TIME


Is Al Gore the Answer?
Wednesday, Mar. 26, 2008
By JOE KLEIN

Unlike Barack Obama, Bill Clinton does not believe in "the fierce urgency of now." The former President has an exquisitely languid sense of how political time unfurls. He understands that those moments the political community, especially the media, considers urgent usually aren't. He has seen his own election and reelection—and completing his second term—pronounced "impossible" and lived to tell the tale. He remembers that in spring 1992 he had pretty much won the Democratic nomination but was considered a dead man walking, running third behind Bush the Elder and Ross Perot. He knows that April is the silly season in presidential politics, the moment when candidates involved in a bruising primary battle seem weakest and bloodied, as both Hillary Clinton and Obama do now. It's the moment when pundits demand action—"Drop out, Hillary!"—and propound foolish theories. And so I'm rather embarrassed to admit that I'm slouching toward, well, a theory: if this race continues to slide downhill, the answer to the Democratic Party's dilemma may turn out to be Al Gore.

This April promises to be crueler than most. The two campaigns have started attacking each other with chainsaws, while the Republican John McCain is moving ahead in some national polls. At this point, Clinton can only win the nomination ugly: by superdelegates abandoning Obama and turning to her, in droves—not impossible, but not very likely either. Even if Clinton did overtake Obama, it would be very difficult for her to win the presidency: African Americans would never forgive her for "stealing" the nomination. They would simply stay home in November, as would the Obamista youth. (Although the former President is probably thinking: Yeah, but John McCain is a flagrantly flawed candidate too—I'd accept even a corrupted nomination and take my chances.)

Which is not to say that Clinton's candidacy is entirely without purpose now that she is pursuing a Republican-style race gambit, questioning Obama's 20-year relationship with the Rev. Jeremiah "God damn America" Wright. Democrats will soon learn how damaging that relationship might be in a general election. They'll also see if Obama has the gumption to bounce back, work hard—not just arena rallies for college kids but roundtables for the grizzled and unemployed in American Legion halls—and change the minds that have turned against him. The main reason superdelegates have not yet rallied round Obama is that the party is collectively holding its breath, waiting to see how he performs in Pennsylvania, North Carolina and Indiana.

He will probably do well enough to secure the nomination. But what if he tanks? What if he can't buy a white working-class vote? What if he loses all three states badly and continues to lose after that? I'd guess that the Democratic Party would still give him the nomination rather than turn to Clinton. But no one would be very happy—and a year that should have been an easy Democratic victory, given the state of the economy and the unpopularity of the incumbent, might slip away.

Which brings us back to Al Gore. Pish-tosh, you say, and you're probably right. But let's play a little. Let's say the elders of the Democratic Party decide, when the primaries end, that neither Obama nor Clinton is viable. Let's also assume—and this may be a real stretch—that such elders are strong and smart enough to act. All they'd have to do would be to convince a significant fraction of their superdelegate friends, maybe fewer than 100, to announce that they were taking a pass on the first ballot at the Denver convention, which would deny the 2,025 votes necessary to Obama or Clinton. What if they then approached Gore and asked him to be the nominee, for the good of the party—and suggested that he take Obama as his running mate? Of course, Obama would have to be a party to the deal and bring his 1,900 or so delegates along.

I played out that scenario with about a dozen prominent Democrats recently, from various sectors of the party, including both Obama and Clinton partisans. Most said it was extremely unlikely ... and a pretty interesting idea. A prominent fund raiser told me, "Gore-Obama is the ticket a lot of people wanted in the first place." A congressional Democrat told me, "This could be our way out of a mess." Others suggested Gore was painfully aware of his limitations as a candidate. "I don't know that he'd be interested, even if you handed it to him," said a Gore friend. Chances are, no one will hand it to him. The Democratic Party would have to be monumentally desperate come June. And yet ... is this scenario any more preposterous than the one that gave John McCain the Republican nomination? Yes, it's silly season. But this has been an exceptionally "silly" year.

The Gore-Obama ticket sounds interesting, but not viable. Voters have asked for 'change' and Al Gore is not the answer. That's said, Al Gore is still a major force among Democrats. He can close ranks and unify the party. He can add credence to the ticket. What about an Obama-Gore ticket! Think about it. It would enhance Democrats' chance to capture the White House and continue doing so in 2012 and beyond. I see a wisdom in such a ticket.

