Will Gore Accept Obama's Offer of a "Very Senior" Post in His White House?

[DrFunkenstein]

Obama said Gore would be involved in his administration in a "very senior capacity, if he's willing."

Now that the possibility is becoming much stronger, what do you think would happen to the climate change debate if Gore was Secretary of Energy?

[terisan]

1. I think Gore shold stay above American politics. He is international stature.

[ElboRuum]

11. I disagree...

People like him need to be in positions of authority in this country, otherwise we'll never get this mess sorted out.

[terisan]

23. A cabinet member has to do the president's bidding. I think Gore is beyond that. He needs to be free

to criticize the US.

[DadOf2LittleAngels]

30. Depends on the president

If you have a guy who basically agrees with you and will consider what you say its not terrible working for them.

[terisan]

36. I have not seen an Obama policy statement on the environment. I doubt he is radical on this issue

Gore is way out in front on climate and he need to be able to criticize the US. Obama has big corporate backers. He would owe them.

Obama also doesn't alway tell the truth or keep his word. He insisted he would not run for president in 2008 but would finish out his sentate term.

He denied the lobbyist was on his campaign but he was.

He presents himself as against war in Iraq but as soon as he got to senate he voted for it (but doesn't mention this in campaign).

Gore would be diminishing his cause if he kowtowed to Obama. I see Gore as operating on a UN level on his own not as a rep of US

[Radical Activist]

34. UN Ambassador or head of new Kyoto treaty negotiating team.

Those are the kind of international roles that make sense for Gore and would allow him to continue he work on global warming.

[Nickster]

2. Nah, this is the one thing that I think Gore was extremely clear about, that he's not interested

in being in any Cabinet position. I'm sure that he'll advise the next President, but not in an official capacity.

[ChairmanAgnostic]

5. SecState?

There is a hell of a lot to fix, what with the anti-Midas princess screwing it up so badly.

[Nickster]

28. Not saying that I'd be against it or that he wouldn't be great. I just don't think that he'll do it.

Isn't it kind of a slap in the face though? I mean, you're that close to being in the drivers seat and then you're put in a lower position? I think Gore deserves his shot, everything else seems kind of well, second place. I dunno, time will tell.

[ChairmanAgnostic]

31. but gore is talented and a patriot.

not like these faux patriots from the GOP.

if given a job to fix something, he would stand up and respond

[Nickster]

32. true

[peacebird]

3. No. and I hope I'm right. Gore is more powerful outside the govt if he's not going to be President

He has the moral right on his side, he can help force the change we need from the outside.

[Horse with no Name]

4. Interesting.

Why would Obama invoke Gore's name?
To try to persuade the folks that adore Gore to vote for him?
As far as I can tell, Gore hasn't endorsed any candidate.
This reeks of disingenuous politics.

[DrFunkenstein]

9. It Was a Response to a Voter's Question About Gore as VP

Obama joked: "I will also be honest with you: having won the Nobel Peace Prize and an Oscar, being vice president again would probably be a step down for him."

[Horse with no Name]

10. Then the OP is not being honest?

What gives?

[DrFunkenstein]

19. Yes to Senior Post, Not Likely to VP Slot

In a nutshell.

[Colobo]

6. He should actually endorse Obama.

[Horse with no Name]

12. Why? n/t

[ElboRuum]

7. He has said...

...he would not accept a cabinet position, if he did reenter the political arena it would only be to run for President, and I think at this late stage we can pretty much be rest assured that he's not going to throw his hat in the ring this time around.

Not saying he couldn't reconsider this position, but I'm doubting it.

[Essene]

8. Source please?

I've thought for a while that Gore would make an interesting match with Obama... but that could also alienated the vast majority of the moderates/independents he's picking up currently under the flag of "change."

[DrFunkenstein]

14. MSNBC: Role for Al Gore in Obama White House?

http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/21474241/

[Azathoth]

29. self-delete

[Tom Rinaldo]

13. Gore would be offered a "Very Senior" post in any Democratic Administration

All of our candidates praise him for his work on global warming in particular and all of them call global warming a legitimate crisis that must be and will be taken very seriously by their hoped for Adminstrations.

