Wednesday, January 24, 2007

Kerry Bows Out of '08 Race, Narrowing Pack for a Likely Gore Run


Former Democratic presidential hopeful John Kerry took himself out of the running for president in 2008, choosing instead to devote his energies to ending the Iraq war. Call me crazy, but Al Gore's prospects just got even better than before. If he doesn't announce soon I'll eat my hat.

Kerry made his startling announcement on the floor of the U.S. Senate Wednesday during hearings on the IraQuagmire.

"Two years ago, I sought the presidency to lead us on a different course," Kerry said. "We came close . . . certainly close enough to be tempted to try again. There are powerful reasons to want to continue that fight now. But I have concluded this isn't the time for me to mount a presidential campaign."

The 64-year-old Massachusettes Senator said he's committed to spending the next two years helping shape America's Iraq policy so that Bush's successor will have "a reasonable prospect of success" in the war-torn nation.

"I don't want the next president to find that they have inherited a nation still divided and a policy destined to end as Vietnam did - in a bitter and sad legacy," he said.

With Kerry gone, Gore's main competition is Sen. Barack Obama (IL), Sen. Hillary Clinton (NY) and former North Carolina Senator John Edwards. Those of you who are regular readers here know my thoughts on Obama: all hype, no substance. Hillary? I like her and think she'd make a fine president. But as with Obama, when the time comes to close the curtain and vote, America's true sexism and racism will keep these two out of the White House. As for Edwards, no way in hell would he be elected president. Like Clinton, he'd make for a good prez, but he just doesn't have the gravitas to pull it off. I'm afraid the Repugs' "Breck Girl" tag has had a lasting effect. That leaves The Goracle. He's got the most experience; was anti-war from the start; and is the global warming/environmental guru. He's 'net savvy, would have instant access to massive funds, and would likely have Howard Dean's DNC behind him as payback for his staunch support of the former Vermont Governor's own presidential bid in 2004.

I suspect Gore's sitting back waiting to see the near-term reaction to both the Obama and Clinton semi-announcements. When the fallout comes, as it will, look for Gore to toss his sombrero into the ring. But what about all of Gore's denials that he's running, you say? You mean those half-hearted, less-than-convincing ones from the King of Coy? Stay tuned.....

21 comments:

Anonymous said...

WOW, You are in true form tonight! I hope you are right Andy. I like Obama but lean toward Hillary. Why not? Now enter Gore. Oh Yeah! Now your talkin! I really hope you don't eat your hat or have to remove foot from your pie hole. Just kidding. Good to hear from the Andy-man. Keep me in the loop. James C.

Amy de Miceli said...

C'mon what about Dennis Kucinich !?!

Anonymous said...

GORE/OBAMA 2008

Trust me. That's the ticket!

Anonymous said...

Gore/Richardson

Anonymous said...

Daniel_Anthony_Russo/Gore that's the ticket! Dan Russo is the ONLY MAN born in America who is not of Muslim extraction, has not run and lost for President, KNOWS WHO LIED TO US AND WHY about the WMD in Iraq and HOW to FIX the country, re-unite the people, can Rebuild America, and Repair the damage done by Katrina so it will never happen again by building steel-reinforced, concrete-dome homes up on stilts to withstand storm surges. Dan is the Man with the Plan so give hima a Van and make him President. He completes Gore who just has half the story.

Anonymous said...

