Go Al Go............

[Misirlija]

Published on Friday, October 12, 2007 by The Nation
Gore Wins the Norwegian Primary
by John Nichols
Having now won the Norwegian Primary, it is reasonable to ask why Al Gore would want to slog his way through the snows of New Hampshire.

But the inconvenient truth is that never has the man who might yet be president needed to more seriously consider his personal legacy — not to mention the small matter of his potential to make the world anew — than now.

There is, after all, the matter of the open space at the end of what is now the most remarkable resume of anyone seeking — or considering seeking — the presidency.

Let’s review.

This is how Al Gore’s resumé reads as of this morning:

Son of a great senator.

Harvard graduate, with honors.

Vietnam veteran.

Award-winning investigative journalist.

Congressman.

Senator.

Vice President.

Winner of the popular vote for President of the United States.

Best-selling author.

Environmental activist.

Academy Award winner.

And, now, Nobel Peace Prize winner — he shares the prize with the UN’s Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change — for “their efforts to build up and disseminate greater knowledge about manmade climate change, and to lay the foundations for the measures that are needed to counteract such change.”

As resumés go, that is one for the top of the pile.

But it begs the question: Shouldn’t a man who has gotten this far be thinking about how to finish the journey?

And isn’t the last stop the Oval Office?

To think that Gore is not pondering these questions today would be absurd.

Of course, the former vice president says, “The climate crisis is not a political issue, it is a moral and spiritual challenge to all of humanity.”

No doubt about that.

But Gore cannot feign ignorance of his own “political issue.” When he appeared in San Francisco on the eve of Friday morning’s announcement, at a fundraising event for California Senator Barbara Boxer, the man of the hour tried to deliver an earnest address about climate change. But when he concluded his remarks, the crowd burst into chants of “Run Al Run!”

That message echoed the full-page ad that was placed by the burgeoning “Draft Gore for President” movement in the front section of Wednesday’s New York Times. The advertisement bluntly suggested that the announced contenders for the Democratic presidential nomination lack Gore’s “vision, standing in the world, and political courage” — not just with regard to climate change, but in his outspoken opposition to the war in Iraq, his defenses of civil liberties and his advocacy for a renewed commitment to science and reason.

“There are times for politicians and times for heroes. America and the Earth need a hero right now,” read the Draft Gore movement’s open letter to the soon-to-be Nobel man. “Please rise to this challenge, or you and millions of us will live forever wondering what might have been.”

Now, that’s pressure. But it is a velvet grip in which the peace prize winner finds himself.

Al Gore has arrived at the point that most politicians can only imagine in their wildest dreams. The entire world is asking him to be not merely a candidate but an ecological — not to mention, ideological — savior. And there is simply no question that he is viable. In fact, he is more viable than he has ever been.

Can Gore resist? Probably.

Should he resist? Probably not.

Sure, it will be said that Gore can do more to address climate change as a private citizen. But no one who as been so close to the presidency as he will miss the point that the most powerful official on the planet has some sway in matters involving the planet.

The last serious presidential prospect to win a Nobel Peace Prize was Teddy Roosevelt, who got the award when he was serving as president in 1906. (The Norwegians were impressed that he had convinced Japanese and Russian representatives to come to Portsmouth, New Hampshire, and that he had then gotten them to negotiate an end to a nasty little war they had been waging.)

Roosevelt exited the presidency in 1908 and almost immediately began to regret the decision. The peace prize was not enough to get Republicans to ditch his successor, the hapless William Howard Taft, and put Roosevelt at the head of their 1912 ticket. But TR did run the most successful third-party presidential campaign of the 20th century that year - as a “Bull Moose” Progressive.

Roosevelt never got over his belief that, had he just won the Republican nomination in 1912, he would again have been president. And, eight years later, at a point after the horrors of World War I when people were taking peace prizes rather more seriously, he was widely encouraged to make a run for the Republican nomination that probably would have secured him not just the party line but the presidency.

Roosevelt did not need much encouragement. Barely 60 — the age Gore will turn next March — the Rough Rider was ready for one more charge; indeed, family members and friends reported that he was raring to go.

