Clinton camp likely to speak with Gore

No... this isn't "BREAKING".  You didn't see that in the title, did you?  And no... I don't have any inside source that is aware of any secret pow-wow between the Clintons and Gore.

The meeting between the Clinton camp and Gore, going on either now or within the next 2 weeks, is simply obvious to me.  

Bill and Hill are two of the most politically oriented people on the planet.  When Hillary announced her "exploratory committee" 1 year ago, she fully expected to be challenged by the likes of Edwards, Obama, Richardson, or even Clark.  She was ready for the challenge.  And in hindsight, she was very well prepared.  The results speak for themselves.  She has shown that she'll be the front-runner heading into Iowa and New Hampshire and has a very good shot at a nice and tidy little primary run ahead of the convention.

All of this political calculation and maneuvering gets hi-jacked by one simple event... the entrance of Al Gore into the race.

So... do you really think Hillary and Bill are going to let this wildcard event ruin their victory parade without at least some effort at preventing it from happening in the first place?

Answer: No!

There are 2 possibilities around a Gore candidacy...

(A) The Clintons speak to Gore and address some of his concerns about Hillary's run for the Democratic nomination to the degree where Gore is satisfied that the nomination is in good hands.  He then announces unequivocally that he will not run for President.

or,

(B) The Clintons speak to Gore but fall short of satisfying Gore, prompting him to get into the race.

There is no (C).  There is no silence from the Clinton Camp.  It would run counter to everything we know about Hillary and Bill.  They never leave a political stone unturned.  They're not about to turn over an imminent victory to random chance, or to Al Gore's whim.  They've done all the risk analysis.  All of the contingency plans are in place.  They even have a plan of action in place if Al decides to run after hearing them out.

But what they don't have is NO PLAN.

I take some comfort in the knowledge of this obvious, though unproven, fact.  It means Al Gore will have an effect on a Hillary presidency.  Sure, she could go back on her word to any behind-closed-doors promise to Al.  But it'll cost her.  The Gore-acle will speak out against such betrayal.  This is serious stuff.  The Clintons know how popular Gore is.  They won't be quick to double cross him on something they promise him.

And why would she go back on her word, anyway?  The Clintons always take the politically expedient road.  And right now that road of expedience is along the Gore Highway.  What will Gore want in such meetings?  For sure a more high profile for environmental causes.  I also believe Gore is very concerned with Bush's Executive power grab.  I think he'll want Hill to speak out against some or all of this.  And finally, I think Gore will want his 40 minutes at the Democratic National Convention.

But rest assured, this meeting is happening or will happen very soon.

Bank on it.

•  Tip Jar

  by rustydude on Sun Oct 14, 2007 at 02:47:18 PM PDT

•  Considering

  the two camps do not get along, I doubt this meeting will not happen unless one of them becomes President.  

  If that happens then this meeting will consist of one of two things:  Senate issues or Global Warming.

  by MadAsHellMaddie on Sun Oct 14, 2007 at 02:53:01 PM PDT

  •  No I think the meeting happened already

    The Clinton camp made sure that Gore wouldn't run, and probably told him what he could expect if he did run (a very nasty personal battle).

    The Clintons are damn good and ruthless political operatives.  People talk about Karl Rove, but I think the Clinton machine is much better.

    by IhateBush on Sun Oct 14, 2007 at 02:56:30 PM PDT

    •  Then why...

      hasn't Gore made an unequivocal statement about his possible candidacy.  If Clintons  convinced him long ago not to run, then he'd be out already.

      by rustydude on Sun Oct 14, 2007 at 03:05:21 PM PDT

      •  Why should he?

