We want a winner

So Al Gore has won an Oscar, an Emmy, and potentially on Friday a Nobel Prize. Ann Althouse wonders if he won all that, should he try to win the big kahuna...the presidency? (Arguably he already did, not that we want to rehash all that hanging chad drama for the umpteenth time.)

I think Gore has redeemed his public persona with his activities on behalf of the environment and would make an incredibly strong candidate. But personally I doubt he wants to give up much or all of the goodwill he has generated by entering into a particularly ugly arena. You think Hillary Clinton wouldn't come after him with guns blazing if he tried to take her down? You think he wants to have to go to chicken dinners in Iowa and pancake breakfasts in New Hampshire and beg for money and votes?

I'd love if it Al runs, but I think the only way that will happen is if a legitimate and strong draft movement literally pushes him into the race. With the strength of the current candidates and their fundraising that seems unlikely to occur. Gore above all needs to be able to humbly accept a call to duty, rather than being painted unfortunately as someone who did all of these noble things not because he really cares about the environment and wants to better the world, but because he was trying to revamp his public image. You can bet someone from the Democratic camp and probably a few Repubs too would take that bait and make that slur.

So while I think he would be the easiest Democratic candidate for me to support, hands down, I also think he will not run. God, though, do I hope I'm wrong.