If you were a participant on this thread:
http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=view_all&address=364x1421489#1431810here's my update on meeting Al Gore today and the letter I presented.
I tried to incorporate many of the sentiments posted on that thread into the letter. I stayed up late last night composing the letter from your thoughts and trying to tie it together into one cohesive communique. It was not easy. It seemed to me we needed to approach Al Gore from a different perspective so many have chosen when asking him to run. I chose a humorous approach, playing on the words he often uses: I have no plans to run in 2008. Those few words I used as a thread to humorously but respectfully tie together the sentiments DU'ers asked me to express: our deep despair, an invitation to visit this site, and an apology for not having fought harder for him in 2000. I know everyone will not be pleased but I did the best I could with the time constraints at hand and the fatigue very much setting in.
I left for Olsson's later than what I had hoped because I was editing the letter up until the last moment. When I arrived, hoards of people were gathered inside and spilled outside onto the sidewalk. I ventured inside to learn the plan. The plan involved being assigned a number and taking one's place in one of two lines. As number #187, I ended up on the sidewalk in the sweltering Washington heat 45 minutes before the scheduled arrival of Al Gore. Fortunately, I had purchased his book the day before.
Al Gore arrived at 12:01. He did briefly address the crowd, but his words could not be heard by those of us dripping sweat in the heat on the street. He then took his seat at a table. Reporters worked the line outside, asking people why they were in attendance. Television cameras inside captured the event for the evening news.
My plan was to work my way to the table and hand Al Gore the letter I had written late last night. As people from the street were ushered into Olsson's, the line outside steadily grew longer. I tried to peer through the window to catch a look at Al Gore, but my view was blocked by, no less, the back of Ralph Nader.
Six years have passed since election 2000 and Ralph Nader is STILL blocking the public's view of the real Al Gore, I cynically thought. Tired, hot, sweaty and hungry I felt ready to take a bite out of Nader's butt....
But the line moved again slowly.
Once inside, people aware of the ever-growing magnitude of getting everyone accommodated began saying, "Open your book to the third page reflecting the author's name. When you reach the table, there will be no personalization. Just signing. We have to work quickly to allow everyone an opportunity to get their books signed by Mr. Gore."
"But I have a letter," I am thinking. By damn, I have a Message for Garcia and I will deliver it!
And again the line slowly moved. People were being ushered in 50 at a time.
A table set up to announce future events held for me and readers of this thread, as well as the original thread, this coincidental announcement:
HELEN THOMAS -- Watchdogs of Democracy? The Waning Washington Press Corps and How It Has Failed the Public. In the course of more than sixty years spent covering Washington politics, Helen Thomas has witnessed a raft of fundamental changes in the way the news is gathered and reported. Thomas sees a growing--and alarming--reluctance among reporters to question government spokesman and probe for the truth. Monday, June 19 at 7 PM at Olsson's. That cinched it for me. This is a surreal experience, these last three days. I must be dreaming.
Again the line inched more closely to the table where Al Gore sat signing books.
We were cautioned by the book-signing police again, "No personalization, just book signing. We have to get everyone through the line." But I have a letter ....
The guy in front of me also had a letter. Someone from Al Gore's entourage approached and said, "Do you have a letter for Al Gore?" The "Green Peace" letterhead prominently protruded from a piece of paper stuck in his book. "Yes," the young man said. "May I take the letter? I will make sure Al Gore gets it." And so the young man surrendered the letter. I looked around, knowing my letter was folded and hidden inside "An Inconvenient Truth."
Finally, I was just a few feet from the table. I could see Al's face. I could hear him talking.
And once again, there was Ralph Nader. I watched Al sign his book.
"I don't know what Al Gore is writing in Ralph Nader's book," I said to people around me, "but I know what he should write. 'Ralph, do you see the difference between me and George Bush NOW?'" Several people laughed out loud. But I didn't think it was funny, I was serious!
"No personalization," the book-signing police again reminded us.