        He has made it pretty damn clear to me that he isn't gonna run.  He wants his supporters to continue to be involved, not just for him.

        by IhateBush on Sun Oct 14, 2007 at 03:09:18 PM PDT

    •  If they're better than Rove,

      then it sure would be nice if they used some of that machine to really support progressive Democrats and the party as a whole, as Rove did with the GOP base & grassroots organization.  My take on this, though, is that they may be somewhat more effective than Rove because their machine's built for a two-person party more than a national one.

      by latts on Sun Oct 14, 2007 at 06:29:45 PM PDT

      •  Actually Rove did not

        he was interested in maintaining power rather than advancing conservatism.  Examples include the Medicare bill, W's massive spending, and supporting Arlen Specter over wingnut Pat Toomey (who almost won in 2004, and would have if not for Rove's intervention).

        Secondly, the Rethug base has been there for 25-30 years, and ours is just in its infancy.  We are where they were in the late 1970s.

        by IhateBush on Sun Oct 14, 2007 at 08:10:10 PM PDT

•  You're underestimating the Clintons

  they had that talk with Gore in 2005 or 2006, and made sure that he wouldn't run.

  A Gore-Hillary race would have been ugly, with a lot of personal animosity due to their days in the White House, and as such I doubt Gore had the stomach for such a fight.  It is quite different than fighting Rethugs.

  by IhateBush on Sun Oct 14, 2007 at 02:54:28 PM PDT

  •  You're underestimating Gore

    and overestimating the Clintons.  The Clintons thought that Gore was dead and buried in 2005.  In their world, in 2006, Gore was just a guy with a slideshow.  Why Bill didn't even discover that the environment could be a political issue until earlier this year and tried to appropriate it from Gore just like he appropriated the federal deficit issue from Perot in 1992.

    Had they asked, Gore would have given them the same answer he's given everyone else - "no plans."  Had he decided to jump into the race, Hillary wouldn't have been on his short list; he learned from his error in 2000 not to listen to the DLC gang.

     

    by Marie on Sun Oct 14, 2007 at 03:12:43 PM PDT

    •  Thanks Marie...

      Had they asked, Gore would have given them the same answer he's given everyone else - "no plans."  Had he decided to jump into the race, Hillary wouldn't have been on his short list; he learned from his error in 2000 not to listen to the DLC gang.

      I hope that most of us learned the lesson regarding the DLC and Clinton's attachment to it.  That is exactly the reason that we need Al. No matter how you analyze, view, twist and turn it, Hillary is not a progressive Democrat and never will be. Based upon her record and what I've heard from her campaign, she will keep the corporate love affair alive.  

      by victoria2dc on Sun Oct 14, 2007 at 04:10:46 PM PDT

      •  Based on the public response to

        him co-winning the Nobel Peace Prize, I don't think he's going to run.  He could fight the right, left and center well enough to win, but it wouldn't leave him with enough political capital to tackle all the major problems this country will face in the next few years.    He may also recognize that whoever is in the WH when the currently maturing problems created by administrations from 1981-2008 hit will be blamed for all of them.  My guess is that the next POTUS will  get one term and be reviled at the end of those four years.    

        by Marie on Sun Oct 14, 2007 at 05:36:40 PM PDT

•  She will not get a private audience

  Gore will/should hold a private summit at his time and choosing and invite all of the candidates to attend.

  Gore controls the moment and will not be pushed around by anyone.

  by citizenx on Sun Oct 14, 2007 at 03:00:20 PM PDT

•  Al Gore- ugh!

  Go HRC!

  by troysterk on Sun Oct 14, 2007 at 03:03:06 PM PDT

  •  hillary...

    how i put this...

    FUCK THAT CORPORATIST BITCH!

    by Dude1701 on Sun Oct 14, 2007 at 04:51:30 PM PDT

  •  hmm...

    ...another Hillary plant?

    Well actually, probably not - I would think the HRC campaign would at least be suave enough to plant folks who are little more than left-wing freepers.

    by teedz on Sun Oct 14, 2007 at 06:25:55 PM PDT

  •  Ah, the great political

    thinkers that the Clinton camp attracts...

    Can't wait to see them freaking out when the RWNM really gets going.

    by latts on Sun Oct 14, 2007 at 06:32:20 PM PDT

•  Good thing she

  won that pesky little ole vote, whew! How did I missed it I was sure I was paying attention.

  by LaEscapee on Sun Oct 14, 2007 at 03:03:09 PM PDT

•  Irresponsible diary.......

