There's a Buzz in the California Air About Al Gore

[courtesy of California Progress Report]

Thunderous applause and standing ovation at Barbara Boxer fundraiser--Before the Nobel Prize

Petitions on the street to place him on the California ballot

By Frank D. Russo

At last night's Barbara Boxer fundraiser in San Francisco, the St. Francis Hotel was thick as thieves with reporters. Before Boxer arrived to hold an impromptu press conference with these reporters, the questions being bandied about amongst the press were all about Al Gore. Would he run for President? Would the Nobel Peace Prize, if he won it, give him a boost to run for President? And could he win by getting in at such a late date.

I joined in and made a few comments about the pros and cons to some of the news folks I knew and before I knew it, the cameras lit up and I was being asked these questions by two TV news reporters and another political writer for a newspaper.

A few minutes later, Barbara Boxer was asked more questions about Al Gore running for President than she was about any other matter. In fact, I can only remember a couple of other questions--about whether Arnold Schwarzengger would be running against her in 2010 when she is running for re-election and whether it would be a tough race if he did so. She told the reporters they would have to ask the Governor the first question and answered "absolutely" to the question of whether it would be a tough race.

Boxer answered the first few questions about Gore by praising him as a great man. She said that, "The decision to run for President is not mine. It is his, and I suggest you ask him." I don't think anyone got to ask him any questions, including that one last night.

Boxer did say that "I have so many dear friends in this race… It would be hurtful if I steeped into the primary." She recited how she had met Joe Biden and Chris Dodd as a Member of Congress in 1983 and that she was very close to Barack Obama and Hillary Clinton.

Boxer also said that "Whether Al Gore wins the Nobel Prize or not, he's a formidable person and I think the future is his regardless of what direction he wants to take it."