Gore Speaks

17 June 2008 |permalink | email article

Former vice president Al Gore finally made his debut in the presidential campaign Monday night. In a rousing endorsement of Barack Obama in Detroit he hailed him as a problem solver and urged all Democrats to rally behind the party’s fall ticket.

Before his rare political appearance in Michigan - a must-win state for Obama - Gore announced his support for the presumptive Democratic nominee in a letter to supporters while saying that he “would do whatever I can to make sure “ the Illinois U.S. senator is elected president.

Gore also solicited donations from members of AlGore.com on behalf of Obama – the first time he has asked his supporters to give to a political campaign.

Their joint appearance before thousands at the Joe Louis area also raised immediate speculation in the crowd about whether Gore might be on Obama’s list as a possible running mate.

Democratic political consultant James Carville recently suggested that Gore might be a huge plus for the ticket, a Nobel laureate with international respect who might have a key role in solving the climate crisis.

After the announcement cable news reporters speculated about whether the Goreacle, who served eight years in the White House and narrowly lost the 2000 presidential election to George W. Bush because of Florida, might campaign actively for Obama – especially in the Sunshine State.

Quotes of the Day

“In reality there is only one candidate, Barack Obama. In November he will win or he will lose. John McCain is relevant only in so far as he is not Barack Obama. The Senator from Arizona is incapable of energizing his party, brings no new people to the pools, and has a personality that is best kept under wraps.” – Arch-conservative Bay Buchanan writing in Human Events.

“Besides not getting bin Laden, not really.” – Vice President Dick Cheney asked in a radio interview whether over the past seven years, he has “any regrets, besides not getting bin Laden.”

“I think we are going to come to the point where we owe it to the viewers to tell them what is not true. It used to be we just used to have to tell them what was true. – NBC Political Director Chuck Todd calling Obama’s rumor-thwarting website a “sea change” in campaign history. 

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