Gore Clears His Schedule? (Update: Gore Says No)
A blurb in the Taipei Times may telegraph a shakeup in the Democratic primary race, which has settled into a contest for the second spot already. Hillary Clinton may have a tougher fight on her hands, as a cancellation in Al Gore's schedule portends a presidential bid by the former Vice President (via Power Line and The Corner):
■ ENVIRONMENT Al Gore visit postponed Former US vice president Al Gore will not be able to make it to Taiwan this September to address the issue of global warming, Democratic Progressive Party Legislator Tien Chiu-chin (田秋堇) said yesterday. Tien, who invited Gore to visit Taiwan to promote awareness on global warming, told reporters yesterday that she received an e-mail from the Harry Walker Agency, which has the exclusive right to arrange Gore's speeches, saying that Gore had canceled all his scheduled events in the next six months. The visit to Taiwan had been postponed to next year, she added. Tien said the reason for the cancelation was that Gore was considering a presidential bid.
If this is accurate, it's the best indication that Gore will challenge Hillary for the top spot on the ticket. He has made it his mission to campaign worldwide against global warming, as well as making a living from at least some of his appearances. Cancelling six months of commitments clears him throught at least the start of the primary elections next year.
Of course, this could just be Gore's way of dumping the Taiwan appearance in a way that doesn't burn bridges. He could have decided not to irritate backers who want to concentrate on wheedling Beijing into changes, and a Taiwan appearance by Gore may have bruised some feelings in mainland China. The politics in that region have become very strained, and Beijing may have resented a challenge from Gore from the disputed island.
We should keep our eyes and ears open for other cancellations. If a rash of them suddenly appears, I think we will have our answer. Given the mood of the activists in the Democratic Party, Gore could give Hillary a real problem in the primaries -- and she might wind up at the bottom of the ticket.
UPDATE: Lowell at Raising Kaine (and a BlogTalkRadio host) called Gore's office and got a loud guffaw in return:
It is completely and utterly false.1. He never accepted an event in Taiwan
2. We have loads of events on the schedule in the next six monthsI don't know how to spell bubkus but there's no credibility to this whatsoever.
It's spelled bupkis, and it looks like that's what Gore has in mind for this presidential cycle, at least at the moment. Hillary can breathe a sigh of relief ...
Posted by Ed Morrissey on June 29, 2007 10:52 AM | Comments (22) | TrackBacks (0)
Comments (22)
Posted by PWT | June 29, 2007 11:37 AM
Gore never got over the fact that Ms. Rodham commandeered his office in the West Wing. Now she's going to pay for it.
Posted by hermie | June 29, 2007 11:40 AM
Are you sure he isn't cancelling the visit because he doesn't want to risk losing campaign contributions from Bejing?
Posted by PSGInfinity | June 29, 2007 11:53 AM
"...she might wind up at the bottom of ..."
Must.. Resist... Beavis&Butthead... Temptation...
Posted by Adjoran | June 29, 2007 12:11 PM
Gore could fund his own campaign if he chooses, and at this point he might have to. Most of the major donors and fundraisers are already committed to other candidates. But he's got the money from stock options he received as a Board member of Google and several other high-tech companies (who took him on after his 2000 defeat) - he made a couple hundred mil, from all reports.
The bigger problem would be the lack of top-shelf consultants, staffers, pollsters, etc. It would be the Amateur Hour campaign without them, so Gore would need to convince Obama, or at least Edwards, to withdraw.
On the bright side, I believe Naomi Wolf is still available.
Posted by Jake | June 29, 2007 12:25 PM
Gore has one unsurmountable problem.
He has been saying some very outrageous things especially in Europe. Plus there was a long period of time when he wore that crazy beard. All those speeches have been saved by people who would run against him,
Put all that together in a series of commercials and Gore could be made to appear insane.
Posted by J'hn1 | June 29, 2007 12:33 PM
If SHrillary is on the bottom of the ticket, tipper had better get algore's life insurance paid up.
Posted by ne0365 | June 29, 2007 12:40 PM
"Appear" to be insane.....?
Posted by Trubador | June 29, 2007 12:53 PM
I predicted back on May 3 that the presidential race will be a battle for the Volunteer State (Thompson v. Gore):
http://arbiterofcommonsense.blogspot.com/2007/05/presidential-primaries-predictions-here.html
Posted by Jonas parker | June 29, 2007 1:08 PM
Jake, Algore could be "made to appear" insane?
I don't think there's any effort needed there...
Posted by eeyore | June 29, 2007 1:14 PM
What would make his running truly gold - but something we'll never see - is when Hillary first gets him into a secure, non-audio/video location and rips him a new one for messing with her Sherman's March to the White House.
Posted by Lightwave | June 29, 2007 1:42 PM
The battle of these two egos would be arguably be the best single assurance of a GOP President in '08. I for one truly hope Gore runs again and the Democrat Hype Machine goes ballistic feeding on itself (This means you, McClatchy Media!) and the resulting anti-war moonbat envirofringe versus corrupt Clintonista war will all but put the GOP back in charge of everything come January 2009. If you thought Ralph Nader would cost the Dems the White House yet again, wait until Gore shows up and causes a civil war among his own party.
And either the winner is the GOP, because the Dems will either field someone who has no chance in 08...or somebody who's already lost in 04. And whichever half of the party wins, the other half will sit out the election in protest, maybe for decades to come.
