Why isn't Gore running?

[SPC]

Not that I would like for him to run, but why is he ignoring this once-in-a-lifetime opportunity? 2008 is the only year in which he would be guarenteed victory if he runs, so why doesn't he test the waters or something? Thoughts?

[Padfoot]

Many politicians (especially former presidents) like to put all their time and energy into one major issue that interests them most after they've retired from political office.  A lot of them find focusing on one of the world's problems as an activist more rewarding than trying to solve all of the problems at once as president.  I think Bill Clinton also said something along these lines when he was on the Daily Show.  Basically that it how they retire.

[Eleden]

If he is going to run, then he doesn't have to announce until later this year.  He is a well known political figure with a strong following just waiting for him to jump into the race.

What I don't understand is all the people saying he won't run because of his work on Global Warming.  If he really wants to get his message out and work towards fixing this environmental problem, then why not run for one of the most powerful offices in the world? 

[© tweed]

Not that I would like for him to run, but why is he ignoring this once-in-a-lifetime opportunity? 2008 is the only year in which he would be guarenteed victory if he runs, so why doesn't he test the waters or something? Thoughts?

He wouldn't be guaranteed victory, certainly, but I do think he'd have a very very good chance.  (Better than any individual, in fact, although <50%.)  There are two possible answers to your question.

a) he is running
b) he doesn't want to.  he doesn't want to be bothered with a year-plus campaign (which is why he may jump in in the fall) and doesn't want to be a politician again.  (perhaps the reason Gore is so amazing right now is because he's not a politician.  also another theory I heard, and I can buy this one, is because the last loss was so damn painful, he doesn't want to face the prospect of losing again and that would destroy him emotionally - he was trainwrecked after losing in 2000.  remember, he went into seclusion for months, grew a beard, etc.

[Likely Voter]

Not that I would like for him to run, but why is he ignoring this once-in-a-lifetime opportunity? 2008 is the only year in which he would be guarenteed victory if he runs, so why doesn't he test the waters or something? Thoughts?

guaranteed victory?  Sure he has a good shot, but that seems a stretch. He seems to be enjoying his new status as movie star/wise sage/celeb. And he is up for the Nobel Peace prize. Lets see what happens after they announce if he wins that (October). He could jump in then and even skip everything before the tsunami if he is too late to get on ballots if he had enough cash.

[Jacobtm]

I believe the phrase is "I've fallen out of love with politics."

[Lincoln Republican]

In my view, Al Gore knows in his heart that he cannot win the nomination, and therefore does not want to set himself up for a loss of this magnitude. 

He wants to leave his political legacy intact, not in shreds.

[Padfoot]

In my view, Al Gore knows in his heart that he cannot win the nomination, and therefore does not want to set himself up for a loss of this magnitude. 

He wants to leave his political legacy intact, not in shreds.

There is no way he wouldn't win the nomination and there is a fairly good chance he would win the general.  However, you are somewhat right in that he is afraid of "losing" again.  To lose something twice on such a huge scale in front of the entire country is very difficult.  Especially if your first loss was really a win you weren't allowed to claim.

[SPC]

In my view, Al Gore knows in his heart that he cannot win the nomination, and therefore does not want to set himself up for a loss of this magnitude. 

He wants to leave his political legacy intact, not in shreds.

There is no way he wouldn't win the nomination and there is a fairly good chance he would win the general.  However, you are somewhat right in that he is afraid of "losing" again.  To lose something twice on such a huge scale in front of the entire country is very difficult.  Especially if your first loss was really a win you weren't allowed to claim.

If Gore were to run, I would guarantee you that he would become the next POTUS. I don't see any way he could lose, and I hate Gore.

[Padfoot]

In my view, Al Gore knows in his heart that he cannot win the nomination, and therefore does not want to set himself up for a loss of this magnitude. 

He wants to leave his political legacy intact, not in shreds.

There is no way he wouldn't win the nomination and there is a fairly good chance he would win the general.  However, you are somewhat right in that he is afraid of "losing" again.  To lose something twice on such a huge scale in front of the entire country is very difficult.  Especially if your first loss was really a win you weren't allowed to claim.

If Gore were to run, I would guarantee you that he would become the next POTUS. I don't see any way he could lose, and I hate Gore.

But that's not how he sees it.  His loss in 2000 was so heartbreaking that he is afraid to jump in again even though he probably would win.

[Aizen]

Nixon was defeated in a controverisal loss to JFK and ran for president (and won) 8 years later. Gore could take a look at history. But I think he really has fallen out of love with politics.

[motomonkey]

I continue to argue, Gore is running.  He is simply rewriting the rules on what we think constitutes "running."  The pursuit of the Presidency has evolved many times in history and we are watching the latest. 