  To title this as if it was fact when it is just YOUR speculation is irresponsible and misleading.

  by lrhoke on Sun Oct 14, 2007 at 03:04:31 PM PDT

  •  Agreed

    The only reason I clicked on it was because I thought from the headline it was news, not spec.

    Edit the head, Rustydude.

    by Karen Wehrstein on Sun Oct 14, 2007 at 03:09:08 PM PDT

  •  I'm positing this as obvious.

    The title is accurate in lieu of this assumption.

    by rustydude on Sun Oct 14, 2007 at 03:14:35 PM PDT

    •  Seems to get both Hillary and Al wrong

      I was checking to see if you had any info to back the title up.  You don't, so I'll go on with my business.

      The first problem is that Gore has no reason to do more than he already has to stop speculation on his running; it helps his GW work, which I'm pretty sure is his main priority right now.

      The second problem is you're not showing too good an understanding of either Hillary's campaign or her options. As "just a candidate", even if Gore wanted to run, he has limited options as to how he'd do it.  Hillary is and has always been in this cycle the "establishment" candidate.  So anyone who takes the nomination from her has to run as an insurgent. If the current pack of folks running for the nomination have not been able to put together this kind of campaign in the time they've had, I don't see Gore doing it either.  Now, Hillary knows this, and the best way to deal with Gore is what's she's doing anyway: be respectful in public, and say as little as possible.

      So neither Gore nor Hillary need to talk at all.  By all accounts, the two are not close, nor are they particularly friendly.  And Gore probably admires some of the other folks running.  So Gore will not endorse as long as any of them have a realistic chance, and he will endorse Hillary once they do not.  And Hillary will avoid antagonizing him in any way, and make as much use of him as possible once he endorses her.

      For them to negotiate, it implies that at least one of them thinks they can get something out of it. I see no evidence of this, so I don't see it happening.

      by mbayrob on Sun Oct 14, 2007 at 04:34:48 PM PDT

•  Little Need.

  Hillary Clinton and Al Gore had a tenuous relationship at best during the White House years. Yet each of them is politically inclined in their own way, Al Gore might still one day hold aspirations toward the Presidency and could be setting himself up for a cabinet position, or a post Clinton presidency endorsement.

  I will refrain though from anointing Hillary yet, the race itself is still very fluid.

  I suspect Al Gore will with hold any endorsements until the a single Democratic candidate has been decided, it would be the most politically advantageous position.

  It's also a pleasure to end my lurking here, and begin actually participating in the community.

  by Advocatus diaboli on Sun Oct 14, 2007 at 03:05:04 PM PDT

  •  Welcome to the rabble!

    by citizenx on Sun Oct 14, 2007 at 03:09:50 PM PDT

    •  This Rabble.

      Shows sign of a willingness for intelligent debate, and not a penchant for name calling. I'm afraid places like Free Republic don't encourage the thoughts of a registered Independent.

      by Advocatus diaboli on Sun Oct 14, 2007 at 03:20:55 PM PDT

•  Fool me once, ...

  Gore is too much of a gentleman not to be willing to talk to any one of the candidates.  All are likely to be angling for his endorsement.  However, are any of them willing to pay the price he'd ask for it?  Not gonna come cheap this time.  Nor would it be a side deal with payment not due until after the primary nor the general election.

