Senior Democrats mull Al Gore's nomination

[240 is Back]

Perhaps the Repubs will regret dragging this one out... Suppose Gore gets the nod because the repub cross-voters helped Hilary stay in it, in OH and TX.  Without their help, Obama would be the nominee already.

If Gore is head of the ticket, every voter who had buyer's regret with Bush will have another chance on that. (Cue some fool to talk about Tennessee!)

Tim Shipman
London Telegraph
Sunday, March 30, 2008

Plans for Al Gore to take the Democratic presidential nomination as the saviour of a bitterly divided party are being actively discussed by senior figures and aides to the former vice-president.

The bloody civil war between Hillary Clinton and Barack Obama has left many Democrats convinced that neither can deliver a knockout blow to the other and that both have been so damaged that they risk losing November's election to the Republican nominee, John McCain.

Former Gore aides now believe he could emerge as a compromise candidate acceptable to both camps at the party's convention in Denver during the last week of August.

Two former Gore campaign officials have told The Sunday Telegraph that a scenario first mapped out by members of Mr Gore's inner circle last May now has a sporting chance of coming true.

Mr Gore, who was Bill Clinton's vice-president and has since won a Nobel Peace Prize and an Oscar for his work on green issues, remains an influential figure eight years after he beat George W Bush in the popular vote but lost the White House after the Florida recount fiasco.

The opening has emerged because opinion polls show Mr McCain stretching his lead over both Mr Obama and Mrs Clinton, whose campaigns are engaged in a daily cycle of attacks, character assassination and mutual recriminations on religion, race and the economy.

[shootfighter1]

How would this happen as the other two have so many delegates and the convention is closing in...
He wouldn't run as an independent...   

[240 is Back]

How would this happen as the other two have so many delegates and the convention is closing in...
He wouldn't run as an independent...   

Since neither Obama nor Hilary can get the required number (2025 I think), and since they BOTH might be un-electable/too damaged at this point, party leaders (Dean and the DNC, who are technically Hilay/Obama's bosses) can install another candidate who IS electable.

Is Gore electable?  He narrowly lost in 2000, and all he's done since then is won a Nobel Prize and let his legend status grow.  A LOT of people who barely chose Bush over Gore - and then kicked themselves for 8 years - will see this as a chance to choose Gore again, over Bush3.

And yeah, McCain looks more like bush3 every day.

[240 is Back]

How would this happen as the other two have so many delegates and the convention is closing in...
He wouldn't run as an independent...   

IMO, the deal they'd broker would be somethnig like this:

Gore as Presidential nominee.
Obama as VP nominee.
Hilary announced as future Secretary of State.
Bill Clinton still along for the fun ride.

All Dems would be happy. 

The bitter 2000 folks get their chance to finally put Gore into the White house.
The college kids keep working hard to get historic Obama into the White House.
Hilary, bragging of all her foreign policy experience, would deal with drama and crisises all day long as Sec. of State.
Bill Clinton would still be there for his wisdom and experience, which he does have.

Look at the major issues. 
Gore is pissed bush didn't act on 8/5/01 intel that AQ was about to attack.  So are 67% of Americans.
Gore's position on the war would be well-planned and would get the most votes, whatever position they engineered for him.
World diplomacy?  Hill and Bill will be visiting your capital shortly to fix shit.
Economy?  Gore/Clinton did okay in the 90s, remember?

I'm not saying the ticket is perfect, but it'd keep 100% of Dems, and a whole lotta independents, happy.

[calmus]

Since neither Obama nor Hilary can get the required number (2025 I think), and since they BOTH might be un-electable/too damaged at this point, party leaders (Dean and the DNC, who are technically Hilay/Obama's bosses) can install another candidate who IS electable.

 I like the way you improvise when you don't know the answer. 

[shootfighter1]

haha calmus.

Yeah, I'm not implying Gore may not be a better choice than Obama or Clinton, I just don't understand how it would work officially this far into the delegate race.

[calmus]

haha calmus.

Yeah, I'm not implying Gore may not be a better choice than Obama or Clinton, I just don't understand how it would work officially this far into the delegate race.

Delegates can pick who they want.  So, even if a candidate is pledged to Obama, he could vote for Gore as long as he felt that's what the people he represented would want.

[G o a t b o y]

Delegates can pick who they want. 

Technically they could, but would they, given that this would be just tossing out the votes of all those primary voters?  Would there be a backlash in the electorate?

[calmus]

Technically they could, but would they, given that this would be just tossing out the votes of all those primary voters?  Would there be a backlash in the electorate?

they wouldn't unless something extraordinary happened.

[240 is Back]

they wouldn't unless something extraordinary happened.

like both candidates destroying all their own credibility and looking like shit in an election they should have had in a cakewalk?