Wednesday, June 21, 2006

Draft Al Gore in 2008?

I must admit that when Al Gore was the Democratic candidate for President in 2000, I not only supported but worked for Ralph Nader. In the end I was convinced to begrudgingly vote for Gore. Even that decision that was only because on the day I filled my absentee ballot for Minnesota where I was then registered to vote, George Bush was leading Gore by 5 points in the state.

Recently, as Gore has ramped-up his anti-Bush, anti-war, and pro-environmental rhetoric, I've found myself nostalgic for a Gore candidacy. If only he had been as strong speaker when running for president 6 years ago.

Despite his comments to the contrary in recent days, a group of Cambridge residents think it may be time to launch a Draft Gore effort. The following experts are from an email that came across my email last night:


Straw Poll Shows Al Gore is Preferred by Whopping 68% of Democratic Voters

Just how popular is Al Gore among Democrats? A recent DailyKos.com straw poll of 11,000 voters shows an astounding 68% would support the former veep if he decided to run for president in 2008.

Gore's got the political experience, the fundraising machine and the overall gravitas to be the party's nominee and take back the White House, a domicile that many think is rightfully his. His strong and early anti-war stand and pro-environment advocacy are two significant messages that resonate quite well right now with voters.

If you think Al Gore should Run in 2008 or are intrigued by the possibility and would like to explore it with like-minded folk, this event is for you.

For those of you who have seen Al Gore's film, "An Inconvenient Truth," you know that it is almost impossible to come out of the experience and not deeply lament that this man is not our President. Gore is getting so much media attention now and the buzz is that he would consider a draft for 2008. We know he could win--he's done it already. Cambridge Democratic Ward 6 Activists Linda Pinti & Lesley Phillips will host this event. Linda will provide a bit of insider insight into the mind of Al Gore from Nashville family Democratic Party connections. Come and celebrate the Summer Solstice by sharing your thoughts and refreshment as we discuss "The Case for Al Gore." This event is free. Please RSVP to 617-647 6465 or to lsophiapinti@yahoo.com.

Where: REDLINE Restaurant 59 JFK St. (Harvard Sq), Cambridge

When: JUNE 21 7:00 PM - 9:30 PM

Clearly it's a bit misleading to say that Gore is preferred by a "Whopping 68% of Democratic Voters." A straw poll on DailyKos is hardly a scientific measure and as a self-selecting tool is totally contrary to the necessary randomness required of real public opinion polling. Still, there certainly seems to be some momentum around Gore at least among this strong Democratic base.

Perhaps a revolution is brewing right here in Cambridge?