Might Of The Living Gore

by pessimist

Al Gore, as my brother posters note today, scored a heavy hit on Bu$hCo with his powerful speech yesterday. It was, in fact so powerful, that one of the nation's most conservative newspapers, the Chicago Tribune, printed this opinion piece:

More Gore, please
January 16, 2006
by Frank James

Witnessing former Vice President Gore's speech today in which he basically accused President Bush of criminality for warrant-less eavesdropping on Americans was fascinating in part because it demonstrated just how spicy a Washington speech can be when the person giving it has nothing left to lose.

Gore, whose active career in the political career arena really appears to be over (that premature "Howard Dean for president" endorsement probably put the last nail in the coffin) didn't pull any punches, blasting the president in saying "What we do know about this pervasive wiretapping virtually compels the conclusion that the president of the U.S. has been breaking the law repeatedly and insistently."

[I]t's striking to hear him make bold, declarative statements.

And, from the posts below, Gore's comments are striking home.

Gore also seems a whole lot more comfortable in his skin than he was as a candidate.

Today, he was supposed to be introduced by former Rep. Bob Barr, a Georgia Republican, a conservative who one of the capital's biggest Clinton haters during the previous administration. Barr is big into privacy rights and against widespread government surveillance, national ID cards and the like.

Barr was to have been beamed by closed circuit TV to make the introduction. But the link failed and for several surreal minutes Gore was on the stage by himself with the spotlight on him while the event's sponsors were backstage trying to fix the glitch. While the audience murmurs grew, Gore just sat there smiling, looking tranquil. At one point, he drew laughs when he turned around in his chair to look off-stage to see if anyone would be coming out to tell him what was going on.

Now many a politician or former politician, unnerved by all that dead air, would have risen to the microphone and launched into his speech.

The old Gore probably would've have done that, if for no other reason to be seen as taking control because anyone with presidential aspirations has to always market himself as someone who can take control.

But that's not Gore's thing anymore, which makes him much more interesting after the death of his presidential ambition than he was when that ambition was very much alive.

I agree about the reasons cited above that Gore should not run again, but a detailed analysis waits for another post. We have to convince Hillary that the welfare of the nation has to come before the realization of her ambitions. This is demonstrated by the following letter to the New York Times:

The Real Losers
January 17, 2006

The constitutional abuses by this administration are contemptible and clearly suggest who the real winners and losers are now.

James Quigley
East Orange, N.J., Jan. 12, 2006

It is vital to our democracy that Bu$hCo be removed. Gore can act as a part of the Democratic General Staff, and Hillary can assist, but there needs to be someone else up in front leading the charge. Someone who won't fold under the pressures of the campaign and who has the nation's benefit in mind.

No, I don't have a suggestion as yet, other than we need to keep our eyes open for possible candidates.

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