He's tanned. He's rested. He's ready. Al Gore 2016! Wha-what? It's the premise of Salon blogger Sean Illing which reflects a growing realization among the left that Hillary Clinton is a fatally flawed candidate. Okay, fine, but is Al Gore really the best alternative they can come up with? Illing makes the case for Gore but leaves out a few fatal flaws about Mr. Global Warming.
First let us watch Illing bemoan the candidacy of Hillary and why Bernie Sanders does not fit the bill as a replacement:
The presidential election is still sixteen months away, but this much is clear: Hillary Clinton is a vulnerable candidate.
Since announcing her candidacy in April, Clinton’s stature has steadily slipped. Things got even worse this week. We learned, first, that Bernie Sanders eclipsed Clinton in small, individual donations, which is an indicator of popular support among likely voters.
Second, and more problematic, the newest AP poll revealed significant weaknesses among Democrats on a host of issues, including trust, character, and compassion for average Americans.
These numbers are alarming heading into the general election, especially for Democrats. Bernie Sanders is running an important campaign, but it’s very difficult to see the entire party rallying around him.
Where, oh where, can a savior of the Democrats be found? Well, Illing discovers his carbon credit jet-setting hero to save the day:
Enter Al Gore: the one person on the left, apart from Clinton and Biden, with the cachet to bridge the establishment and progressive wings of the party. Here are 10 reasons why a Gore candidacy makes sense, both for the Democratic Party and the country.
See how far you can go without bursting out laughing.
1. Stature. Gore is a superstar with impeccable qualifications. The GOP will have a hard time marginalizing someone of his caliber and experience. His background speaks for itself: a former Congressman, U.S. Senator, and two-time Vice President. He’s even succeed wildly in the private sector as a businessman — something Republicans can’t help but praise. In short, Gore passes the credibility test by any measure, and that matters in a national election. Hillary Clinton is the only other Democratic candidate who can match Gore on this front.
Yes, selling carbon credit indulgences to guilt trip liberals paid off but wasn't nearly as profitable as when the proponent of solar energy and wind power sold his almost unwatched Current TV channel to Al Jazeera America which is owned by an oil-rich Qatar family for $500 million.
2. Vulnerability. ...The left wing of the party is flocking to Sanders, in part, because they don’t trust Clinton’s centrist record. Gore, on the other hand, who has become much more outspoken since leaving office, could embrace much of Sanders’ populist platform while also selling himself as a more appealing national candidate. That’s a strong case on his behalf, one many Democrats will find persuasive.
Plus Al Gore can make a strong case on behalf of releasing his "chakra."
3. Besides Hillary Clinton, no one running as a Democrat is likely to challenge Republicans in a national election. Sanders is a regional candidate at best; he shouldn’t be, but he is, and that’s not changing next year. The other candidates scarcely warrant mentioning: Martin O’Malley, Jim Webb, Lincoln Chafee – these guys are political ornaments, running for reasons known only to their friends and families. Gore is a national figure, however. He can rival any GOP candidate in terms of fundraising prowess, party support, organizational acumen, experience, and name recognition.
Name recognition? Among the more youthful he is known simply as ManBearPig.
4. Independents. Gore, justifiably or not, is less polarizing than Clinton, which means he can appeal to independents. Although they’re manufactured scandals, issues like the private emails at the State Department and the Benghazi fiasco will plague Clinton in the general election; Republicans (duplicitously, of course) will use these non-issues to bludgeon her month after month, debate after debate, ad after ad. This is pure nonsense, but it will be a distraction nevertheless. Gore, alternatively, brings less comparable baggage – that makes him a harder target for the GOP.
Yeah, very little baggage with Al Gore. Just ask Al Jazeera America.
7. Climate change. As Ezra Klein argued a few months ago in a column about Gore, “Income inequality is a serious problem…But climate change is an existential threat.” Gore, whatever you think of him, is an unimpeachable authority on climate change. As Klein wrote, “When it comes to climate change, there’s no one in the Democratic Party – or any other political party – with Gore’s combination of credibility and commitment.”
Al Gore is the unimpeachable authority on selling carbon credit indulgences. It would be interesting to see him reveal those sales to the guilt trippers in a financial statement. Such a statement should also reveal how much Gore spent on jet fuel flying solo to global warming conferences around the world.
8. Gore has nothing to lose.
True since his mind seems to have been lost years ago.
9. Vengeance.
Vengeance is mine sayeth the bored.
10. Democrats need a spark. Gore may not be new, but his candidacy would feel that way. His political life seems a distant memory at this point, but his activism and business savvy have kept him in the public consciousness. As with most politicians, moreover, the freedom of not having to run for office has done wonders for Gore’s image.
And if Gore isn't good to go, hey, there is John Edwards waiting in the wings.