The Gore-Obama is interesting and as you say not viable. Voters did ask for a change but you are very wrong in that Al Gore is not the answer. He is just the answer we need. But with regret he won't be running, but no running does not mean he is not the answer we need.

And a Obama-Gore ticket simply will not happen. Why should the man the majority of the world and country wants as President take the number two job.

Yet your opinions are a very personal thing and should not be repressed. I hope I haven't do so and hope you continue to express how you feel.

Welcome.

Al Gore has publicly stated that he's only interested in the presidential spot, nothing else. So Obama/Gore isn't a realistic ticket. Unfortunately, I think Gore/Obama probably isn't either. Even with listening to all this speculation, there seems to be a lot of negative sentiment about such a scenario. A lot of positive as well, but it would have to be done exactly right, and I'm not sure that's possible. Either Hillary will have to really destroy Obama by convincing people he's unelectable (doubtful), or, Obama will have to somehow shoot himself in the foot (highly doubtful).

Unfortunately, I remain quite pessimistic about anything other than Obama becoming the nominee. Not that I don't think he'd be a good president, but I'm not sure he can win against McCain, and I know that, of all the possible people, Gore is the single best person to lead this country.

I'm getting really tired of these "Obama Shills" trying to sell the idea of a Obama/Gore ticket.

Anyone who supports Obama/Gore is basically admitting that Obama is an unqualified lightweight who needs a superstar like Gore to cover up all of Obama's flaws. And Obama has a lot of flaws!

Maybe we need to think bigger! We are distracted a lot by the war in Iraq, but the real story, the big one is saving the world. Earth has finally faced our enemy and it is us. Al Gore has played and is playing an important role now. He is the American who can best carry the message to everyone. Why demean him by sidetracking him into our presidential process? I think the real meaning of his losing the 2000 election is that he was needed for a higher calling.

Obama and Clinton, the Democrats and their supporters will find the way out of their own delimmma without any other help. Trust in the process. Do your homework and become your best self as Al Gore is doing.

I don't think that Obama is an unqualified lightweight or I wouldn't have voted for him. However, the idea of an Obama/Gore ticket is not just unrealistic. It is completely delusional. The many in the media would cast it exactly as you have and it would wind up hurting Obama in the general election. Many would also cast Gore as a coward without the guts to go for the top spot again. It would be a public relations nightmare for both.

Al Gore would be a profound, HUGE change from George W. Bush!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Good versus evil no less. Green versus black oil. Democrat versus Republican. Integrity versus cronieism. I could go on and on and ON.

A Gore ticket would be the change **I** can believe in!

I agree so much with everything in your post except the point about the presidency demeaning him. While it does ironically restrain what one can do in some ways (and that is why I agree that becoming president in 2000 may not have been his true destiny afterall, but what happened really might have been what was meant to happen, because just look at all he was able to accomplish as a private citizen for what you so accurately point out is the bigger picture, namely, global climate change), it also gives one great power in a very unique way. As the leader of the free world, Gore could effect an amazing, unprecedented international effort and focus towards turning around global climate change. Maybe it wasn't meant to be in 2000 but I feel that NOW is the time because, frankly, time is running out. Gore is now seen as who he really is, not as the "stiff, boring, wooden VP" role he was cast into that really was never the whole of him. As the whole Gore, he has achieved his rightful stature in this world now, culminating in a much-deserved Nobel Peace Prize. But more important than any prize is the awareness he has already created, and the action he has already inspired, on global climate change. As president, he could do more.

I think it would be great, it would be what is destined to happen, for him to become president in 2008.

...Doesn't look at all likely, but I'm keeping hope alive as of last week! If this is delusional I don't want to go back to sanity!

edited to add: And if he doesn't become prez, he is still going to accomplish so much through efforts like the "We campaign", etc. He is going on, full steam ahead, as the planet's passionate advocate, God bless him. In some ways, he is a freer advocate for the planet outside of the presidency, plus he can put his total focus into that effort. But in other ways, gosh: just think of what he could do as president! Either way, he is going on, full steam ahead. I admire him so much for that, among other things.