There's a bit of tittle going around the blogs in the last day or so to the effect that Al Gore will challenge Hillary Clinton in the 2008 Democratic primaries. The thinking seems to be that some people--especially the so-called "Hollywood elite"--really, really don't like Hillary.
They think she's a moderate in liberal's clothing, and they want a liberal, not just someone conservatives happen to despise. I have some sympathy for that position. Here's my problem. She's not my first choice either in a wide-open field, but I think if it came down to just the two of them, I'd have to go with her.
Even though there's no doubt in my mind that Gore would have been better suited than Bush has turned out to be to face the pressures he has faced. For one thing, I'm guessing a man who served two tours in Vietnam does not commit troops willy-nilly.
Yes, I have a lot of respect for Al Gore, I want to make that explicit. But I suspect for a lot of people who love the idea of Gore running again, it's about trying to re-fight 2000. And, sorry, it's over. We lost. We got screwed. And one the reasons we got screwed is because not enough people from our side emulated Spencer Tracy's great advice about the secret of good acting: Stand on the balls of your feet and tell the truth.
And one of the people who failed to do that is Al Gore. He chose to appease, bend, and compromise on something as important as honest and free elections. He chose to "play nice" with the other team who had been fouling him for months (Invented the internet, yuk yuk).
He was a chump. We've had a chimp, we don't need a chump. Yes, after five years of Bush, Gore looks great, but I have not forgotten why I couldn't vote for him in the first place (I voted for Nader, which I remind you did not seem nearly as crazy in 2000. And Gore took Washington State anyway).
I have not forgotten that he wanted to place DINO Joe Lieberman a heartbeat away from the presidency. I have not forgotten that he conducted some of the most meaningless hearings in the history of the senate (and that's gotta be saying something). Purple Rain contains a song that mentions masturbation--this is a job for the United States senate!
I have not forgotten that he fell into lock-step with the prevailing beltway attitude that "Monicagate" cast some sort of pall over the country. When the country kept saying we don't care that much, and we certainly don't think it's grounds for impeachment or resignation.
Finally, there is occasional talk that this hypothetical Gore who would run again would be the "new" Al Gore, the "progressive firebrand." Personally, I think the entire reason Gore now comes off that way is precisely because he's not running for office anymore.
I think if he were to put on his candidate suit once again, we would see the new Al Gore slowly but surely replaced by the old Al Gore, the automaton. I think right now he serves his country best as an outside critic who knows his shit, knows the ways of Washington, and has nothing to prove. If and when a Democrat wins again he or she would be wise to make Gore one of their most trusted advisors.
But I can't see a good result from him running again for the forseeable future.
No comments:
Post a Comment