[Cross-posted at The Left Coaster.]
I was saddened to see a draft Al Gore work fly up to #1 on the rec list at Kos’s place Friday night. It would be much better for everyone, I’m positive Al agrees, if we had at least one 2008 Democratic candidate that really fired up a majority of the base to a relatively easy primary win based upon sound liberal and environmental politics.
Various camps can gnash and throw darts all they want, but the plain fact remains the draft Gore movement exists because of a serious leadership vacuum created by our current 2008 candidates. They’re very good people and politicians, but their bravery scores at this point are very, very low. That’s what everyone is waiting for, a brave fight everyone knows is totally necessary to get our country back, it just won’t be handed to us.
Universal health care? Nothing except word from nyceve Edwards is "leaning" in that direction. Energy independence and global warming? Only Richardson says a word. I noticed a candidate’s wife endorsed gay marriage, but, you know, not the actual candidate. Immediate cessation of the occupation of Iraq? Again, only Richardson and Kucinich are sane and willing to lead.
Total reversal of Bush’s tax cuts for public works? Reverence for the rule of law along with the 1st, 4th and 5th amendments? Anyone? If the Obama, Edwards and Clinton camps insist on remaining in denial about their candidate’s lack of bravery oh well, it’s their choice, in these times it’s not necessarily a deal-breaker. If they want to be in denial that the #1 issue for the public is for any Democrat to fight effectively and believe in something—anything--that, too, is there choice. That’s why draft Gore work flies up to #1, the vacuum from the big three is an eye of a hurricane whoosh propelling his candidacy, such as it is.
US journalism rarely blatantly lies, that’s not their style, the favorite method for deception is simply not telling huge chunks of the story and pretend they actually have. A male sexual semi-pro with no journalism credentials existing for weeks in the White House press room and lobbing softball questions to the President of the Unites States? Not telling that story. Tens of millions of American voters who passionately believed in and loved Al Gore, had for over 20 years, and were outraged at his media treatment and stolen presidency? Not telling that story.
Oh yes, such persons do exist, and as someone who has read, watched and believed in Al for a very long time I have some basic insights to the man and current situation that one will never hear or see in US journalism, a great part of his story is the always unsaid perverse, sick, and berserk relationship the US journalism corps has with Al Gore.
It amazes me how the scope and searing hurt of the 2000 campaign journalism is always blithely ignored, when in fact it is totally the main impediment for Gore running again. Al always gets such ridiculous criticism for his 2000 performance, with never a word how impossible it is to even think of a narrative when one knows just the plain spoken truth can’t work, it will be called a lie. That really happened, repeatedly.
It was a classic Rovian tactic to flip a candidate’s strength (honesty) by outrageously claiming the opposite. George Bush was a drunk with a stinking, slimy record of awful lying while Gore was a square honest wonk, so what we got was a full year of Gore the Liar.
The US journalism corps has only regressed since then with hundreds of thousands of corpses stacked around their record and confirmed with their bizarre schizophrenic review of Gore’s latest book (Mona Charen, an old friend of mine, classically offered Republican intellect by openly stating she hadn’t read the book, but here’s the review!). This is by far the #1 reason Al might not run, dealing with these hyenas and jackals for nine years would be a hell no soul should go through.
It’s also greatly underestimated the hurt and discomfort Al has with the Democratic Party. When the election was stolen most Party honchos totally internalized Republican propaganda, blaming Al for a lousy campaign no one could run and actually won, by the way, won by more than Kennedy did, but fuck off, Al, we want a fresh face for 2004.
That was a blow forever to leave an aching scar which, again, is always unsaid. Al Gore is basically a wonk, not a relationship player like Bill Clinton, and this only reinforces his hesitation to run, for souls that should have naturally been his greatest allies turned on him. Why should he, then, be forced by life to yet again be a supplicant to them and ask for help?
Most men are just gearing up for a seriously happy 20 years of retirement in Gore’s shoes, anyone would be delirious with a pretty wife, children and grandchildren, great acclaim, wealth, awards and success everywhere (amazing how serial liars win Oscar and Nobel prizes in life, isn’t it?) Al Gore is supposed to leave all that for the hyenas and jackals, join the brave fighting campaneros in the Democratic Party and sign up for a job of huge endless fights that will take at least 10 years off his life span?
If Al Gore eventually decides to run with all that would be robbed and inflicted upon him it will be an amazing human commitment to service, and certainly not one the United States of America deserves after what the country has put Al through. America has done Al Gore a lot of very hurtful wrongs, and no one should be remotely surprised if he never chooses public service again.