I’m glad he’s not running for the reasons that Cervaise mentioned. Truth is, I like the guy a lot, and you gotta admire a guy with persistance. But now is not the time.
Stoid, surely you’ve heard of the religious uproar Kennedy caused. It’s possible. Personally, I hope Lieberman runs. Yay Lieb!
Clinton is ineligible to be President by the 22nd amendment, and therefore ineligible to run for vice-president under the 12th amendment.
I would vote to re-elect Gore in a heartbeat if he changed his mind, and I hope he does. With the exception of Hillary, it’s hard to imagine a candidate the Democrats could put up that would tempt me to vote for Bush.
Hold on…22nd amendment say you can’t be ELECTED President more than 2 terms (says nothing about taking over office if President dies, or is impeached, etc.)
And 12th amendement says no one inelligible to be President can hold the office of VP. Clinton is certainly eligible to be President (not foreign born, etc.), he just isn’t eligible to be ELECTED President.
If he changes his mind, the Democrates, not just Gore, will lose.
By sitting this one out, he can make a strong “get out and vote” push. Since he is not running, he can’t be attacked. He’ll be able to get out a lot of voters which will help the party as a whole. Around here, more Democrates than Republicans vote a straight party ticket, so a big voter turn out will help the Democrates running for lower offices. That is as important as winning the major races.
Gore is right to put the party before his own interests and not run. But he does need to get involved in the election.
As he has already decided not to run, if he changes his mind he will look impulsive…a little like Ross Perot.
I don’t know anyone who was genuinely looking forward to a Gore campaign in 2004 - and most of the politically inclined people I know are Democrats. Plus, at the end of 2000, I remember a lot of these same people upset over the outcome of the election, but not enough of that indignation has carried over to fire up support. So much has happened in America since Bush became president that those old grievances are ancient history. No one really wants to retread that campaign.
Right now, George W. Bush seems fairly unbeatable. Of course a lot more can change in the next year.
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Well, there was that Bill Bradley fella…
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The OP asked for Republicans to sit this one out so I’m not answering the OP, but I just hadda point that out…
You know, you’re right. I’d forgotten about Bradley. Most of the major newspapers here didn’t give the election much coverage. Some local TV celebrity was seen dating a baseball player at the time, and there’s only so much space available for minor human interest stories.
You mean we still get to ELECT the President?..:eek: