No one wants Al Gore to run more than I do. I sincerely believe he is the only person with the vision, intelligence, experience, courage, and political weight to not only win but also take the country in the progressive direction it so desperately needs to go. If Gore runs, Gore wins...the GOP doesn't have anyone that could possibly beat him, no matter how many Diebold machines they've tampered with. He is the 800 pound gorilla in the room, and everyone knows it.
Right now, Gore is the Man of the Hour, with a growing vault of political gold. His post-2002 barnstormer speeches, his on-the-ground efforts after Katrina, his Oscar-winning documentary on the single most important global issue at hand, a recent best-selling book, and even a nomination for the Nobel. The man has grown in stature beyond anything the other candidates could achieve in the next year. Really, close your eyes and imagine the reaction of the Denver delegates on the floor as Gore is first introduced as the Democratic nominee. sigh
However...
...and here's what I keep coming up against...how would Gore actually run a campaign? More specifically, a primary campaign?
For some reason, I have a very difficult time seeing him transitioning from his current mode of operation to the standard mode of campaigning. For some reason, I cannot see him participating in primary debates or grueling whistle-stop tours. I certainly cannot see him putting out traditional ad campaigns or even saying anything negative about the other Democratic candidates. Somehow, all those things seem beneath him now.
So, what do you think he would do? What might an Al Gore primary or general campaign look like?
Personally, I have no idea. Maybe he would more or less keep doing what he's doing now, with the addition of creating various policy proposals. Maybe not. But when Gore shows hesitation about running, I suspect that it isn't grounded in a lack of desire to be POTUS, but the frequent pettiness of campaigning.