Only the coronary embolism that did him in on January 6, 1919, was powerful enough to cure TR’s case of presidency lust. And there is no reason to believe that Al Gore, a man who bid first for the presidency in 1988, considered running in 1992, spent eight years as an understudy, then bid again in 2000 - winning the Democratic nomination and the popular vote, but losing the job on a 5-4 technical call by the Supreme Court — is any less inclined that Roosevelt was to give it another try.

There will be a lot of “fire-in-the-belly” talk over the next few days.

But Al Gore should not be worrying about checking his gut.

He should be thinking about the resume he has spent a lifetime preparing.

It is more impressive than ever.

Unfortunately, the suddenly more impressive character of Gore’s resume only serves to emphasize that it remains incomplete.

A Nobel Prize for Peace is a fine honor. But take it from a man who won the presidency and the prize but could not leave the political arena.

“It is not the critic who counts: not the man who points out how the strong man stumbles or where the doer of deeds could have done better,” Teddy Roosevelt said as he prepared another run for the White House. “The credit belongs to the man who is actually in the arena, whose face is marred by dust and sweat and blood, who strives valiantly, who errs and comes up short again and again, because there is no effort without error or shortcoming, but who knows the great enthusiasms, the great devotions, who spends himself for a worthy cause; who, at the best, knows, in the end, the triumph of high achievement, and who, at the worst, if he fails, at least he fails while daring greatly, so that his place shall never be with those cold and timid souls who knew neither victory nor defeat.”

Copyright © 2007 The Nation

[simi5]

Al Gor je podpretsednik koji je učestvovao u odbijanju Kjoto protokola jer ograničava razvoj SAD. On je učestvovao u donošenju odluke da se koristi municija sa osiromašenim uraniumom čime je uzrokovao drastičan porast oboljevanja od raka u BiH, na Kosovu, a kasnije je ta municija korišćena i u Iraku. On definitivno nije planetarni ekolog nego šljam kome je zafalilo para.

[nineac]

Al Gor je podpretsednik koji je učestvovao u odbijanju Kjoto protokola jer ograničava razvoj SAD. On je učestvovao u donošenju odluke da se koristi municija sa osiromašenim uraniumom čime je uzrokovao drastičan porast oboljevanja od raka u BiH, na Kosovu, a kasnije je ta municija korišćena i u Iraku. On definitivno nije planetarni ekolog nego šljam kome je zafalilo para.

[pitt]

na stranu sav doprinos i cime se bavi.....al Alfonsije je glumac najvise :D maneeeeekeeeeeen sto bi rekli hepokovci :D

[Skyfox]

na stranu sav doprinos i cime se bavi.....al Alfonsije je glumac najvise :D maneeeeekeeeeeen sto bi rekli hepokovci :D

Dok god postize rezultate u onome cime se trenutno bavi nema veze sta je...

[Hendrix]

Lako je sada biti borac za prirodu kada nemaš nikakve odgovornosti u politici. Volio bih ga vidjet da izađe kao predsjednik USA i kaže narodu , ok , smanjujem izduvne gasove nabavljajte nova vozila ili porez 10 puta veći , fabrike ili zatvarajte ili vam slijedi opet porez dodatni...
Sve su ovo mutikaše samo što je on odabrao finu temu da na njoj kupi poene , ako ništa skrenuo je pažnju mnogima na ovaj problem.

[pitt]

na stranu sav doprinos i cime se bavi.....al Alfonsije je glumac najvise :D maneeeeekeeeeeen sto bi rekli hepokovci :D

Dok god postize rezultate u onome cime se trenutno bavi nema veze sta je...

naravno. Ja samo kazem svoje misljenje o njegovom karakteru.

[GandalfSivi]

Al Gor je podpretsednik koji je učestvovao u odbijanju Kjoto protokola jer ograničava razvoj SAD. On je učestvovao u donošenju odluke da se koristi municija sa osiromašenim uraniumom čime je uzrokovao drastičan porast oboljevanja od raka u BiH, na Kosovu, a kasnije je ta municija korišćena i u Iraku. On definitivno nije planetarni ekolog nego šljam kome je zafalilo para.

Covjek postavi jedan post, ali vrijedan pravo. Hajde, nemoj vise, molim te...

