Taylor Marsh – TaylorMarsh.com – News, Opinion and Weblog on Progressive Politics

Al Gore Again

photo by AP

Yesterday on my radio show I pontificated that no one I\’ve talked to believes
Al Gore will run. Then this story hit.

This Saturday Gore is hosting a network of 1,600 house parties across the country to watch and discuss his documentary, \”An Inconvenient Truth,\” with the Democrat planning to address the gatherings by satellite hookup. The movie is on the short list of feature-length documentaries being considered for Oscar nominations. Crisscrossing the country to promote the DVD version of the movie — just in time for holiday gift-giving — Gore insists that he\’s not planning a return to politics. \”I am not planning to run for president again,\” Gore said last week, arguing that his focus is raising public awareness about global warming and its dire effects. Then, he added: \”I haven\’t completely ruled it out.\” … Gore chases Oscar nod, possible 2008 bid

Here\’s the way I see it.

If Mr. Bush does what I\’ve been saying he will do, which is do nothing in Iraq
so he can hand off his disaster to the next president in the hopes of squirming
out of responsibility for this mess. Democrats will need an anti Iraq war candidate,
preferably someone who actually spoke out against the war or at least had the
good sense to say it was a colossal mistake (John Edwards, Obama…).

If Mr. Bush does what I believe he will do, his only hope at a decent legacy
is to back, whether overtly or covertly, someone who will continue on with Iraq
until we \”succeed,\” which can only mean John McCain will inherit his
mantle. Why he\’d want it is a whole \’nother story, though McCain has always
said he wasn\’t very bright. He\’s finally convinced me he\’s right about himself.

When you hear a big time politician like Al Gore continue to offer caveats
on running for president he\’s seriously thinking about running for president.

If Mr. Bush continues on his stay the course – I\’m not staying the course –
trajectory, it would be just too enticing not to jump into the race.

Or maybe I\’m just hoping beyond hopes we will actually have a deep thinking
candidate that knows about foreign policy and military issues, while having
deep knowledge of the biggest challenge we face in our lifetime, energy independence.

It\’s not because of Carville
and definitely not because of TNR\’s
Peretz, though their conclusions are correct.

So, stop by Run Obama.

But then get serious.

Say it with me: Run, Al, run.

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