Having sweated my way through this experience starting Tuesday and coming so close to its culmination now, I decided I would say ONE THING to Al Gore before they dragged me away. But what would that one thing be. Three thoughts occurred.
The moment arrived and he was handed my book. I looked at him and he looked back at me. "Thank you so much for standing up and speaking out against the war," I said. His mouth pursed into a straight line, a serious look. "And I am from Knoxville, Tennessee." His eyebrows lifted in surprise. It was my desire to let Al Gore know those fences he had been mending was "not for ought" as Tennesseans say. Perhaps that thought might persuade him to think his home state could turn around for the man who should be President. I smiled at him, took my book and walked away. It was a moment for me I will never forget, the eyes of Al Gore looking into mine as I thanked him for his opposition on the war.
I took the letter back to the young man and asked the following question. "I saw you take the Green Peace letter for presentation to Al Gore. Will you take mine?" "Yes," he responded, "I will make sure he gets it. "And what is your name?" I asked. "Jeremy," he responded. "Thank you, Jeremy" I said as I gave him the letter and walked out of the door.
Oh, yes, and what did the letter say?
****************************************************
June 15, 2006
Dear Al Gore:
Many of my friends at the Democratic Underground have asked me to tell you of their deep despair in hearing you repeatedly say, “I have no plans to run in 2008.” We are desperately trying to help you formulate some plans. We are brainstorming plans at our website as you read this note. It is our fervent hope you reconsider your position for 2008. Should you do so, please visit us and let us know you need
The Plans. If you do not run because you cannot find your plans, we have no hope.
With deep sincerity, we apologize as Democrats for not fighting in 2000 to the same extent as did the Republicans – win at all costs. It is with unqualified regret, we tell you how sorry we are we were inadequate to thwart the unconventional maneuvers deployed against your quest to count all votes. We will never make that mistake again. It’s in
The Plans. We believe Tipper Gore would serve as an exemplary First Lady.
After reading your introduction to “An Inconvenient Truth,” it becomes apparent you truly feel saving the earth trumps seeking the Oval Office. Saving the planet does transcend pursuing an elective political office, but we have so much faith in you, we feel sure you can multi-task!
As George Will pointed out in a recent column, you say we earth-bound beings have ten years to reverse our savaging of the earth’s atmosphere. Whoever wins in 2008, should he or she be re-elected in 2012, will preside during 8 of those last 10 years over the efforts of the United States to help clean up our earth. In all candor, could anyone be entrusted to do this as well as you?
And as John McLaughlin recently remarked, when musing over the possibility you might run in 2008 (paraphrasing) – he was right about the First Gulf War – he was right about the war in Iraq – he was right about the Internet. You were obviously right about the environment as well.
These conservative commentators, of all people, are sending you a message.
You are right for 2008. And your friends at the Democratic Underground send you the same message.
You are right for 2008. We are taking the liberty of sharing with you a potential slogan, coined by a Republican, no less, whose name we must regrettably omit: “No more Clintons. No more Bushes. Gore! (Perhaps we should incorporate that potential slogan into
The Plans!)It is with many thanks for all you have done for this Country we assure you we will support your future endeavors regardless of what path you travel. Your speeches over the last few years gave us hope when we had none. Your opposition to the preemptive attack on Iraq gave voice to our opposition while other prominent Democrats rushed to sign the authorization giving Bush the authority to launch that war.
And finally, on a personal note, I must tell you the fences in Tennessee you mentioned mending are not in the state of disrepair you perceive them to be. Sometimes when I sit on the earth where both your father in Carthage and my father in Knoxville lived out many of their days, I consider whether the great State of Tennessee will give this Nation a President of the United States in 2008. Looking over the Smokey Mountains, I realize it is not necessary to put this thought into The Plans because I see it written there in the stars.
Respectfully,
(Formerly of Knoxville, Tennessee) a/k/a
“Samantha” at the DemocraticUnderground
College Park, Maryland
Printer-friendly format
Email this thread to a friend
Bookmark this thread
(1000+ posts)
Send PM |
Profile |
Ignore
