If Obama Dropped Out & Endorsed Gore, How Would the Dynamics of the Race Change?

[Politico]

It's clear that Obama is not likely to catch up to Hillary Clinton. John Edwards has been doing everything he possibly can and he still trails Al Gore, a man who has refused to throw his hat into the ring. Edwards is damaged goods, too tainted by Kerryism/2004 to really make a run at it. Nobody else is polling in double digits.

At the present time, the battle is between two candidates. In the left corner, we have a young, charismatic, ambitious senator from Illinois who is not likely to win the presidency in 2008, but may very well be the candidate the nation turns to in 2016 after said candidate gains more experience. In the opposite corner, we have an aging, uncharismatic senator "from New York" who is supposedly "destined" by "inevitability" to win the Democratic Party's nomination for president, despite the fact that a majority of voters say that they will not choose her in the general election under any circumstances (By the way, when is somebody going to ask her how she plans on satisfying the country when she cannot even satisfy her husband?).

If you were Obama and his campaign team, and you wanted to take down Hillary without getting your hands dirty and without sacrificing the causes you are fighting for, what do you do when you are continuing to stagnate at 20% while Hillary beats you by over 20 points?

How about cutting a deal with Al Gore? You drop out of the race and offer your endorsement to Al Gore. In return, you are guaranteed to be the other half of the 2008 Democratic ticket should Al Gore win the party's nomination.

With virtually all of Obama's support thrown to Gore, along with the support Gore is already garnering with Obama in the race, we would likely have a statistical tie between Gore and Clinton in most states. And that is without Gore spending a penny or a second on the campaign trail. Gore would instantly receive an organized team that's in it to win, both for Obama and the causes that Gore and Obama care deeply about. I, for one, strongly suspect the Obama team would prefer a Gore/Obama ticket to a Clinton/Clinton ticket. What do you think?

All in all, my main question is this: How do you think this scenario would change the dynamics of the race? And, if it were to happen, do you think Gore would beat Clinton? Do you think Gore or Clinton would go on to win the presidency?

I look forward to your responses.

[MarkWarner08]

It's clear that Obama is not likely to catch up to Hillary Clinton. John Edwards has been doing everything he possibly can and he still trails Al Gore, a man who has refused to throw his hat into the ring. Edwards is damaged goods, too tainted by Kerryism/2004 to really make a run at it. Nobody else is polling in double digits.

At the present time, the battle is between two candidates. In the left corner, we have a young, charismatic, ambitious senator from Illinois who is not likely to win the presidency in 2008, but may very well be the candidate the nation turns to in 2016 after said candidate gains more experience. In the opposite corner, we have an aging, uncharismatic senator "from New York" who is supposedly "destined" by "inevitability" to win the Democratic Party's nomination for president, despite the fact that a majority of voters say that they will not choose her in the general election under any circumstances (By the way, when is somebody going to ask her how she plans on satisfying the country when she cannot even satisfy her husband?).

If you were Obama and his campaign team, and you wanted to take down Hillary without getting your hands dirty and without sacrificing the causes you are fighting for, what do you do when you are continuing to stagnate at 20% while Hillary beats you by over 20 points?

How about cutting a deal with Al Gore? You drop out of the race and offer your endorsement to Al Gore. In return, you are guaranteed the spot on the bottom of the ticket.

With virtually all of Obama's support thrown to Gore, along with the support Gore is already garnering with Obama in the race, we would likely have a statistical tie between Gore and Clinton in most states. And that is without Gore spending a penny or a second on the campaign trail. Gore would instantly receive an organized team that's in it to win, both for Obama and the causes that Gore and Obama care deeply about. I, for one, strongly suspect the Obama team would prefer a Gore/Obama ticket to a Clinton/Clinton ticket. What do you think?

All in all, my main question is this: How do you think this scenario would change the dynamics of the race? And, if it were to happen, do you think Gore would beat Clinton? Do you think Gore or Clinton would go on to win the presidency?

I look forward to your responses.

No and No.  Interesting scenario, but why are you so quick to minimize Obama's chances? If you cut through the media spin and the Clinton kool aid, you'd realize that the Illinois Senator is one win in Iowa away from completely changing the dynamics of the Presidential race. Obama has bar none the strongest campaign organization in Iowa and he's using innovative techniques to expand his base of possible voters.

Gore picked up over 30 points in NH the week after his evisceration of Bill Bradley in the 2000 Iowa caucus. What's Hillary's main advantage right now? Her aura of invincibility. If the first election results end with anyone other than Hilldawg finishing with the "W," her campaign will be sent into a tailspin.