  This is incorrect: 1 year ago, she fully expected to be challenged by the likes of Edwards, Obama, Richardson, or even Clark.  Edwards yes.  Obama not considered a serious possibility.  Clark never -- although could have been useful again to peel away any anti-war votes that Edwards could have been getting -- otherwise, he was always within the Clinton fold even if he didn't always appreciate that.

  by Marie on Sun Oct 14, 2007 at 03:05:08 PM PDT

•  I don't think they are on speaking terms much.

  by bugscuffle on Sun Oct 14, 2007 at 03:06:19 PM PDT

•  hillary addressed the expansion of presidential

  power in an interview the other day.

  http://www.boston.com/news/politics/politicalintelligence/2007/10/clinton_says_bu.html

  Clinton says Bush has made presidency too powerful
  By Marcella Bombardieri, Globe Staff

  Hillary Clinton said today that if she is elected president, she intends to roll back President Bush's expansion of executive authority, including his use of presidential signing statements to put his own interpretation on bills passed by Congress or to claim authority to disobey them entirely.

  "I think you have to restore the checks and balances and the separation of powers, which means reining in the presidency," Clinton told the Boston Globe's editorial board.

  While Bush has issued hundreds of signing statements, declarations that accompany his signature on bills approved by Congress, Clinton said she would use signing statements only to clarify bills that might be confusing or contradictory. She also said she did not subscribe to a theory called the "unitary executive" that puts the president's power above that of Congress and the judiciary.

  "It has been a concerted effort by the vice president, with the full acquiescence of the president, to create a more powerful executive at the expense of both branches of government and of the American people," she said.

  by lorelynn on Sun Oct 14, 2007 at 03:06:52 PM PDT

  •  Thank you

    for posting this!  I have been waiting and waiting for the word "rollback" to escape from between Hillary's lips.

    by rustydude on Sun Oct 14, 2007 at 03:08:20 PM PDT

    •  Did she

      say rollback or did the author say rollback?

      On another note. Does Hillary even have an environmental policy proposal? Seriously.

      by LaEscapee on Sun Oct 14, 2007 at 03:17:00 PM PDT

•  So, you're really just talking out your ass then

  You need to change your title.

  by bumblebums on Sun Oct 14, 2007 at 03:07:32 PM PDT

  •  What do you want?

    Is bumblebums the official title editor?

    Just about every recommended diary has a title much more deceiving than mine.  And in fact, I don't believe my title is deceiving as I explain it within the first 2 lines of the body I explain it.

    Sheesh... and for all this I'm called an ass.

    by rustydude on Sun Oct 14, 2007 at 03:11:27 PM PDT

    •  I didn't call you an ass

      I said you were talking out of it.

      I'm not alone in objecting to presumptuous, misleading diary titles. It's a cheap trick, really. But rave on, rustyone. It's not worth arguing about.

      by bumblebums on Sun Oct 14, 2007 at 03:16:26 PM PDT

•  I was thinking

  If Gore endorsed Sen. Clinton, the heads here would just >>boom<<.</p>

  by Plutonium Page on Sun Oct 14, 2007 at 03:10:06 PM PDT

  •  omg!

    I am wrapping my head in duct tape just in case. Perish the thought.

    by citizenx on Sun Oct 14, 2007 at 03:12:12 PM PDT

  •  She doesn't need Gore's endorsement

    only his commitment to stay out of the race.

    by rustydude on Sun Oct 14, 2007 at 03:12:41 PM PDT

  •  Mine might just go >>poof<<.

    I don't think it will be full blown because I understand and appreciate the candidate that Hillary is for us.  

    I just want Gore more.  I want Gore more.  It's really as simple as that.  It's not personal with her - for me at least.  But, it is for a whole lot of other people.  Strong Democrats, Centrist Democrats.....it doesn't matter....I don't meet too many that are truly pro-Hillary.  

    by Scout Finch on Sun Oct 14, 2007 at 03:36:15 PM PDT

  •  None of you folks are eating bad beef

    or so I hope.  'cause nobody needs a mouthful of prions.

    I'm a Gore fan, am lukewarm on Hillary, but I fully expect that he will both endorse her and campaign for her if she gets the nomination.  And I'm sure that Hillary will be happy for this help.

    A public snit serves neither of them, so it ain't gonna happen.

    by mbayrob on Sun Oct 14, 2007 at 04:39:29 PM PDT

    •  Plutonium's talking about in the primaries ...

