Officially, Gore has made it clear, “I’m not a candidate and I’m not planning on being a candidate for President.” He told Time magazine, “It would take a lot to disabuse me of the notion that my highest and best use is to keep building that consensus.” What it would take, specifically? “I can’t say because I’m not looking for it. But I guess I would know it if I saw it.”
Many Gore supporters are saying that Gore is so skilled at not running for president that he just might win in 2008. Over the past year, a Draft Gore movement has been growing; sites like california4gore.org are appearing everywhere. Hundreds of local Draft Gore groups are popping up across the country, connected by the Internet. What started initially as a somewhat fragmented effort, has recently unified as a loose coalition called America For Gore. Even though VP Gore has not yet declared his candidacy, the most recent poll indicates broad national support among Democrats, with a recent national Gallup poll from August 3rd showing Gore in a virtual tie with Obama for second place with 18% support from Democrats. In California, the largest state in the Electoral College, a recent Field poll shows him in a strong second position, with more than 25% of likely primary voters support Gore, compared to Clinton at 38%, Obama at 19.8% and Edwards at 15%. In the San Francisco Bay Area, Al Gore is the number one choice. So, how can this non-candidate poll this strong with six months until the first primary?
His supporters argue that he already won in 2000 and that it is unlikely that anyone who voted for him then, would not vote for him again. Further, they argue, a lot of those who voted for Bush in 2000, would vote for Gore now. After the pain of losing the 2000 election to a controversial Supreme Court decision, many have an attitude of “what if?” or a vindication “to Make It Right.” But more importantly, Al Gore 2.0 is a much more effective version of Gore 1.0. How so? Well, in the first place, Gore 2.0 is much more comfortable with who he is. He seems to carrying a JFK-type “ask not what your politicians can do for you” message with his new book The Assault on Reason. His human connectivity in “An Inconvenient Truth”, along with his long-lasting dedication on the climate crisis issue and by becoming a global voice he has been nominated for the Nobel peace prize.
So far this year, more than 180,000 people have signed a petition asking Al Gore to run for president in 2008. Over the last sixty days Draft Gore groups have begun statewide campaigns to put Al Gore’s name on their presidential primary ballots in New Hampshire, Massachusetts, New Jersey, Michigan and Washington. Recently, organizers of California Draft Gore, a newly-formed PAC, announced “the granddaddy of all draft Gore ballot initiatives” to be waged in California. Will he run? Those who have organized California Draft Gore say they believe that an active grassroots and net-roots effort will make the difference – resulting in his October decision to enter the presidential race. Until he declares his candidacy, the California Draft Gore organizers believe the movement will continue to grow. The California effort will involve 70 organizers and hundreds of Draft Gore volunteers. Their goal is three-fold:
(1) to begin organizing the state of California for a Gore run,
(2) to influence and encourage other states to follow their lead, and
(3) to convince Al Gore to become a candidate in 2008.
The California Draft Gore ballot initiative involves collecting a minimum of 500 signatures of registered Democrats from each of the state’s 53 United States congressional districts. To do this will require organizing in each of these districts , and would be as historical in California politics, if not larger, than the Gray Davis recall effort. “The Democrats are much better off with a candidate who has already won a popular vote for president – and has only added supporters since,” wrote radio talk host Cenk Uygur on HuffingtonPost.com. One thing is sure: the next occupant of the Oval Office will take on an overwhelming agenda. The next president will need to be able to reach out the international community and heal strained relations, deal with the issues of Iraq, Al-Qaeda, climate protection, immigration, civil liberties, the growing deficit, among other issues. It needs to be a leader who will motivate a nation into action, someone the country can trust and be inspired by again. Imagine, who else could that be?”
At the end of his new book, The Assault on Reason, Gore wrote, “It is my greatest hope that those who read this book will become a part of a new movement to rekindle the true spirit of America.” This new movement begins now, with California Draft Gore.
Roy Gayhart is the state campaign coordinator for the California Draft Gore PAC. He is a volunteer, who organized the local San Diego Draft Gore chapter, orchestrated the viewing of Live Earth in Hard Rock Café’s in the Western States, and is actively involved in the national Draft Gore movement. Ballot campaigns like the one in california are emerging in several states, to volunteer, donate to help California Draft Gore Ballot Initiative or info on Al Gore visit http://www.california4gore.org
