He is, after all, a superdelegate.
So all this talk of him brokering a deal between Obama and Clinton has a sliver of reality to it.
Just saying...
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Al Gore Will Have To Endorse At Some Point...
11 Feb 2008 10:18 am
Comments (20)
That said, it's still a very remote possibility.
Just the word "deal" makes this committed Democrat break in hives. How do you think that would play with the wider electorate ?
I can't imagine at all Gore even allowing himself to become a candidate that way. Just throwing his support behind a single candidate would probably cause a significant amount of other superdelegates to swing behind his choice.
What deal is Gore supposed to be brokering here? Context, please -- not all of us have your impeccable sources, Marc.
And is it really much of an "endorsement" if Gore is casting his lot with the pledged delegate leader after the last primary? It's awfully specious reasoning to paint that as an endorsement in any meaningful sense.
Neither Clinton nor Obama is ever going to agree to any "deal" that doesn't involve each of them being at the top of the ticket. The only kind of deals made to determine the nomination will be those with the superdelegates.
Also, Gore is never going to become a compromise candidate at the convention. Even if it's a near tie between Clinton and Obama, I can't imagine that there would be many delegates who would say "let's make things even more complicated by introducing a third candidate who wasn't even on the ballot in all those primaries we had, in which millions of people thought they were determining our nominee."
In the end, I think basically every delegate will vote for either Clinton or Obama, which means that one of them gets a majority.
Gore should back Clinton. Gore will bang out a deal to get Climate Change funded in the big way and, perhaps, hold a position. But he doesn't WANT a position in the government. He wants funding for Climage Change technology. Obama should do the right thing and be Clinton's VP and carry out his vision as a VP, then run for the big seat after he has more experience. All this talk about Obama needing experience is true--he's simply not ready to handle the economy and other issues. Jimmy Carter???? Clinton can get lots done in the short run. It's all very simple to me. But is Obama has to do the right thing. If he does, he'll be the great American that I'm almost convinced he could be.
Excellent point, Leigh! Hillary's ready on DAY ONE. Her campaign itself is testament to her superlative executive skillz!!
What about Hillary's campaign suggests superlative executive skills? Money has been mismanaged. THere's been quite a bit of in-fighting, she wasn't prepared to campaign and compete outside of the early states, and the eastern seaboard and California. I've watched this campaign carefully on both sides of the aisle, and there is no doubt that the Obama campaign is the best managed, Dem or Rep. hands down.
This whole day one crap is such CRAP. She's not ready. She has no capability to lead or bring her party back together. Her negatives are astronomical. And beyond her experience in the Senate (2 more years than Barack), she has as much experience as Nancy Reagan, Laura Bush and Pat Nixon. Saying she's ready on day one over and over again doesn't mean she is. Enough of this Clinton dramedy already!
I think Not Leigh was being sarcastic..
I love how Leigh and others try this talking point out
"It's all very simple to me. But is Obama has to do the right thing. If he does, he'll be the great American that I'm almost convinced he could be."
as if its Hillary's turn...and Obama should be ASHAMED that he is jumping the line..and it really isn't american for him to run for presidency...
Experience does matter, but Hillary has no more experience than a dishwasher applying for a chefs position...true they've been in the kitchen, but that chicken marsala isn't going to cook itself. Day one my ass.
If Hillary is so experienced and ready day one, Why is Obama's Campaign obviously so much better organized and run. The presidency is much more complicated than running a campaign and Hillary has the help of a two-term former president and the name recognition that goes along with it.
It should not even be a close race given Obama's relative newness to most American's but it is and it's because he is better organized and better able to run a company or a country.
Al Gore should not endorse anyone. He should say "In 2000, I saw how the voice of the people was taken away from them by an unelected, non-democratic group. I will not let that happen this year. There I urge all superdelegates to ratify, not nullify, the will of the people as expressed through their PLEDGED delegates."
Please...
There will be no deal. No combo ticket. No Gore savior anything.
These two candidates are running on polar opposite platforms.
The Clintons want to govern you from the top down. They will fix everything.
Obama wants to get you off your couch so you govern yourself from the bottom up. He will help facilitate you doing your part.
There is no way those two philosophies mesh...none.
This race is about how we see ourselves and how we want our government run. It's not about party or even individual candidates.
No deal will be made. Gore will not endorse, may not even vote at the convention.
There's no room for being emotional in politics, or name-calling. It's all about facts. I tried to find ideas and plans in Barack Obama's debates, but there was precious little. Also, his tactic of broadcasting negotiations with major healthcare companies on national television (to embarrass them) was so naieve that it was surprising. Let me recount how that conversation would go:
Obama. Hello, I am the President. Welcome.