[Skyfox]

na stranu sav doprinos i cime se bavi.....al Alfonsije je glumac najvise :D maneeeeekeeeeeen sto bi rekli hepokovci :D

Dok god postize rezultate u onome cime se trenutno bavi nema veze sta je...

naravno. Ja samo kazem svoje misljenje o njegovom karakteru.

Pa dobro ne kazem da je cvjecka, valjda moras biti namazan da bi se izborio za nesto u tom svijetu. Neznam kako bi on postupio da je predsjednik, da li bi se zalagao za iste principe kao i sada, ali cini mi se da (makar i prikupljao poene) radi nesto vise za ekologiju og 90% drugih politicara. Samo moje misljenje

[pitt]

To ti ne bih znao reci. Odavno sam prestao vjerovati predizbornim obecanjima politicara (sto cafirskih sto nashih). Samo Al Gore (ili bilo ko drugi) ne bi kao predsjednik USA mogao biti toliko environment friendly na funkciji. Ekonomske posljedice bi bile uzasne za vecinu kompanija a samim tim za narod (nezaposlenost) i drzavu (taxe). Mislim da je alfonsije toga svjestan i da zato ne namjerava da se kandiduje jer ovako moze vjerovatno vise uticati na budjenje zelene svijesti

[Skyfox]

To ti ne bih znao reci. Odavno sam prestao vjerovati predizbornim obecanjima politicara (sto cafirskih sto nashih). Samo Al Gore (ili bilo ko drugi) ne bi kao predsjednik USA mogao biti toliko environment friendly na funkciji. Ekonomske posljedice bi bile uzasne za vecinu kompanija a samim tim za narod (nezaposlenost) i drzavu (taxe). Mislim da je alfonsije toga svjestan i da zato ne namjerava da se kandiduje jer ovako moze vjerovatno vise uticati na budjenje zelene svijesti

Slazem se - a poenta je da ipak misli ono sto propagira. Ako je vec odustao od predsjednickih ambicija zasto bi obilazio svijet i trosio svoje vrijeme. Neznam ali mislim da su mu namjere OK, barem se doima iskreno...

[pitt]

i ja mislim da su mu iskrene i da zato ne zeli da se kandiduje da ne bi to pokvario. Ipak kao predsjednik imas tonu drugih i cesto vaznijih stvari na tanjiru od ekologije. Zanimljivo ce biti koga od demokrata ce on podrzati.

[Skyfox]

Zanimljivo ce biti i koliko ce se novi predsjednik/ca angazovati na ovom polju...

[simi5]

Al Gor je podpretsednik koji je učestvovao u odbijanju Kjoto protokola jer ograničava razvoj SAD. On je učestvovao u donošenju odluke da se koristi municija sa osiromašenim uraniumom čime je uzrokovao drastičan porast oboljevanja od raka u BiH, na Kosovu, a kasnije je ta municija korišćena i u Iraku. On definitivno nije planetarni ekolog nego šljam kome je zafalilo para.

Covjek postavi jedan post, ali vrijedan pravo. Hajde, nemoj vise, molim te...

Samo za tebe hoću inače ne postavljam isprazne diskusije, ali stavom ćuti tamo bez argumentacije nisi se proslavio. Moje mišljenje je argumentovano. Šta tebe ubeđuje da je Al Gor zaslužio milionče dolara i publicitet?

[pitt]

Zanimljivo ce biti i koliko ce se novi predsjednik/ca angazovati na ovom polju...

vidjet cemo. Mora biti neki balans

[EI Presidente]

... Šta tebe ubeđuje da je Al Gor zaslužio milionče dolara i publicitet?

zasluzio je nagradu i publicitet za preko 30 godina rada na problemu zagadjivanja zivotne okoline. sta je tu sporno?

[Alfons Kauders]

na stranu sav doprinos i cime se bavi.....al Alfonsije je glumac najvise :D maneeeeekeeeeeen sto bi rekli hepokovci :D

jesam nema govora maneeekeeeen

[bug]

a ja kontam odakle si mi poznat... :D
btw odlican film, zasluzio je oscara... je l' ga ono dobio?

