I couldn’t believe that after the media blitz he put on the past couple weeks. I expected an announcement that he was running within a couple days. I’m still not sure if this is good or bad. I was of the same mind as you on Gore until the past couple of months. If he was really going to be a bulldog, and run unabashedly left-liberal, I probably would have been behind him. Of course, the odds of him sustaining that under real campaign pressure were probably not good. I don’t see who else out there is going to try it though. Most of the rest of the Dem candidate pool seems pretty milquetoast to me.
Oh, I believe that he entered this media blitz with all the intention to make another run. But poor book sales, little donor interest, and lack of support from strong democrat institutions and leaders probabaly all led him to reconsider. Finally, after seeing SNL and him half-naked in a hot tub; I knew it was over. Every president has atleast some level of austerity that goes along with the “presidential mystique”. Gore simply forfeited that possibility with this SNL skit, and I am sure the “West wing” parody was over the edge as well. As a whole, Im glad he is done. As it stands, I’m a fan of a Kerry/Edwards ticket (notwithstanding his vacillations on the death penalty.) But maybe some darkhorse may surprise me and win my support (Bradley, Dean,………Davis?!? hahaha)
Well, the guy you love to hate is out, Kev. Even if I don’t particularly care for Al, I am not sure who you think is going to be able to challenge Dubya in 2004. I am sure some of the folks who will throw their hats into the ring are good people, but none of them have name recognition enough to win. Unless Dubya major league fecks up something between now and then. Which is possible, but not the type of scenario I would like to lay hopes on.
Sure, in 1991 everyone thought Bush I was a shoe-in for re-election. Clinton snuck up on everyone and pulled victory out when no one expected that. Not sure lightning like that can strike twice. No one in the Dem ranks has the sort of personality that Clinton had, and that is what will be required to win more than likely.
So who do you like now? Besides Bradley that is.
I swear to God, my first thought when I saw this bit o’ news was, “I bet Kevin Murphy is doing a happy dance somewhere this instant.”
Happy dance? Ok, maybe just a little one. Gore not only meant instant defeat in 2004 – he was never going to be able to sway the 50% of the nation who’ve already decided they don’t like him – but he also would have stifled the rising of a much-needed new generation of Dems. As for the current crop of contenders, the only one I’ve decided I definitely don’t like is Lieberman. With all his posturing on “moral” issues, he’s not a Democrat – he’s Republican lite. I’d say right now I like John Kerry the best, although I wish I knew more about Howard Dean. Edwards looks good on paper, but he hasn’t done anything remotely noteworthy to separate himself from the pack yet. And Daschle…I like Daschle (liked him more before the Iraq vote), but South Dakota isn’t really a must-win state for the Dems. Right now, I’d say advantage Kerry. The important thing, though, is Gore is gone…he just would have dragged the party down, down, down.
Scully,
If Bush causes the country to plummet further downward, both economically and via the upcoming “war,” then it won’t matter WHO runs against him. Name recognition will become a moot issue. The Democrats could run a mule against Bush and still win!
That’s why we need to stop Lieberman from getting the nomination. Otherwise, say hello to President Kasich (*shudder*) in 2008.
I couldn’t believe that after the media blitz he put on the past couple weeks. I expected an announcement that he was running within a couple days. I’m still not sure if this is good or bad. I was of the same mind as you on Gore until the past couple of months. If he was really going to be a bulldog, and run unabashedly left-liberal, I probably would have been behind him. Of course, the odds of him sustaining that under real campaign pressure were probably not good. I don’t see who else out there is going to try it though. Most of the rest of the Dem candidate pool seems pretty milquetoast to me.
Oh, I believe that he entered this media blitz with all the intention to make another run. But poor book sales, little donor interest, and lack of support from strong democrat institutions and leaders probabaly all led him to reconsider. Finally, after seeing SNL and him half-naked in a hot tub; I knew it was over. Every president has atleast some level of austerity that goes along with the “presidential mystique”. Gore simply forfeited that possibility with this SNL skit, and I am sure the “West wing” parody was over the edge as well. As a whole, Im glad he is done. As it stands, I’m a fan of a Kerry/Edwards ticket (notwithstanding his vacillations on the death penalty.) But maybe some darkhorse may surprise me and win my support (Bradley, Dean,………Davis?!? hahaha)
Well, the guy you love to hate is out, Kev. Even if I don’t particularly care for Al, I am not sure who you think is going to be able to challenge Dubya in 2004. I am sure some of the folks who will throw their hats into the ring are good people, but none of them have name recognition enough to win. Unless Dubya major league fecks up something between now and then. Which is possible, but not the type of scenario I would like to lay hopes on.
Sure, in 1991 everyone thought Bush I was a shoe-in for re-election. Clinton snuck up on everyone and pulled victory out when no one expected that. Not sure lightning like that can strike twice. No one in the Dem ranks has the sort of personality that Clinton had, and that is what will be required to win more than likely.
So who do you like now? Besides Bradley that is.
I swear to God, my first thought when I saw this bit o’ news was, “I bet Kevin Murphy is doing a happy dance somewhere this instant.”
Happy dance? Ok, maybe just a little one. Gore not only meant instant defeat in 2004 – he was never going to be able to sway the 50% of the nation who’ve already decided they don’t like him – but he also would have stifled the rising of a much-needed new generation of Dems. As for the current crop of contenders, the only one I’ve decided I definitely don’t like is Lieberman. With all his posturing on “moral” issues, he’s not a Democrat – he’s Republican lite. I’d say right now I like John Kerry the best, although I wish I knew more about Howard Dean. Edwards looks good on paper, but he hasn’t done anything remotely noteworthy to separate himself from the pack yet. And Daschle…I like Daschle (liked him more before the Iraq vote), but South Dakota isn’t really a must-win state for the Dems. Right now, I’d say advantage Kerry. The important thing, though, is Gore is gone…he just would have dragged the party down, down, down.
Scully,
If Bush causes the country to plummet further downward, both economically and via the upcoming “war,” then it won’t matter WHO runs against him. Name recognition will become a moot issue. The Democrats could run a mule against Bush and still win!
That’s why we need to stop Lieberman from getting the nomination. Otherwise, say hello to President Kasich (*shudder*) in 2008.