I do not like Al Gore. That’s why I want to ask this question.
I just saw him on “60 Minutes” giving interview to Leslie Stahl. I saw one sick man. I remember him two months ago, during the presidential debates. I saw an arrogant politician, without a shadow of a doubt in his beliefs. I considered it as a sign of being a professional politician.
I did not see a politician tonight. I saw a mentally sick person, with delusion of persecution. He appeared paranoid. The stickiness of his train of thought was impressive. Leslie tried to ask him different questions. In no time he was answering what he believed was important: how somebody or something wronged him. All questions were answered with the same words. Slightly exaggerating (but only slightly) it went like: “Did you like the sunrise today?” “Yes. It was awesome. The American people deserve fair count when they elect me, pardon, eh, their president…” “You mean ‘recount’?” “No, I meant ‘count’. There was no count and, therefore, no recount”.
I saw it before. Sometimes it happens to apparently normal people after a severe psychological trauma, like divorce, firing, etc. In this case a bright, successful wunderkind was beaten by a mediocrity and he can’t get over it.
If he were my idol, I would had no doubt in my diagnosis. But I do not like him. All this time, until tonight, I was jubilant: I knew that Al Gore’s political life was over, he won’t be ever elected. But I know that I’m biased. So, I ask people who saw the interview and who voted for him: has he impressed you as mentally sick? Or at least obsessed? Fixated? Or at least preoccupied (beyond normal) with what called “idée fixé”?
I think that perhaps you are projecting your own delusions onto others. This is a sign of a runaway psychotic crisis. You should seek medical help immediately. Only Haldol or some similar major tranquilizer can preserve what is left of your sanity !
Clue me in, here, peace… Is this thread a rant about Al Gore’s stupidity, or is it a poll on what people think of Gore’s stupidity? I need to know where to move it.
Bear in mind that those who deal with the media a lot, especially politicians, go into the interview with “key messages” that they want to get across. Their goal is to “stay on message,” and use all the time they get to repeat that message. What you saw (I didn’t see it) was likely an extreme example of a highly focused politician staying on message.
How effective is this technique? Well, you’ve certainly got his key messages fixed in your mind, don’t you, even though you don’t support him? To that extent, he’s influencing the debate you will have with friends and neighbours, since in part you will be reacting to his arguments.
What does QI Gore mean? Did I miss something? First time I read, I thought it meant Gore’s I.Q. but I’m not sure anymore. I’ll probably slap myself silly once someone has point out the obvious to me. TIA for the enlightenment.
At this point, I think Al Gore’s political career is over, barring the long shot that he actually gets into the White House. He’s got to be very desparate. To set himself up for 2004, he should have pulled a Richard Nixon and conceded “for the good of the country” about a week after the election. Had he done that, his “noble sacrifice” would have been likely to assure his appearance in the 2004 primaries being treated like the second coming of Christ - assuming no other strange twists in the intervening 4 years. At this stage, he will be a pariah or a laughingstock, neither one of which will do him any good.
When the dust settles, we get to see how much sense Bush’s handlers have. If Bush doesn’t want to have his presidency effectively destroyed, he had BETTER make some magnanimous gesture to the Democrats to show that he realizes he does not have a “mandate”, like putting a couple Democrats on his cabinet. If he doesn’t, he will be barricaded in the White House, with half the country making allegations about how he stole the presidency, and the backlash in 2002 will be truly impressive.
You know, I had prepared a long post relating some rumors that passed my way here inside the Beltway, but I decided not to print them. They’re just too wild.
I’m only going to say this: Gore seems to honestly think he won in Florida, and he is willing to shitcan his political career in an effort to minimize the power of what he thinks is a corrupt Bush administration. I heard it from a pretty damned good source.
To directly address the original post, you may be interested to know that I, too, asked this question after hearning some things I can only describe as fantastic:
Omni, I made a typo, it’s Al. “A” is above “Q” on the keyboard. Sorry, no games here. Actually, I always thought Al Gore was bright. I wish he used his mind differently, but this is political…
No, Chronos, if anyone is stupid here, it’s me, as Squink suspects, but you are impotent here: there is nothing about stupidity in the rules of SDMB. And it ain’t a poll, I just wanted to check my impression. I basically agree with Yabob. And about GWB too. The actual difference about the parties is less than both try to make of it. If they become less vengeful, the people would get better pols (or is it wishful thinking?).
I do not try to destroy anyone here (I am normal, Squink thoughts nonwithstanding) and I do not think that Al Gore is “f—ing crazy”. But I am serious. I saw it before. I saw these eyes, and, more importantly, I saw this inpenetrable logic: no matter what the argument, i.e. whether it’s rationable, motivational, emotional, the contra argument is always the same and self-centered: “No, because, as I said…”
Medicine, even now, is more art, than science. Psychiatry is more imprecise than any other branch. The boundaries between the normal and abnormal are foggy and shift with time, circumctance, etc. I hope, he’ll come to. Perhaps, I’m the only one who got the impression. And Al Gore is normal, just affected. It’s not a zero sum game, it does not make me psychotic instead. But I’d like to hear more sober opinions, not insults, Squink.