Run Don't Run

Conventional wisdom is wonderful, and its ability to simultaneously back two opposing viewpoints is why it's still around. It's commonly expressed in a million contradictory aphorisms, like this: "Look before you leap," says one. But, "He who hesitates is lost," says another, in this classic comedic observation. Want another example? Okay, how's this: Al Gore should run for President. On the other hand, no he totally shouldn't. Pundits could find this contradiction to be fertile ground for, well, punditry. Unfortunately, what seems likely spring up are opinion pieces that pick one side of the argument, followed by an explanation of why their side is the correct one. We, however, embrace the contradictory nature of conventional wisdom. We the he think he should run. But he shouldn't run.

Al Gore is a frequent target of right wing media attacks. Aside from the Ted Kennedy, or the Clintons, no other political figure stokes the joyful fires of the Republican media juggernaut like good ol' Al. Following his recent resurgence as an Academy Award winner and media darling, the conservative media machine has begun to focus its attention on the suddenly popular, election-losing golem. This is great news for the Democrats.

Gore is an irresistible target because he's easy to make fun of, and the purveyors of negative politics are intellectually lazy. If Al Gore seems like he's going to run for President in 2008, you can expect to see dozens of Gore-bashing stories worm their way from the hot, hate-filled womb of the echo chamber, and into the mainstream news. In fact, this is already happening, even though nobody knows for sure if Gore is actually going to throw his hat into the ring. By keeping himself perpetually on the edge of announcing an election bid, right-wing pundits can't ignore all of those wonderful contradictions and wooden personality that make him such a figure of fun. The net effect of this is to draw their resources away from other Democratic candidates. Al Gore's greatest strength is that he may be able to draw the right-wing media's fire for a little while.

That protection could be especially helpful to Hillary Clinton. Long the subject of conservative obsession, one could easily be amazed by the amount of ink and hot air fired in her direction. She could definitely use something to soak up a little of the vitriol being slung at her, and Al Gore would make an excellent sponge. His presence in the electoral arena would put the conservative media in a cleft stick as they try to satisfy the two primary directives coming from their masters. On the one hand, powerful corporate interests desperately want to keep Gore's money-sucking green policies out of the White House, while on the other, the adrenalized fearfulness of vote-delivering cultural conservatives demands that Clinton be buried under a mountain of negative press. While the bottomless pockets of the conservative media might be up to doing both things at once, there is probably a limit to the number of dull, thinly veiled attack pieces the mainstream media is willing to push in between their celebrity-focused news packages.

But, no matter what the polls say, no matter how badly the left wants revenge for the 2000 election, and no matter how much Gore himself may want to be President, he should, on no uncertain terms, actually announce his candidacy. If he makes an official run, he'll have to campaign; and, if he campaigns, he'll have to raise money. That money would be better spent on candidates that actually have a chance to win this thing. Not damaging the other Democratic candidates should be a major goal of the Gore non-campaign, second only to drawing right-wing attacks. This also means that he should stay as far away from them as possible, so as to avoid giving the echo-chamber the chance for an easy double-play.

After all he's been through, it might be a little unfair for the Democrats to ask Gore to take one more hit for the team. But, Al's overwhelming vanity notwithstanding, it's the best way for him to server his party. The question is not, "would Al Gore do it," but, "will this strategy work?" All we're saying is that it's worth a shot, since the Dems haven't got a prayer in 2008, anyway.


-S.O

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