I'm not sure what specific role Gore would want. But he will have one. It is one of many strong reasons why we have to elect a Democrat in Novemeber, no matter which of them becomes our nominee.

[DrFunkenstein]

17. The Gores and Clintons Are Not Particularly Buddies

They really are not all that fond of each other.

http://www.vanityfair.com/politics/features/2007/11/clinton200711

[Tom Rinaldo]

24. Gore will work well with Republicans to stop Global Warming if given a chance

This is way above the level of politics. Many many Democratic leaders don't actually like each other personally. They understand the ground rules of political coalitions - you close ranks when getting something done is in your mutual interests - either political interests or actual public service interests.

Frankly I really really really doubt Gore would accept a permanent position in someone else's Cabinet. It is too narrow a portfolio for the man who should be President who now is the international leader on climate change. I think Gore will be asked to head up a very blue ribbon high profile task force to make reccomendations. I think he will be sent to International conferences like Kyoto to officially represent the United States. More stuff like that.

Since it seems Obama was asked a direct question about Gore, I accept his comment in good faith. Had he on his own simply announced he would offer Gore a Senior Post inside his Administration that would have smacked of political opportunism to me - unless he actually had some real reason to believe Gore would accept that offer.

[Buzz Clik]

15. I think Obama wants Gore to be his grandfather.

[Marrah_G]

16. No, I don't think he will

And I don't think he should.

[Apollo11]

18. Al Gore has said he has "zero interest" in a cabinet position

Al Gore on CNN Larry King Live, May 22, 2007

KING: Let me get another call in from Lexington, Kentucky. Hello.

CALLER: Thank you, Mr. King.

Mr. Gore, given the foreign policy expertise that you have exhibited on Mr. King's show tonight and the expertise that you gave to the administration of President Bill Clinton, would you consider the secretary of state position in a Democratic presidential administration?

GORE: Thank you for your kind words, but, no.

KING: No cabinet position?

GORE: No.

KING: No federal position?

GORE: No. Not because I don't have the greatest respect for what an honor it would be to serve in such a position, but I have -- I have zero interest in doing something like that.

http://transcripts.cnn.com/TRANSCRIPTS/0705/22/lkl.01.html

[DrFunkenstein]

20. I Have to Respect Gore's Coyness A Little More Now, But I Still Hope

Maybe Obama's rubbing off on me, but I'm stilling hoping.

[Apollo11]

22. Gore confirmed this again on December 10th

Al Gore was being interviewed by Jonathan Mann for CNN as part of their live coverage of the Nobel Peace Prize award ceremony in Oslo.

MANN: You have been asked this question any one of a number of times, but we're on live television. There are hundreds of people here. There are millions of people around the world. Will you run?

GORE: Well, thank you, Jonathan for asking that question. You may have heard my answer in other venues. I have no plans to run.

MANN: OK, let me ask you then, having made that clear before, would you serve in the next administration if you were invited?

GORE: No, no. You know, I haven't ruled out the idea of getting back into the political process at some point in the future. Don't expect to, but if I did get back, it would be as a candidate for president, not in any other position. I don't expect to ever get back into the political process.

http://transcripts.cnn.com/TRANSCRIPTS/0712/10/se.01.html

[MollieBradford]

21. No he will not

he has said he would not and I believe him. I just can't see him working for Obama. The idea seems ridiculous.

[Evergreen Emerald]

25. Whose White House?

[OHdem10]

26. Al Gore should not get involved in any way. He needs to keep

himself above politics since he decided not to enter the race.

[DrFunkenstein]

35. Since When is The Climate Change Above Politics? A U.S. Climate Summit?

I appreciate his efforts to remain bipartisan and achieve a wide consensus, but let's keep in mind that the ultimate goal would be to change political policy for the better. I could totally see him hosting something along the Earth Summit in Rio de Janeiro in NYC or San Francisco as Energy Secretary.

If he doesn't want to, that's fine, but I don't see the two as mutually exclusive - especially since he explicitly left open the door to come back as a Presidential candidate one day.

[TheDonkey]

27. Gore would be some sort of senior environmental advisor

Probably a new position set up and not an actual cabinet position.

[FlyingSquirrel]

33. Or perhaps Edwards' ? lol just had t'be said...