The Assault on Reason challenges each of us to take responsibility and participate in the conversation of democracy. The book was released yesterday and Al Gore began a twelve-city national book signing tour at the Wilshire Theatre in Los Angeles.
Last night I went to the Wilshire Theatre to attend Al Gore’s first stop on his 12-city book signing tour. I have one word for the experience last night in Los Angeles: "Wow!"
We got to hear Al and Harry Shearer talk about his new book. We got to meet Al, speak with Al, speak with his staff and get him to autograph our The Assault on Reason books. But we also understand that Gore, himself, came away with his own "wow."
Earlier on the Larry King Show, King's staff had done "man on the street" interviews asking people what they would like to say to Al Gore. Over and over we heard them say: "Are you going to run for President?" "When are you going to run for president? "Please run for president", "America needs you more than ever" and so on. Gore's response upon hearing the clips was a skeptical question about CNN's creative editing. King assured Al that it was a representative sample. Only a short time later, would Al Gore see with his own eyes that Larry King was telling the truth.
Gore arrived at the Wilshire Theatre minutes after going off the air at the King Show. As he walked on to the stage, he was greeted by 1,940 cheering attendees who had paid to hear him have a conversation about his new book The Assault on Reason. This was not a normal book signing event, however. Hanging from the balcony was a large "Gore 2008" banner. Waving in the crowd were similar looking hand-held rally signs. In unison, several times during the evening the entire crowd chanted "Run Al Run!" Probably 90% of the attendees were wearing T-shirts, buttons or lapel stickers that made reference to Re-electing Gore, drafting Gore, making him President or a version of the simple theme from the television series Heroes: "Save the White House. Save The World. Gore '08." Nearly as many handed the former Vice President a personal letter asking him to "Please Run for President" when they got their books signed.
Now this certainly didn't represent an unbiased sampling of the US electorate. But it did represent something else very important. For those who would like to see Al Gore come into the 2008 presidential race, now is the time for action. Sitting back and watching the developments, like watching the evening news or "Dancing with the Stars" is what has gotten us to this place and time. Is the best person available going to be the next president? Who is the measuring stick? Who has previously won? Would anyone who voted for Gore in 2000 change their vote? Would many who voted for Bush in 2000 change there vote? Would the world have been different today if it had been Gore and not Bush who assumed the Presidency? Is Gore 2.0 a vastly improved version of Gore 1.0?
If you're handicapping this deal the way most of us are, then what are you doing about it? I can tell you what 1,940 people in LA did about it last night.