It was the Israeli Mossad, aka The Office aka The Institute, which does not admit it exists, but which is made up of about 30 or 40 expert con-men/scam artists aka case officers aka katsas, who recruit loyal, patriotic 100% sympathizers or even arabs to do their dirty work which includes murder, character assassination, blackmail, coercion and bribery. Operating out of a safe house near you, these agents are in the US illegally, under deep cover, and have "friends and helpers" who make sure nothing bad is said about them, the ADL and B'nai B'rith, along with using Reuters to occassionally leak lies when otherwise it's news is swift, true and accurate (so you will trust it, right?)
Getting ready to blow up Iran's peaceful reactors because it wants to breed its own fuel, these people trust no one, will use anyone, and have so far cost us the lives of 34 crewmen on the USS Liberty in 1967, over 3000 dead in Iraq, and tens of thousands dead in the civil war in Lebanon which it kept going for 10 years, the 100,000 or more dead Iraqis, and, oh yeah, did I mention they have trained both sides of the Sri Lankan Civil War? aided IRAN during the Iran-Iraq war? aided fundamentalist muslim extremists in Afghanistan and Hamas, logistically, to make peace impossible because it wants war or unconditional surrender.
Also, it started the 1967 six-day war by blowing up stuff in neighboring Arab states and making it look like Israel did it.

Rick said...

I don't know how you can say Hilary Clinton or Barack Obama would make a fine president. They're both corporate whores just like the Republicans - maybe worse than the Republicans, because they spend half their time spouting populist rhetoric and half their time kissing up to the corporate interests.

What we need is a progressive in the White House. I don't care whether it's a conservative or a liberal, as long as it's someone willing to stand up to the robber barons of the 21st century. We have become America Inc. The government and the people now exist to serve the corporations. That's upside-down and backwards! We, the people, need to reclaim the power for ourselves.

Anonymous said...

Andy, you were the one that got me to your site way back when I found your article (link) on the Huffington blog about President Gore. Since then I've been hooked on your site and your insight on Al Gore. I too feel that Al is the ONLY one that can get this country back on track and talk about experience, Al has it all over all of these people combined. How many years was he in the Senate, then 8 years in the White House as VP, he's already won President once so why not re-elect him again.

I'm an Al Gore fan and will be even if he decides not to run, but I too keep thinking he's just laying low and letting the rest of the field run their course and then at the right moment he'll make a statement saying he's "thinking" about running just to fire up the base again. This will give him a feel for what the mood is around the country.

I read where Al could raise as much if not more than Hillary and that he could use 50 million of his own money without even making a dent in his new wealth. Al has done VERY well since 2000 and has made a ton of friends and connections plus don't forget he has Current TV which is very popular and what a base that would be.

I have to think that Al is playing it real cool right now and just letting everything shake out for the next year. Remember Bobby Kennedy didn't get into the race until the spring of 1968 so Al has plenty of time. No one would bring more to the table then Al Gore and that is why he's still be talked about in the polls and the media, read last weeks TIME magazine's article on Hillary and the very last paragraph is that the ONLY person Hillary has to worry about is Al Gore.

All my best to you Andy and stay strong, every day will be better then yesterday.

Johnny

Anonymous said...

If the Repubs run Brownback we should win. The Repub base will not nominate cultural liberals like(Rudy, Romney [see Mass run for senate against Kennedy] or McCain [see Farwell's view of him]}. They will not nominate Romney as a Mormon either. And if they do nominate a hard core righty on cultural issues like Brownback they will lose.

I wish is weren't true, but white men are not going to vote for a woman or a black man. They are too afraid of what they view as giving up power. The Righie talking heads are pounding Obama on his past and keep pointing out that he is a minority. (Why is he black and not claiming black and white?)

I don't agree that Edwards couldn't get elected. The two America's speech would play even better now than 4 years ago.

I like Al Gore, but at this point it's hard to know what his plans are. Too bad campaigns have to start so early inorder to line up the money.

Anonymous said...

There is one problem with electing Gore. In some ways it's a big one, but it's still an acceptable one. Of course, that assumes that Cheney doesn't declare martial law and have Dubya become sock-puppet for life before the elections, which looks increasingly likely.

I guarantee you that if Gore was elected in 08 then the Republicans would suddenly unearth lots of evidence that Gore really won in 2000. And then they'd try to invoke the 22nd amendment that no person can be elected to the office of president more than twice. So Gore might end up being limited to serving a single term on a technicality. These people are desperate enough and evil enough to try it.