      It's a given that Gore will endorse the presumptive nominee once we have one, probably after Feb 5. I would be surprised if he endorsed anyone before Iowa, but if he did endorse Hillary I would be grinning from ear to ear as I read all the GORE SELLS OUT !!! diaries here.

      by al Fubar on Sun Oct 14, 2007 at 06:30:28 PM PDT

•  I agree that there is probably

  no possibility that the Clintons ignored the possibility of Gore jumping into the mix, messing up their plan to retake the throne.
   I did think it was interesting recently on a Tweety show, one of the pundits, Chris Cilizza, I believe, was talking about his belief that Gore would endorse Obama----or at least that had been the plan.  And then Tweety asked if Obama had been seeking Gore's support, keeping in touch, pandering, if you will, and the pundit said no.  And they all thought that was a mistake by Obama.  They mentioned that Edwards had been reaching out to Gore frequently.  No one mentioned Hillary seeking Gore's support or counsel, but, as you stated, it's likely some contact has been made  I'm not sure what it all means, but it made me like Obama more.  He doesn't do pandering.  He's just different than the whole bunch of them.  I think that's what originally attracted Gore to Obama also.  They're both sick of the dirty game that the political world has become.  

  by dotster on Sun Oct 14, 2007 at 03:20:01 PM PDT

•  The Clintons and Gore get along fine.

  They aired out their differences after 2000 and came together after 911.  Gore does not want to divide the Democratic Party into a Clinton v. Gore slugfest.  

  I think Gore would lean on Hillary to move harder on climate change, and leave the withdrawal from Iraq to Hillary's judgment.  The fact that Hillary changed her position on Iraq to align more closely with Gore's greatly mitigates the rationale for a Gore candidacy.  [Note:  Gore is circumspect on fixed withdrawal timetables, but does believe we need to redeploy].  Hillary would be more than happy to move on climate change at Gore's pace, because Bill and Al both agree that alternative energy is a jobs boom in the making, and would alter the character of the electorate to a more progressive tilt.  

  by khyber900 on Sun Oct 14, 2007 at 03:28:43 PM PDT

•  This is the...

  STUPIDEST.DIARY.EVER.

  Hey guys, did you know that Rudy Giulaini is going to drop out and endorse Alan Keyes!

  Then Sam Brownback will be forced to drop out.  He's going to be really tired one night and a reporter, will ask him what he means by "rebuilding the family".  Brownback will reply, "Why hating the gays of course!" which will end his long-shit...oops, I mean long shot (freudian slip of the finger?)bid.

  Mr. "runnin' a campaign on 27 G's...he's Alan muthafuckin' Keyes" is going to win Iowa by 37%...

  Before being surprised by Duncan Hunter in New Hampshire!

  All of this will lead up to an important debate right before the South Carolina Primary hosted by a bunch of fundies who will zoom in on an empty podium and ask Steve Forbes questions, even though he hasn't run for President since 2000.

  Note: After the debate a "Draft Forbes" movement will emerge.

  At this debate Mitt Romney, uppon realizing that his "three legged stool" analogy is not winning people over, and adding the word "strong" before everything does not make people support you, will admit in a question about the "Homosexual agenda as it relates to the NAFTA Superhighway and the Ten Commandment Judge guy" that he too has considered taking a wide stance in the past.

  This is when all H-E double hockey sticks is going to break out. Keyes and Hunter will both physically attack Romney.

  Keyes will yell, "Under the law of Moses, you should be stoned!" ala John the Baptist, while Duncan Hunter screams "Don't ask don't tell private! Chuch Yeager endorsed me dammit!  Chuck fucking Yeager!"

  This is when Tom Tancredo will get suspicous and start pulling at Romney's skin Scooby Doo style, attempting to "reveal" the "illegal" that is wearing a Romney suit.

  Tommy Thompson and Jim Gilmore, who will be playing brothers in a skit about the dangers of cross-dressing called "The Gilmore Girls", will run out on the stage in their high heels.

