Al Gore Could be on the Ballot in California

[courtesy of California Progress Report]

By Roy Gayhart

Officially, Gore has made it clear, "I'm not a candidate and I'm not planning on being a candidate for President." He told Time magazine, "It would take a lot to disabuse me of the notion that my highest and best use is to keep building that consensus." What it would take, specifically? "I can't say because I'm not looking for it. But I guess I would know it if I saw it."

Many Gore supporters are saying that Gore is so skilled at not running for president that he just might win in 2008. Over the past year, a Draft Gore movement has been growing; sites like california4gore.org are appearing everywhere. Hundreds of local Draft Gore groups are popping up across the country, connected by the Internet. What started initially as a somewhat fragmented effort, has recently unified as a loose coalition called America For Gore. Even though VP Gore has not yet declared his candidacy, the most recent poll indicates broad national support among Democrats, with a recent national Gallup poll from August 3rd showing Gore in a virtual tie with Obama for second place with 18% support from Democrats. In California, the largest state in the Electoral College, a recent Field poll shows him in a strong second position, with more than 25% of likely primary voters support Gore, compared to Clinton at 38%, Obama at 19.8% and Edwards at 15%. In the San Francisco Bay Area, Al Gore is the number one choice. So, how can this non-candidate poll this strong with six months until the first primary?

His supporters argue that he already won in 2000 and that it is unlikely that anyone who voted for him then, would not vote for him again. Further, they argue, a lot of those who voted for Bush in 2000, would vote for Gore now. After the pain of losing the 2000 election to a controversial Supreme Court decision, many have an attitude of "what if?" or a vindication "to Make It Right." But more importantly, Al Gore 2.0 is a much more effective version of Gore 1.0. How so? Well, in the first place, Gore 2.0 is much more comfortable with who he is. He seems to carrying a JFK-type "ask not what your politicians can do for you" message with his new book The Assault on Reason. His human connectivity in "An Inconvenient Truth", along with his long-lasting dedication on the climate crisis issue and by becoming a global voice he has been nominated for the Nobel peace prize.

So far this year, more than 180,000 people have signed a petition asking Al Gore to run for president in 2008. Over the last sixty days Draft Gore groups have begun statewide campaigns to put Al Gore's name on their presidential primary ballots in New Hampshire, Massachusetts, New Jersey, Michigan and Washington. Recently, organizers of California Draft Gore, a newly-formed PAC, announced "the granddaddy of all draft Gore ballot initiatives" to be waged in California. Will he run? Those who have organized California Draft Gore say they believe that an active grassroots and net-roots effort will make the difference – resulting in his October decision to enter the presidential race. Until he declares his candidacy, the California Draft Gore organizers believe the movement will continue to grow. The California effort will involve 70 organizers and hundreds of Draft Gore volunteers. Their goal is three-fold: