I was pleased to come across the interesting development this morning that DraftGore.Com folks have launched radio ads in Iowa to promote a Gore candidacy for 2008.
Al Gore has not ruled out a run in 2008. By contrast, for the 2004 cycle, Gore clearly ruled out a run in December 2002 and asked draft Gore groups to stop their efforts for that cycle. He has taken neither of those steps for the 2008 cycle.
Please see below the fold for more.
Here is the news release.
Draft Gore Hits the Airways in Iowa
DES MOINES, Iowa, June 25 PRNewswire-USNewswire -- The Draft Gore Committee has launched its first radio ads today on WHO Newsradio 1040 out of Des Moines, Iowa, encouraging voters to become involved in the growing national movement to persuade Al Gore to enter the presidential race in 2008. The ads will go national in July.
Backed by an online petition with more than 94,000 signatures, Draft Gore (www.draftgore.com) is launching the first in a new series of campaign activities to build on the groundswell of support for Al Gore.
Draft Gore is a political action committee promoting a Gore candidacy in 2008. The PAC is not affiliated with Vice President Gore's office. For more information, see http://www.draftgore.com/ or the petition at http://www.ipetitions.com/...
This is a very good development as it will raise awareness among folks that there is a growing draft Gore movement, and will get more people to start considering a Gore candidacy in 2008, and improve his poll numbers as well.
Gore is generally doing fairly well in polls for someone not currently in the running. He has lately averaged 17%, polling third in RCP Democratic nomination polls average (if one leaves out the Cook/RT poll which is an out-lier at the top):
RCP Democratic nomination national polls
"With Gore" Polls:
UPDATE Hat tip to JnH below: Just released CNN Poll: HRC (35%), Obama (23), Edwards (13), Gore (16)
- Cook/RT Strategies, 06/21-23/17, HR Clinton(32%), Obama(22), Edwards(11), Gore(12) (out-lier) (updated version of the poll just appeared at RCP).
- USA Today/Gallup, 06/11-06/14, HR Clinton(33%), Obama(21), Edwards(11), Gore(18)
- Quinnipiac, 06/05-06/11, HR Clinton(35%), Obama(21), Edwards(9), Gore (18)
- LA Times/Bloomberg, 06/07-06/10, Clinton(33%), Obama(22), Edwards(8), Gore(15)
In other recent polls, Gore beats all Republican contenders, is polling well among independents, polling very strongly among the 30 year and under age group, doing well in several states, including CA, FL, PA and TX (yes, Texas) (update, thanks to NYPopulist below, Gore polling second in NY behind HRC). I will post more extensive diaries on polls in the coming days to complement excellent posts by Kossack JekyllnHyde.
It is important that supporters of a prospective Gore candidacy get organized to give impetus to the draft Gore movement, which is currently spread out over several sites, with two main ones:
- DraftGore.com
- AlGore.org (registration link)
The folks at draftgore.com (DGC) site are running a petition which currently has over 94,000 signatures and they have previously run many online ads including some here at Daily Kos, and as we gather from the news release, they are taking it to the next level with radio ads in Iowa.
The site algore.org (AGO) has powerful organizational features, which include a blog, forums, facility for starting meet-ups groups etc. The list of all meetups can be seen at this address:
Draft Gore meetups
Here are some efforts by some Kossacks, off the top of my head:
- Bloggers for Gore Google group where one can sign-up and participate in email discussions and activism. This group/mailing list is maintained by NYPopulist
- Gore Hub is a new site started by Kossack d bad
- Goreganic started and announced over the weekend by Scout Finch with merchandise and other innovative ideas
- Gore'08 cafepress shop, wonderful artwork and merchandise by Tigana
- (Draft) Al Gore on MySpace by Abraham Running For Congress When I Turn 25
I suggest Gore supporters to explore all of the above links and pass them along to family, friends and co-workers.
I will post a much longer list next time. Please help me out by posting about and linking to sites and blogs (please mention if you own the site/blog or are a main contributor there) that are supportive of a Gore candidacy in 2008.
That's the state of the current Draft Gore campaign as I know it. In my view, along with the many good ideas embedded in the sites above we may want to pursue the following:
- ballot placement drives in all 50 states (this should aim to have petitions ready to be filed, latest by end of October as some states' deadlines for filing petitions fall in early November).
- build a network to defend of Al Gore from spins, smears and mischaracterizations (this is an area that I intend to contribute heavily towards)
- help Al Gore with his climate change campaign efforts (eg, promoting his site extensively).
And, of course, Al Gore has his own site
And, don't forget the Live Earth Concerts on 7/7/07!
Will Al Gore run? In my opinion, that's not the question to ask. I propose the reader to ask herself/himself:
How can I make a Gore Presidency happen?