  Gimore will grab the mic and say, "Alright Alan Tancrenter, get off 1/3 off Rudy McRomney!" Tommy Thompson will slip and break one of his heels, which will cause him to go absolutely bat shit crazy and mutter something about being the "great-grandfather of welfare reform".

  After that scarry looking redhead guy who casts "demons" out of people on the fundie channels gets the "demon" out of Thompson, good old Tommy will snap back and come up with a plan...

  "We need to take a vote.  If a majority of the people here votes that we kill Mitt Romney then we kill him. We take 1/3 of Romney's body and give it to Keyes, Hunter, and Tancredo, 1/3 to the scary looking red head who just cast the demon out of me, and 1/3 to every, man, woman and child in the audience".

  This is when the cops will show up.

  So Romney, Keyes, Hunter, Tancredo, will be forced out.

  With his endorsee out of the race, Rudy Giuliani will return to the campaign trail... only to be forced to drop out again the same day after he gets caught using the words "terrorisssst" or "terrorissssssm" 3, 724 times in his first speech back on the trail.  

  John McCain, who will be frustrated that his sucking up to the fundies and all forms of Wingnut have gotten him nowhere, will start the most vicous South Carolina whisper campaign ever...against him self.

  After Fred Thompson narrowly defeats Ron Paul (whose followers say that he was born of a virgin and made pregnant by the consitituion) in South Carolina, Paul will decides to run on a third party ticket.

  So that will leave Thompson and Mike Huckabee.  After Thompson makes his South Carolina victory speech in a bath robe, Huchabee will gain traction.  

  That is until Katherine Harris enters the race.  With the right-wing Southern guy vote split, the right-wing Southern woman vote propels Harris to the nomination.

  Too bad she is going to lose to Gravel in the general.

  Rest assured, all of this will happen very soon.

  Bank on it.

  by Michael 4 Edwards on Sun Oct 14, 2007 at 03:37:35 PM PDT

  •  I find myself disgusted and repulsed

    .....yet i cannot look away.

    If you think that scene in Clerks II was gross with a Donkey, try and wrap your mind around it with an Elephant.

    by mbayrob on Sun Oct 14, 2007 at 04:47:32 PM PDT

•  We really shouldn't turn pols into idols.

  No one person or candidate is going to save the left or America. Not Gore, not anyone.

  One of the more admirable things Gore has done is to walk away from the game he used to play and to figure out another way to make a difference on something he cares about. He can keep doing that, or he can run for president.

  But he's got no reason to hurry up and announce he's not running. Doesn't hurt his causes one bit that the speculation keeps him in front of the media.

  by mvr on Sun Oct 14, 2007 at 04:29:11 PM PDT

  •  Only Republicans worship at that altar

    While many of us like other candidates better than Hillary, Hillary ain't bad.  Especially compared with anyone out of the Republican Death Cult.  Idolaters all of them.  

    by mbayrob on Sun Oct 14, 2007 at 04:43:17 PM PDT

•  Are you nuts?

  Al Gore will have NO EFFECT whatsoever on a Clinton Presidency. If he was pushed aside as a Vice President, you think he'll have carte blance as some environmental activist? Please. Gore knows the Clintons a lot better than that. He knows there is no reason to trust them any further than you can throw them.

  The C you forgot is that Al Gore endorses one of the current candidates. Thats the biggest effect he can have on the next administration without getting in himself. But he knows that Hillary Clinton will do whatever it takes, no matter how unethical, to win. He may not want his new found image tarnished by the Clinton slime operation. He may want to throw his considerable gravitas behind a needy surrogate, where he would have far more chits to cash.

  If he endorses Hillary, shell say thanks al, take a picture, and promptly delete him from her BlackBerry.

  by brooklynbadboy on Sun Oct 14, 2007 at 04:55:05 PM PDT

•  This diary is full of wild speculation

  from people who think they are in the inner circles of these two camps but aren't! Get over it.

  by rigso on Mon Oct 15, 2007 at 10:21:41 AM PDT