And millions of democrats would vote independent (after all, you don't have to switch your party status to vote in the Nov. election on a 3rd party. (That is another lie both parties say...)

BTW-whatever that handshake is suppose to signify, unfortunately in 2007, it
looks to me :spikey: :wtf: like the old boy system with two WHITE MALE DEMOCRATIC HANDS
shaking hands.

America, we can do better, can't we?
Why are those handshakes not one black or one female hand?

(and if that is Bill Clinton's hand, eeewwwww, you never know where that hand has been, I would wear gloves shaking that hand (and also watching I wasn't being pickpocket'd with his other hand for either my vote or my money) :clap: :lol: :D

I think Gore running third party is less likely than Gore accepting the VP spot on the Democratic ticket. However, if it is Clinton vs. Giuliani, two centrists, I think a Gore/Bloomberg ticket should be considered. In fact, if Bloomberg were to run against Clinton vs. Giuliani, I'd vote for him.

But right now I'm hoping for Obama/Gore...

I've always been strongly against 3rd party votes and I've chosen to vote against the greater evil. But, now, I don't think it matters. It seems the only one who might make a difference is Al Gore so I'll probably write him in even if he doesn't run.

To be honest, Hilary makes me feel nausius......

I know it will never probably happen here but I wish our voting was like Australia where they have 1st choice 2nd choice so you can vote for a small party first and if they lose it goes to your next choice.

Then we would finally see things change, people would then feel free to vote with their true feelings and we might get some independents and greens in.

I want Gore to but realistically I don't think he will run as anything but a democrat, he has been one all his life. But then again he is doing a lot things new and different and I am unsure of what he wants for the future.

I know he wants to save the planet environmentally and is doing lots of different things to make that happen but politically I am totally unsure of him now.

I haven't a clue what he wants to do or is willing to do. After he told the drafts to stop part of me thinks he just doesn't want to run and is sick of politics but then another part of me is thinking and hoping he will find another way to do it.

So I am still in the same confused place I have been in for weeks. I would vote for Al no matter the party, but what about the rest of America, are they ready for that? We are talking small town America here, not just large cities, and we are talking people who take their party seriously and like to say as many do in my small town, I have NEVER voted for anyone outside my party. How many of those are there??

If the population of the USA is mad, which it appears they are
and Party A and Party B both have unappealing candidates who won't change a darn thing whatsoever
And the population is Mad as Hell and they won't take it anymore
In a perfect storm (and 2008 appears to be a perfect storm) it would seem to me to be the best chance to find out
After all, we have nothing left to lose.

Freedom's just another word for nothing left to lose as Kris Kristofferson wrote and until we are free (of old ideas) and think outside the box, we will just get the same.

So yes, I think this year, people don't give a spit about party. After all, ratings for the entire congress are lower than W's.

And they want someone who will change the nation.

America, we can do better.(than Hillary or Rudy).

My thoughts/feelings EXACTLY when I read that quote! Nader having the NERVE to "court" Gore about running? I have to think that one is purely rumour. Surely even Nader couldn't be THAT tone deaf and clueless to even DARE to approach Gore about anything to do with the presidency of the United States of America. A presidency which his (Nader's) candidacy cost Gore and all of us in 2000. SURELY, if Nader sees Al Gore coming, he would slink off with his tail between his legs in the other direction.

If Gore opts to run on a third-party ticket, great. But Nader needs to keep himself FAR away from the entire picture. If for no other reason than this: if I go to a Gore for Prez rally and I see Nader there, God help him. I would, I believe the phrase is, "rip him a new one", the likes of which has never been seen in human history. As in, if you see me striding towards you, Ralph, run--do not walk--in the opposite direction, unless you want the verbal tirade of a lifetime coming at you.

:mad:

2000 election? NOT OVER IT, baby!

I'm not over it either, hangingchad - You're not alone!
I saw Nader speak at the protest in DC in Sept. and had a hard time refraining from rushing the stage to put a 'Gore 2008' sticker on him (at least :coolwink: )!
No love lost there.

Oh. OH! Do NOT even get me started on Nader! Especially not this morning, when I am in a severe protein deficit and ready to go postal for no reason. Nader would qualify as a REASON.
:lol:

Used to like the man, used to respect him greatly, actually. But since he decided to run against Gore in 2000? Even BEFORE the election turned out as surreal as it did, I already was furious and PREDICTED that it would be a razor thin margin and that the Nader votes could very likely throw the election to W. Of course, no one could have predicted just how razor thin it all would be or that W.'s band of election-stealing, constitution-flouting thugs would go to the lengths that they went to in order to impede the proper election process. That part wasn't Nader's fault. But had he not siphoned voters away from Gore, even shrub wouldn't have been able to steal the election. Dang it!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Like I said, don't get me started. Just suffice it to say that Nader--should he ever see me approaching--needs to follow the advice of the character Danielle from LOST, who said:

"The Others are coming. Run, hide, or die."

Don't worry, I wouldn't kill Ralph. I'm a non-violent person. I would merely rip him the aforementioned verbal new one. But it would make a LOUD tearing sound! I advise him to flee the area before I get anywhere near him.

Earthmother,
Is all hope gone for Gore running in '08? I feel that something is going on. Yesterday, coming out of the Oval Office, he still did not answer about not running. I feet that we jumped the gun too early in stopping the signatures gathering.