CEO of a healthcare corporation: Honored to meet you, Mr. President. How can we help you?
Obama: Oh, I'd like for you to lower your healthcare premiums.
CEO: I see. Well, that's not easy. It may not be doable.
Obama: Oh, did I say that I want to broadcast our negotiations on national television--CSPAN?
CEO: Why, no. Why would you do that?
Obama: To embarrass you into doing what I want you to do and, as I've said, to show the American people what kind of greedy people you are.
CEO: Oh, I see. No.
Obama: No, you won't lower your premiums or no, you won't negotiate on TV?
CEO: No...to both.
Obama: But, I'm the President and I'm telling you to negotiate on TV!
CEO: Well, actually...I'm the CEO of a corporation and I'm telling you no. Where is my coat?
Obama: But, but...
CEO: Listen, buddy, this is America and we have a free enterprise system. You can't make me change my prices unless you pass a law that stops me. And you pretty much can't do that because in a free enterprise system it's supply and demand. As long as people want healthcare, I can keep my prices exactly where they are....if you're lucky. I'm getting a little....annoyed at this point, Mr. President.
Obama: Then tell me what would make prices go lower?
CEO: Oh, well, Hillary Clinton's idea of opening the Congressional healthcare plan would have really put a crimp on demand, but it's lucky for us that never happened.
Obama: So, you won't submit to embarrassment on public television so I can beat down your business model?
CEO: No. But it was a pleasure explaining the American economic system to you.
Obama: Care for some lemonaide?
Leigh,
You do realize that the fantasy you penned is, truly, a fantasy?
Do you realize that what it displays is that YOU HAVE NO IDEA WHAT YOU'RE TALKING ABOUT?
The Obama plan and the Hillary plan are 99% the same. BOTH allow Americans to buy into a Government-run plan that's designed to keep prices low, affordable by all, and provide competition to private sector companies.
That's right, BOTH plans include this. Hillary talks it up as the "Congressional heath plan" and Obama is more low-key about that part of the plan, but you bet your ass it's been in there since day one.
There is one small but significant area where the 2 plans differ. Clinton's plan is to make you a CRIMINAL if you don't purchase health insurance for yourself, in violation of federal law, and she admitted 2 weeks ago to George Stephanopoulos that the Gov't would just GARNISH YOUR WAGES to cover your healthcare, just take it right from your check like they do Social Security.
The Obama Plan is to create the Gov't heath plan and push costs down to a point where EVERY AMERICAN can afford Insurance.
Hillary's plan is to force people to buy (at current rates) and then push prices down. Obama's plan is to push prices down, create the demand, and everyone will buy.
The people in this country that are uninsured are often amongst the poorest in our society. We need to help these people, and you don't help somebody by making them a criminal and garnishing their wages.
Check the facts, Leigh.
Hillary should be ashamed of herself!
Wow, we're getting testy. You should chill. 1) Yes, it is a fantasy, and 2) the fantasy about the tactic, not the strategy.
I don't think it's right to say abusive things on a site like this. Be better than that. It helps everyone.
This post is stupid. Gore doesn't have to even pick a person to vote for until late August, by which point the nominee will already have been decided.
Leigh,
I was perfectly polite, and "chill."
I was also correct. You have displayed a complete lack of understanding of Obama's plan, yet you had no problem parading around your ignorance as fact.
And, tactically, you're STILL wrong.
It would go more like this:
Pres. Obama: "I need to speak to Attorney General Edwards."
Pres. Obama: "John, we need to put pressure on these healthcare companies. We need to expose the special interests here. Sunshine is the best disinfectant, John."
Atty General Edwards: "I agree, Mr. President. How should we handle this?"
Pres. Obama: "Let's depose them. I want you to subpoena them we'll give them a standard deposition, with one small addition: The national press corps."
Atty General Edwards: "So we'll subpoena them, dispose them under oath, and televise it?"
Pres. Obama: "Exactly. Let's get to work, John. Call the Senate Majority Leader, She'll want to be involved."
Atty General Edwards: "I agree, Hillary will make a great ally on this.
I thought Leigh's primary fantasy involved losing all that unwanted blubber, gaining about 30 IQ points (so she can exceed 100), and a large strapping Jamaican man.
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I wouldn't entirely rule out the scenario of him becoming a compromise candidate in the event of a brokered convention.
Posted by dry_fish | February 11, 2008 10:45 AM