Would Gore have won?

[panda_priest]

Gore/Obama V. McCain/Palin?

[Blazers93]

Pretty much anyone could have. Would have probably been closer; 311-227 methinks.

[phk]

Any Dem would have won.

[Queen Mum Inks.LWC]

No, but it'd have been close.  If he would've conceded the 2000 election quicker, he would've beaten McCain.

[MK]

Pretty much

[Queen Mum Inks.LWC]

Pretty much

Explain why Gore wins TN.

[Mr. Morden]

More interesting question: How would the Democratic nomination contest have played out if Gore had run?  (Assuming that he jumps in in, say, March 2007, so that everyone else has already declared and no one is scared out of the race.)

[panda_priest]

And it didn't matter if Hillary was also running, he could have said anyone that wants to vote for her should vote her and that his candicacy only enhanced the field. I can't believe he didn't go for it, this was his best chance and he blew it.

[Nixon in '80]

Honestly, my gut tells me no... he's become a single-issue candidate.

[MK]

Pretty much

Explain why Gore wins TN.

You would have to think unlike 2000 he'd contest the state alot more, and McCain is no Bush.  With the wallstreet melt down and Macs bad campaign, any southern white democrat would have did better in the south who pretty much rejected Obama on alot of silly things, although they figured he's win anyway.
With Gore on the ticket as the #1 and being known has the guy who won more votes in 2000 over the now hated Bush presidentcy, its fair to think Gore would stand a good chance of taking his home state.  Very very closely though.  This of course assuming Gore doesn't get sidetracked with any of Obamas demons.

[Dave from Michigan]

yes but I think it would have been closer.

[Marokai Backbeat]

375-163

Give or take Tennessee

[Robespierre's Jaw]

I believe that had Gore won the Democratic Nomination in 2008 he would have defeated Senator McCain for the Presidency of the United States, as would numerous candidates the Democratic Party could have potentially nominated, such as Hillary Clinton, even Bill Richardson perhaps. However, his margin of victory would be smaller than Obama's in RL. Thus I forsee Gore receiving anywhere between 300-325 EV's.

[JSojourner]

Not sure if anti-Gore sentiment puts North Carolina back in the R column or not, but I think he would help the ticket more than hurt it there.  Indiana is another question, however.

[Eraserhead]

Yes, although it would have been a little closer, I think.

[Fmr. Pres. Duke]

343-195

I am sure Gore would've carried West Virginia against McCain. Tennessee has moved too far right from the 1990s for it to go to Gore, even in this election cycle. He'd also lose North Carolina, as the young voters would've been less energized, and Indiana, because Chicago's media market would've been less of an influence and inner city blacks wouldn't have turned out at the rate they did.

Gore definitely wins, but his loony leftward movement during the past 8 years hurts him. If he ran on the platform he did in 2000, he wins by a larger margin than Obama.

[JSojourner]

Duke,

Pretty good analysis I think.  (Though I love Gore's "loony" left move...LOL)

The more I think about it, the more I think NC and IN would both go McCain.  I am curious why you think WV would flip.  Is it because of the economy?  I swear, no matter how hard I try, that is one state I cannot figure.  Dukakis wins it in 88 but Obama can't carry it in 08.  Oh well.

Montana is another curiousity to me right now.  I don't put as much stock in the state's overall Democratic drift as some do...though it's surely a factor.  Some of the reading I have done seems to suggest the state is becoming an increasingly popular place of residence for environmentalists, new age types, etc -- so perhaps Gore's environmental stump would sell there?  Meh -- just a guess.

[Queen Mum Inks.LWC]

Pretty much

Explain why Gore wins TN.

You would have to think unlike 2000 he'd contest the state alot more, and McCain is no Bush.  With the wallstreet melt down and Macs bad campaign, any southern white democrat would have did better in the south who pretty much rejected Obama on alot of silly things, although they figured he's win anyway.
With Gore on the ticket as the #1 and being known has the guy who won more votes in 2000 over the now hated Bush presidentcy, its fair to think Gore would stand a good chance of taking his home state.  Very very closely though.  This of course assuming Gore doesn't get sidetracked with any of Obamas demons.

OK, I guess I never realized Al Gore was from TN, but I still think it's a stretch.

[TomC]

Gore would have lost Tennessee.

[Fmr. Pres. Duke]

Duke,

Pretty good analysis I think.  (Though I love Gore's "loony" left move...LOL)

The more I think about it, the more I think NC and IN would both go McCain.  I am curious why you think WV would flip.  Is it because of the economy?  I swear, no matter how hard I try, that is one state I cannot figure.  Dukakis wins it in 88 but Obama can't carry it in 08.  Oh well.

Montana is another curiousity to me right now.  I don't put as much stock in the state's overall Democratic drift as some do...though it's surely a factor.  Some of the reading I have done seems to suggest the state is becoming an increasingly popular place of residence for environmentalists, new age types, etc -- so perhaps Gore's environmental stump would sell there?  Meh -- just a guess.

Montana is strange to me too. I don't see Gore winning it, but who knows. It went Democratic in 92 and wasn't close again until this cycle.

I think he carries West Virginia because of the economy. Race definitely played a factor in the way they voted.  Hillary would've undoubtedly won the state. They weren't a fan of McCain by any means, but he was the lesser of the two evils. In a Gore/McCain race, the whites would've been more open to Gore, and because McCain didn't appeal to the evangelicals like Bush, it's possible he wins there.

[WillK]

...  I can't believe he didn't go for it, this was his best chance and he blew it.

I dont think he wants it anymore.

[DownWithTheLeft]

Obama was the worst candidate and he won, so yes

[WillK]

I think Gore would have won big.
The whole lack of expereince/'who is the real' Obama attack theme wouldnt work on Gore.
Gore would have crushed McCain in the debates.

[Queen Mum Inks.LWC]

Obama was the worst candidate and he won, so yes

Mike Gravel?  Kucinich?

[Landslide Lyndon]

Obama was the worst candidate and he won, so yes

Rush, is that you?