[Padfoot]

Why do all these Hillary haters assume that the only goal of Obama and Edwards is to stop Clinton at all costs?  And why do they keep putting forth these ridiculous scenarios in which some combination of Gore, Edwards, and Obama team up in some way to defeat the evil Hillary monster.  Newsflash fanboys, it ain't gonna happen.  First off, Gore isn't running.  He's made it quite clear; so cut it out with the what if Gore.... scenarios.  Second, Edwards and Obama are not going to be anyone's VP.  Obama's career is still in its infancy and he has many better options.  Edwards already played the #2 part once and I doubt he'll go for it again.  Finally, none of the big three are going to drop out before Iowa and New Hampshire and once they do drop out they'll probably endorse the primary victor to maintain party solidarity heading into the general.

Wake up from your Gore wetdream and accept that Hillary is the likely nominee and if you aren't willing to do that, support someone who is actually running instead of annoying people with your dumb fantasies.

[LINCOLN REPUBLICAN]

Would Gore ever get into this race?  No.

If Obama dropped out and endorsed Gore, would it change the dynamics of the campaign?  Not much.

Would Obama ever drop out of the race before New Hampshire?  No way.

Democratic primary voters are fixated with making Hillary Clinton the Presidential nominee, and Obama will not change that, Edwards will not change that, and certainly Gore will not change that.

Gore knows full well it would be a disaster for him to get into the race. 

No, Gore will not be getting into the race.

If Gore did get into the race, no, he would not defeat Clinton for the nomination, support from Obama or not.

I have to agree, once Clinton cinches the nomination, Obama and Edwards will endorse her, not Gore.

Obama will not get the VP nod, nor will Edwards.

Clinton will go with Evan Bayh. 

 

[bbt]

Correction: Hillary will select Bill Richardson as her running mate

[All life is a blur of Republicans and meat.]

Correction: Hillary will select me as her running mate.

[LINCOLN REPUBLICAN]

Correction: Hillary will select Bill Richardson as her running mate

A woman and a Hispanic, I highly doubt that.

[LINCOLN REPUBLICAN]

Correction: Hillary will select me as her running mate.

You are either extremely arrogant, totally self centered, completely delusional, or have somewhat of a sense of humor.

[Speed of Sound]

Correction: Hillary will select me as her running mate.

You are either extremely arrogant, totally self centered, completely delusional, or have somewhat of a sense of humor.

...

or Hillary's running mate.

[motomonkey]

Gore is out...Agree with Padfoot on dropping all the Gore "what ifs"

The best think Obama can do is run a visionary campaign with integrity as far and as high as he can go.  Assuming, that his campaign falls short of winning the nomination, at the Democratic Convention, he can make a claim on the future of the party and the nation while bringing the party together to win in November. 

The full campaign will give him the opportunity to gain experience, grow, experiment, and give the nation a chance to get to know the young Senator from Illinois.  Most Presidents spent several years building a national reputation (Johnson, Nixon, Reagan, Bush, Clinton) and most with at least one national campaign under their belt. 

To quit, combine forces or do anything other than finish well would do nothing but hurt his future. 

[BenNebbich]

above you can read a fine post.

read it again.

[Senator Ben]

It's clear that Obama is not likely to catch up to Hillary Clinton. John Edwards has been doing everything he possibly can and he still trails Al Gore, a man who has refused to throw his hat into the ring. Edwards is damaged goods, too tainted by Kerryism/2004 to really make a run at it. Nobody else is polling in double digits.

At the present time, the battle is between two candidates. In the left corner, we have a young, charismatic, ambitious senator from Illinois who is not likely to win the presidency in 2008, but may very well be the candidate the nation turns to in 2016 after said candidate gains more experience. In the opposite corner, we have an aging, uncharismatic senator "from New York" who is supposedly "destined" by "inevitability" to win the Democratic Party's nomination for president, despite the fact that a majority of voters say that they will not choose her in the general election under any circumstances (By the way, when is somebody going to ask her how she plans on satisfying the country when she cannot even satisfy her husband?).

If you were Obama and his campaign team, and you wanted to take down Hillary without getting your hands dirty and without sacrificing the causes you are fighting for, what do you do when you are continuing to stagnate at 20% while Hillary beats you by over 20 points?

How about cutting a deal with Al Gore? You drop out of the race and offer your endorsement to Al Gore. In return, you are guaranteed to be the other half of the 2008 Democratic ticket should Al Gore win the party's nomination.

With virtually all of Obama's support thrown to Gore, along with the support Gore is already garnering with Obama in the race, we would likely have a statistical tie between Gore and Clinton in most states. And that is without Gore spending a penny or a second on the campaign trail. Gore would instantly receive an organized team that's in it to win, both for Obama and the causes that Gore and Obama care deeply about. I, for one, strongly suspect the Obama team would prefer a Gore/Obama ticket to a Clinton/Clinton ticket. What do you think?

All in all, my main question is this: How do you think this scenario would change the dynamics of the race? And, if it were to happen, do you think Gore would beat Clinton? Do you think Gore or Clinton would go on to win the presidency?

I look forward to your responses.

Yes, Gore would beat Hillary.

Yes, they would both go on to win the presidency.  But, Gore isn't going to run.