[Alfons Kauders]

a ja kontam odakle si mi poznat... :D
btw odlican film, zasluzio je oscara... je l' ga ono dobio?

sta ti znas o filmu ? da ista znas ne bi radila tamo dje radis

[bug]

sta ti znas o filmu ? da ista znas ne bi radila tamo dje radis

znam da tebe ne bih zaposlila ni da statiras u kukuruzu

[Alfons Kauders]

sta ti znas o filmu ? da ista znas ne bi radila tamo dje radis

znam da tebe ne bih zaposlila ni da statiras u kukuruzu

kakva si ti jaranica

ja tebe bi da statiras ko kukuruz

znas kako kad je kukuruz zreo za branje one lijepe zute rese sto izlaze s vrha se osuse i pocrvene

[Bea_Trix]

iskreno? gledala sam ga u jednoj emisiji. promovirao je neku svoju knjigu. na sva pitanja mu je bio odgovor: well, buy the book.

pokazivao je neke grafikone. malo pazljivijem gledaocu past ce u oci kako su mu je retorika najjaci argument, najmanji nauka. sistemski izbjegava dati direktne odgovore na neka pitanja i napade. samo se fokusira na ubjedjivanje.

bio je mlak i bezlican kao politicar, pa je sa moje laicke tacke gledista, to imalo dosta posljedica.

uglavnom, nisam impresionirana. lijepo sto je dobio tu nagradu. a svi znamo kako su "sjajni" ljudi i institucije dobivali istu.

[konyan]

iskreno? gledala sam ga u jednoj emisiji. promovirao je neku svoju knjigu. na sva pitanja mu je bio odgovor: well, buy the book.

pokazivao je neke grafikone. malo pazljivijem gledaocu past ce u oci kako su mu je retorika najjaci argument, najmanji nauka. sistemski izbjegava dati direktne odgovore na neka pitanja i napade. samo se fokusira na ubjedjivanje.

bio je mlak i bezlican kao politicar, pa je sa moje laicke tacke gledista, to imalo dosta posljedica.

uglavnom, nisam impresionirana. lijepo sto je dobio tu nagradu. a svi znamo kako su "sjajni" ljudi i institucije dobivali istu.

Gledao sam i ja film i ovo nije tacno (barem za film).

I nije se covjek odlucio ovim baviti nakon sto mu je bush uzeo predsjednicku fotelju. Bavi se prilicno dugo tom problematikom.

A nobelova nagrada.. Pa Henry Kissinger je dobio nobelovu nagradu za mir. Moze li ta nagrada imati poslije toga ikakvog kredibiliteta.

[Ivanche]

iskreno? gledala sam ga u jednoj emisiji. promovirao je neku svoju knjigu. na sva pitanja mu je bio odgovor: well, buy the book.

pokazivao je neke grafikone. malo pazljivijem gledaocu past ce u oci kako su mu je retorika najjaci argument, najmanji nauka. sistemski izbjegava dati direktne odgovore na neka pitanja i napade. samo se fokusira na ubjedjivanje.

bio je mlak i bezlican kao politicar, pa je sa moje laicke tacke gledista, to imalo dosta posljedica.

uglavnom, nisam impresionirana. lijepo sto je dobio tu nagradu. a svi znamo kako su "sjajni" ljudi i institucije dobivali istu.

Gledao sam i ja film i ovo nije tacno (barem za film).

I nije se covjek odlucio ovim baviti nakon sto mu je bush uzeo predsjednicku fotelju. Bavi se prilicno dugo tom problematikom.

A nobelova nagrada.. Pa Henry Kissinger je dobio nobelovu nagradu za mir. Moze li ta nagrada imati poslije toga ikakvog kredibiliteta.

Zar on nije u mladosti studirao nesto u vezi klima...mislim da je cak u filmu spomenuo svog nekog profesora koji ga je najvishe i inspirisao da se okrene klimi i problemu...

[rina*]

Slazem se sa down_upon_down, retorika mu jeste jaca strana a i pondus a kao politicaru mu je to bas i potrebno. Sto se tice naucnog djela i nemora biti Stephen Hawking. Ja cjenim njegovo zalaganje bez obzira, i mislim zasluzuje priznanje pa makar to bila i Nobelova

Neko ovdje rece da su za vrjeme njegovog mandata kao podpredsjenik donesene neke neeticke odluke, pa dobro kolika je moc pojednica u tim odlukama ako nisi predsednik?