Anonymous said...

Gore is THE candidate that gets me excited! Gore paired with just about anybody beats everybody else. And the most important thing he has going is that he, more than anyone, understands the treacherous Machiavellian nature of the Republican machine. He will not be fooled again.
Al Gore has learned to listen to his heart rather than the poll-watching bean counters. He has learned the hard way the necessity of boldly speaking truth to power.
Al Gore is THE MAN! This country desperately needs his passion and wisdom. I pray that he gets in and reclaims the office that was stolen from him and all of us by the judicail coup of 2000.

Anonymous said...

I've been reading about Gore drawing crowds of 5 and 10 THOUSAND people when he speaks -- in places like Idaho.

Everyone knows who he is and what he stands for. He doesn't have to throw his hat in the ring early, and it would be, I think, a mistake for him to do so (because once he does he becomes a target of all kinds of extremely personal attacks). He would do best to keep himself before the public in the ways he has been, and wait awhile before declaring his intentions. Which is what I think he does intend to do.

It will be Gore/Obamma in 08.

Anonymous said...

You so blithely dismiss Hillary and Edwards as pre-ordained victims of the GOP smear machine and throw us Gore as the candidate?

I'm aghast. Who has felt the wrath of Rove more painfully than Gore?

And why the fuck are you so scared of the GOP, you wimp?

CDW said...

Gore is doing a wonderful job right where he is. The work is important, he is in his element and he is very successful.
The flaws that marked his presidential campaign; addiction to bad advice, too close to the DLC, poor defensive capabilities and an unwillingness to fight to make our votes count haven't gone away.
They just don't matter in his current line of work.
There are many other people who are as smart and capable as Gore and who don't have his flaws.
http://resetnow.blogspot.com

Anonymous said...

The country needs a Gore/Edwards victory just to set history right and for the sake of simple justice.

Anonymous said...

gore would be great. it would give us a chance to go back in time and try to right the terrible crap the bush administration has pulled. and finally we could take a serious look at how we make a better world for future generations. i'm down with gore/obama, gore/richardson, gore/spitzer, gore/edwards....i don't hillary would take the second spot....anyhow lets push the folks we worked so hard to elect in winnig back congress to give us our money's worth in 07 before we become too lost in dreams of 08.

Anonymous said...

I agree with you that Gore is the best man for the job. He has, in fact, a moral imperative to run. Hillary voted for the war and lacks integrity. But you are underestimating Obama's political talent and intelligence by writing that he is "all hype, no substance." When was the last time a Democratic politician brought a crowd of conservative evangelical Christians to their feet? Rather than dismissing him as hype, those who support Gore would do well to ask themselves what is the source of Obama's appeal to so many people. He can connect with people in ways that Democrats have been unable to do. Read The Audacity of Hope. If you think it lacks substance, go read the philosopher Jurgen Habermas. It's a fine example of his dialogical way of thinking applied to the present political and cultural realities in America. It is fair to say that Obama needs more experience, but that is not the same thing as lacking substance. And he will gain more experience if Gore wins the nomination and picks him as the VP candidate, as he should.

Ian O'Corrain
www.theologyafterbreakfast.blogspot.com
www.gore-obama2008.blogspot.com

Anonymous said...

Gore/...huh? Lieberman?

Anonymous said...

moonbat central

Anonymous said...

Maybe Gore can win if he can survive the lies he has told in his movie. He's not had any criticism yet...but wait until he announces he wants to be president in such company as Wimpy Jimmy Carter

Anonymous said...

If Gore ran for President and won, America would become the Terrorist's dream come true. Gore would call the Bombings of all American Buildings a Police Action. Remember in 1993 when
first WTC Bombing Occured and Bin
Laden Declared War on America? During
his last campaign Gore grew a Beard.
What does that tell you? He was
preparing for the takeover by Bin Laden
and his Terrorist Organization. Gore's
Motto should be, If You Can't Beat Them
Join Them.