He keeps saying he’s not planning to but hasn’t ruled it out.
Not voluntarily. He might be drafted, but I really doubt it, even though there are several groups devoted to convincing him to do so.
I honestly think he’s happier as an environmental advocate. I think his 2000 run was largely just because he thought he’s be good at it and that’s what one does after being VP for two terms more than him actually wanting the job.
from the Wiki link:
My roommate told me about this Fat Al/Skinny Al meme yesterday. I think it’s pretty funny but I sure hope he runs. Because I still can’t see Hillary or Barrack winning.
Of his historical predecessors, Tilden declined efforts to nominate him in 1880 and 1884. (I’m intrigued by the fact that he endowed the founding of the New York Public Library.)
The other instance, of a former Tennessee Senator who lost an election to an ex-President’s son despite winning the popular vote, he went on to run again, to become one of the most famous and controversial Presidents, and to make sweeping changes in the national political scene. I speak, of course, of Andrew Jackson.
My hunch? Gore won’t actively seek the nomination, but encourage a draft – and will likely end up as the candidate.
Yeah, same here. I first heard of him and his book Earth in the Balance in 90/91 when I was doing fundraising for nonprofits and he was one of the reasons I voted for Bill Clinton in 92.
When was the last time a political party nominated a candidate as a result of a draft effort? I have no cite, but it seems like something that hasn’t happened since monocles and spats were in fashion.
Wilkie in 1940.
Wilkie is a marginal case. He actually sought the nomination although he got in late and entered no primaries.
At that time primaries were not the determining factor. As I recall, the primary only bound the delegate to vote for the candidate on the first ballot. The candidates, believe it or not, were actually selected by party leaders and the delegates at the convention following their own wishes.
Technically, the first-ballot-only rule survives, it’s just irrelevant now. Ah, for the days of drafts, multiple ballots, favorite sons, credentials fights, platforms that people actually paid attention to … but the schmuck-filled room process for anointing candidates hasn’t really gone away.
Oh yeah, Gore - add him to the list of people who adore the adulation, the pleadings to run, the assurances that they’d be great Presidents, but who don’t quite have the drive to do all the work required. I suspect it isn’t in him anymore.
Indeed, when people say “draft Candidate X” nowadays, they usually mean an effort to get X to enter the race before the primaries. The “Draft Weasly Clark” movement of the last election being the most recent case I can think of.
(and speaking of which: has Gen. Clark said if he’s giving it another go in 2008??)
Weasly is our king! 
Agreed - ‘drafting’ a Presidential candidate now means an effort prior to the primaries to convince that candidate to actively seek the nomination.
WRT the OP, I don’t think Gore will run, unless Edwards falls on his face. If Edwards runs a decent campaign this year, there’s no real opening, no underserved political market on the Dem side, for Gore to exploit; he’d just wind up crowding the field.
I wish someone could convince Feingold to run. But I’d vote for Gore over Clinton or Edwards.
Like ElvisL1ves said, the primary still only binds the delegate to vote for the candidate on the first ballot. The reason primaries weren’t the determining factor was because most states didn’t have binding primaries. In most cases, the delegates were picked by state party leaders.
In fact, in the 1940 Republican convention, only 300 of the 1000 delegates were pledged to one candidate or another.
Aye, Feingold was my man too. I was pretty disappointed when he bowed out. 
I would bet anything on the planet that Gore will not run. I know how they treated him here (Tennessee) and STILL do, even now. You should hear A. J. Hall talk about Al in Carthage, TN (their mutual home town, A.J. being the head of the Wilson County Republican Party.) Talk about a prophet getting no respect in his own country!! Who on earth would want to go through all that miserable treatment again?
Gore/Obama=unbeatable
If Gore runs it will be the death nell( knell?) for Hillary’s presidential aspirations. 8 years of Gore followed by 8 years of Obama makes Hillary an old broad with 16 more years of baggage to defend.
‘knell’ is correct. Two terms each for Gore and Obama would also mark the first time that two consecutive two-term presidents were of the same party. (Excluding the early 19th century when the Whigs were just getting their butts kicked all over the place, and thus the Democratic-Republicans won nearly everything.)
Gore is the only potential candidate I would actually be glad to vote for. With Edwards or Hillary I would be choking back the vomit while voting.
I don’t know if he will run, but I think he jumps to the top of the list and becomes the favorite the second he does.
Would Gore be seen as the USA asking for a big “do over”?