Please Al! Run! Run the Democrats into the ground!
Posted by azlibertarian | June 29, 2007 2:08 PM
How much weight has he lost?
Posted by John Gault | June 29, 2007 2:14 PM
Gore Goes GREEN..... (Party that is). Gore will go independent. That way he can run against both sides to the cheers of his adoring Gores. It's all about his ego.
He will be the Ross Perot of the 2008 election. Doesn't really care if he wins, just as long as somebody keeps putting a camera in his face he'll be happy.
Posted by Bella | June 29, 2007 2:21 PM
Al will knock Hillary from the running...however, we might just see Gore/Clinton/clinton...as we did in the 90's.
Same nightmare and characters, different time.
Posted by LeaningRt | June 29, 2007 2:24 PM
Won't be speaking for ONE YEAR! But the earth will be under water in one year!
Posted by GarandFan | June 29, 2007 2:44 PM
I think The Groacle will say that he is merely 'testing the waters'. Of course he will be hoping the Hillary and Obama will continue to bash one another to the point that the party will draft him in order to present a united front against the Republicans. It fits into his savior mentality so well. After all, he is an Alpha Male.
Posted by hunter | June 29, 2007 3:09 PM
2008 stands to be one of the most unique years in our political history.
If Gore really is considering a run, he has a few points of real vulnerability. But it seems that the MSM is determined to ignore his bizarre behavior, his increible flip-flop on Iraq, and his words about AGW vs. what he actually did about AGw when he was in power.
To add to that, he is on the record saying the world is coming to an end and very soon.
If good old gaia declines to swoon for him, he could have a credibility probelm of global proportions.
Posted by iftheshoefits | June 29, 2007 3:19 PM
C,mon, y'all are so blinded by the political angle.
He's come to the conclusion that he must stop all of his CO2 generating global junkets, for the benefit of the planet, before it's too late. He's going to make radical changes to his carbon footprint to lead by example.
How cynical of us to possibly think otherwise.
Posted by Phil | June 29, 2007 3:33 PM
>>> Gore could fund his own campaign if he chooses, and at this point he might have to. Most of the major donors and fundraisers are already committed to other candidates. But he's got the money from stock options he received as a Board member of Google and several other high-tech companies (who took him on after his 2000 defeat) - he made a couple hundred mil, from all reports.
I read an article the other day that says Gore's net worth is near 100 million. Is it possible he thinks he's on some sort of inevitable mission from God ? er, I mean Gaia?
Posted by exDemo | June 29, 2007 3:39 PM
I still say Gore is responsible for most of the Bush Derangement Syndrome and the poisoning of the political dialogue in America.
It began when he lost the election after a the last week of dirty tricks failed, but narrowed the race. (Do you remember the wispers that GWB hid three convictions for DUI, soon tobe revealed, that never were?)
Heturneed to the tort lawyers. Theyy used the standard techniques of evidence distortion,. Evidence suppresion & exclusion, emotionalism, devil creation & disqualification that worked so well against , Breast implants, Malpractice doctors, The auto companies, yada yada yada.
By the time it was clear to all including the NYT and WaPo that you could not count the votes in any manner to ellct Gore, many Democrat partisansd thought the election was discreditied, and Bush was a thiefand an illegitimate president.
All tis is very reminscent of another political career.
Sounds like Hiitler compalining about the Wiemar Republic.
His speeches brim withsimilarities to Hitlers; "Stab in the BAck" drivel...(He BETRAYED us ..."
His publsihed messiamnic books and adopted psuedo Science. Hitler stood for Eugenics, to prevent racial pollution. Gore screams for measures to prevent Global Thermal Pollution.
Hitler appointed himslef in charge of the true believers who intimidate, break up meetings, and shout down criticism, and occasionally burn books and muzzle Scinetists. Gore's Earth Liberation Front "GreenShirts" are no different, tahn Hitler's brown shirts or Peron's "No Shirts" et cetera.; shoutng down criticism, and burning agrigultural stationsn and destroying years of research,intimidating agronomists and silviculturists.
Do I fear a messianic faillure who flunked out oof Elmer Gantry Divinity School? You bet !
Much better to have a simple grifter and crook like Hilary in charge, rather than him. Corruption we've had before Non malicious like Grant or just plain corrupt like her husband. the country has and can survive that.
It is ABSOLUTELY no surprsie that he is gojng to announce for President.. He has ben running for president with all this global warming hysteria from the very beginning.
It does reveal a shrewd self-awareness for the need ot resurrect his career and alter his image as a boob..
It also reveals an utter disregard for Democracy. Even a Ricahrd Nixon thought it better to let Kennedy become President with some potential dirty tricks in Illinois, than put his own interests over the country. The Goregoyle has already demonstrated that he gives a damn for nobody, or the country, over himself.
I am fearful.
Posted by patrick neid | June 29, 2007 4:41 PM
hillary and crew will eat him like so much popcorn. this is just more "filler" for cnn et al to keep hillary's coronation interesting.........
Posted by Monkei | June 29, 2007 6:58 PM
I still say Gore is responsible for most of the Bush Derangement Syndrome and the poisoning of the political dialogue in America.
No, that would be the Kenneth Starr investigation and the GOP House which went the way of impeachment proceedings, In the timeline of political poisining, that came first.
Of course GWB should not be accountable for any of his faiings as president. Why should he accept accountability NOW?