This is it. With less than two weeks to go before the first filing deadlines, Al Gore needs to be convinced to enter the race for president now. As you all know via the 457,298 Gore diaries that have been written over the past month or so, the former vice president has not completely ruled out a last minute entry into the fray; as late as this week he has reiterated that he has "no plans" to become a candidate. That language has to change and change very quickly if he's to get in - maybe we have to help him along.
I received an email from DraftGore.com not too long ago. If you and the media thought the New York Times ad was impressive, just imagine the attention a television ad would get. Likewise, and more importantly, imagine the impression it would leave on Al himself. The ad is already being produced, but they still need more funds to actually run it:
Dear Friends,
Three weeks ago we sent out an email to some of you asking that you help us fund an ad in the New York Times. We can never thank you enough for how you came through. Within a week we had the funds, and on October 10 our full-page ad made headlines around the world. Two days later Draft Gore was mentioned in every major story about Al Gore winning the Nobel Peace Prize. Last Friday our website got an astounding 100,000 hits and our mailing list doubled.
Today we ask you to take a few super-urgent actions in the final weeks of this historic campaign. Please read, act, and forward this to all your friends today. It's now or never. The presidency of the United States is at stake.
Help us run a television ad
We never dreamt this would be within our reach. It is. We now have the funds to produce the ad - but not to run it. Your contribution will help us play it to key markets. Click here to make a contribution.
The email also urges two other important actions. First, they ask you to send Al a personal letter asking him to run. This is something that many of us have already done, but I ask you - if you haven't yet done so, please send a letter (with two pennies) to the following address:
The Office of the Honorable Al Gore
2100 West End Avenue
Nashville, TN 37203
Many of you will also remember that a while back, America for Gore started a petition urging DFA to include Al as an option in their presidential pulse polls. To date, we've collected 2,000 signatures, many of which belong to DFA members. In previous polls, only an "Other" option was given. We didn't completely get our way this time, but DFA is allowing an option to write-in a candidate, and thus Gore's actual results will be available. Please go over and write-in "Al Gore" over at the latest pulse poll. Here's what the email had to say:
Write a letter to Al Gore: Run Al Run!
Write a letter to Al Gore today and ask him to run. If you already did, write another one. We want him to receive hundreds of thousands of letters now as the momentum builds: The Office of the Honorable Al Gore, 2100 West End Avenue, Nashville, TN 37203.
Vote in crucial DFA poll
Democracy for America (DFA) is running a very important online presidential poll. This influential group could make a formal endorsement provided a candidate gets a large enough majority. Al Gore is very popular with DFA members, and with your help, he can win. Gore's name is not included, but you can type it in. Just drag the icon for "Other" to the top and type Al Gore's name in the space provided. It only takes a few seconds. Please vote.
Finally, for those of you in the San Francisco Bay area, consider heading to Oakland on the 25th of this month:
San Francisco Bay Area: Attend Film Event
Those of you who happen to live in the San Francisco Bay Area: Please attend a very special showing of "An Inconvenient Truth" at the historic landmark Grand Lake Theater in Oakland on October 25. The theater will run the Oscar-winning film all day (12:00, 2:30, 5:00, 7:35, and 10:00), with all proceeds going to Draft Gore. Be part of this very special fundraiser and meet other Gore supporters in the Bay Area.
Like I said before folks, this is it, our final push. If you want Al to run as badly as I and everyone else in the movement does, we need to convince him and we need to do it very fast. Please do the things outlined above and consider helping DraftGore.com getting their ad on TV. This could be historic, and you'll want to be a part of it if it happens.
Update 1: Something I should have mentioned is that the plan, funds pending, is to air the ad as soon as possible in Iowa and New Hampshire. I also just received word that the cost of production was around $50,000 and the buy itself is, at a minimum, another $50,000. That being said, the more money they get in the next day or two, the greater the impact the ad will have.
Update 2: The Zogby Poll commissioned by AlGore.org will hopefully be completed and released this weekend as well, so stay tuned for what will likely be very interesting and promising results.
Update 3: Thanks in part to your efforts, Al Gore just moved into 2nd place, as a write-in candidate, in the DFA Presidential Pulse Poll. If you haven't yet done so, go vote - a first place finish would certainly send a strong message!
Update 4: Al Gore is now first in the DFA poll --- how's that for a statement!