The Atlantic: Waiting for Gore

[Zueda]

http://www.theatlantic.com/doc/200801u/gore-obama-endorsement

It feels official: Barack Obama has momentum. He won a resounding victory in South Carolina. He just posted another astonishing fundraising total. Gallup reports that he’s pulled to within four points of Hillary Clinton. And Ted Kennedy’s endorsement Monday had the feel of history about it. Even conservatives swooned. Only one endorsement could be bigger—and if Al Gore is going to pull the trigger, you have to think he’ll do so in the next 72 hours

A well-connected Tennesseean told me two things today that got me thinking about this. The first is that Obama and Gore have been speaking regularly, about every two weeks or so. The second is that, despite this, and despite Tennessee’s primary on Tuesday, Obama has not visited the state since June. It may be simply that he does not plan on competing there. Or it may be that he’s been waiting for a special occasion.

[calmblueocean]

1. I would bet hard money that Gore won't endorse.

When he has endorsed in the past, he's always done it early enough to make a difference. He knows how much weight his opinion carries now, and he also sees himself as a citizen of the world who would be diminished by getting into a domestic political intraparty squabble like this. It would be shocking if he endorsed now.

[Zueda]

7. I did some research several months ago...

and examined polls from the 2004 primaries. It appears that Dean's boost peaked at around 3 days after the endorsement. I think if he does endorse it will be announced today.

[Nedsdag]

2. Waiting for Gore to do what?

:shrug:

Gore's in the cat bird seat. He can rise above it all. He doesn't have to do anything.

[featherman]

3. I don't think Gore endorses... his mission is too important to lower

to the free for all scramble of primary politics. I think he will and should stay above the fray. But I could be wrong

[Myrina]

4. To hell with the endorsement, I still want Al to RUN !!

... more now than ever!!!!

[Coexist]

5. Gore is in a different stratosphere now

and he will wait and work with the next President.

I don't see him endorsing.

[RestoreGore]

6. He is far above this fray, and none of them actually have a climate plan worth endorsing...

So why would he compromise all he has worked for to do that? Neither Barack Obama's or Hillary Clinton's plan on the climate crisis is actually in line with what Al Gore has been talking about. Not for a carbon tax... Both are for nuclear power (though Clinton claims to be agnostic on it whatever that means)... Obama is for liquid coal... Neither have called for NO new coal plants to be built. And all of their plans which discuss reducing Co2 emissions by 2050 are no longer good enough. 2050 right now in line with scientist's predictions regarding glacier melt in the Arctic with summer ice being gone by 2013 which does not even include melting happening in Greenland and Antarctica is no longer feasible. And also, Mr. Gore is now an international environmental ambassador regarding the climate crisis and a Nobel Peace Prize winner. He will then I am sure be hoping to work with anyone who becomes president on this, even a Republican should that happen, which it just may now. Therefore, in order to not make the climate crisis a partisan issue which Mr. Gore has stated correctly it is not I doubt he will endorse anyone in this primary season and I actually hope he does not. The media would also have a field day with it and use it to discredit him, and like other "endorsements" it would only take away from the issue.