Most American's are under the mistaken belief that a candidate must follow this sequence:

1.  Announce exploratory intentions
2.  Announce candidacy
3.  Run the media gauntlet a year in advance of the first primary in order to get well known and popular enough to win the nomination

Gore is simply running a different route

1.  Become very popular among Americans and build winning a reputation/brand by making a movie, writing two books, winning an Academy Award, going on national speaking circuits, appearing on news and political talk shows while deflecting a desire or intention to run
2.  Become increasingly critical of the current administration and the announced candidates proposed solutions.
3.  Reluctantly enter the race 90 days before the primary (by Labor Day) with more hype than an Apple I-Phone. 

He realizes that media treats rock stars and celbrities a whole lot better than it treats politicians.  Why not stay a "rock star" until the last possible minute?

Kenney rewrote the rules in 1960 using television.  Gore is rewriting them today.

[Robespierre's Jaw]

As mototmonkey said, Gore is probably 'running' but he isn't going to make his announcement until later this year. When he ends up running, Gore will be on a one way ticket to the first ballot at the Democratic Convention in Denver, Colorado.

[poughies]

If Gore isn't running, there are a couple of reasons.

1. The fear of losing. Coming 537 votes short has gotta be the worst feeling in politics. I don't know if he can handle it.
2. He will be attacked from all angles. He will be seen ahead of the issue that he claims to care so much about. He might lose all credibility (if he has any) on the environment.
3. Maybe, he doesn't want it (yea right).

[Eraserhead]

I think many of the Republicans and Democrats alike on here would just love to see Gore get into this thing and destroy Hillary. I know I would.

[Amenhotep Bakari-Sellers]

He turned alot of swing voters off by taking the presidency to the Supreme Crt. Had he lost without a court fight he would of had another day. Eventhough he may have been right to do it, swing voters fatigued with the election.

[TomC]

I think many of the Republicans and Democrats alike on here would just love to see Gore get into this thing and destroy Hillary. I know I would.

[motomonkey]

Let me give you today's example of how Gore is running.  Read this article:

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/brent-budowsky/blockbuster-new-poll-al-_b_54072.html

Can you not see that the July 7th Global Warming Concert is a far superior venue to promote a candidate than a Fox News interview with a hostile "political correspondent" (i.e. hack)?

Notice how the Gore articles are now combining Iraq, primaries, polls and his powerful "brand" build around the message/attributes of global warming/rock star/prophet/Academy Award Winner/author/administrative critic/reluctant political figure (who was tragically mistreated), etc.??

Surely the sophisticated political crowd on this forum isn't so naive to not see the wheels of intentional public positioning.  Write it down....

[AndrewTX]

I think many of the Republicans and Democrats alike on here would just love to see Gore get into this thing and destroy Hillary. I know I would.

I would love that very much so. Hell, if he stops being such a loon, I might just support him again.

[NHPolitico]

If Gore were to run, I would guarantee you that he would become the next POTUS. I don't see any way he could lose, and I hate Gore.

Yep. Same here. I'd not vote for him, but the Dems would be stupid to not beg him to run. He's their strongest option.  I bet his personal negatives are very low.

[NHPolitico]

He turned alot of swing voters off by taking the presidency to the Supreme Crt. Had he lost without a court fight he would of had another day. Eventhough he may have been right to do it, swing voters fatigued with the election.

Swing voters right now sure don't mind that he tried to beat GWB by any means available. They are only upset he failed.

[Aizen]

He turned alot of swing voters off by taking the presidency to the Supreme Crt. Had he lost without a court fight he would of had another day. Eventhough he may have been right to do it, swing voters fatigued with the election.

Swing voters right now sure don't mind that he tried to beat GWB by any means available. They are only upset he failed.

Precisely

[agcatter]

He doesn't want to tangle with Clinton Inc.   I don't blame him.  Those two play rough.

[gorkay]

1) He wouldn't be guaranteed victory if he ran, because no one is ever a guaranteed winner. His chances would be excellent, though.
2) I think that if he were running, he would have announced by now, or at least done some of the things potential candidates do when they're thinking about it. He hasn't done any of them, as far as I know, so I don't think he's running.
3) I think his ambition to be President has cooled. He's discovered that he can lead a contented and productive life without it, so he no longer feels as if he needs it.
4) His sense of fair play precludes him from making an eleventh-hour run and pulling the rug out from under candidates who have been working hard for the nomination for months and even years-- especially Hillary.

[Trilobyte]

If Gore decides to run now, then he will have to come up with an explanation to why he is doing this after repeated insisting that he is not running. It will be very hard to explain that without appearing opportunistic.