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Al Gore Could be on the Ballot in California

By Roy Gayhart

Officially, Gore has made it clear, "I'm not a candidate and I'm not planning on being a candidate for President." He told Time magazine, "It would take a lot to disabuse me of the notion that my highest and best use is to keep building that consensus." What it would take, specifically? "I can't say because I'm not looking for it. But I guess I would know it if I saw it."

Many Gore supporters are saying that Gore is so skilled at not running for president that he just might win in 2008. Over the past year, a Draft Gore movement has been growing; sites like california4gore.org are appearing everywhere. Hundreds of local Draft Gore groups are popping up across the country, connected by the Internet. What started initially as a somewhat fragmented effort, has recently unified as a loose coalition called America For Gore. Even though VP Gore has not yet declared his candidacy, the most recent poll indicates broad national support among Democrats, with a recent national Gallup poll from August 3rd showing Gore in a virtual tie with Obama for second place with 18% support from Democrats. In California, the largest state in the Electoral College, a recent Field poll shows him in a strong second position, with more than 25% of likely primary voters support Gore, compared to Clinton at 38%, Obama at 19.8% and Edwards at 15%. In the San Francisco Bay Area, Al Gore is the number one choice. So, how can this non-candidate poll this strong with six months until the first primary?

His supporters argue that he already won in 2000 and that it is unlikely that anyone who voted for him then, would not vote for him again. Further, they argue, a lot of those who voted for Bush in 2000, would vote for Gore now. After the pain of losing the 2000 election to a controversial Supreme Court decision, many have an attitude of "what if?" or a vindication "to Make It Right." But more importantly, Al Gore 2.0 is a much more effective version of Gore 1.0. How so? Well, in the first place, Gore 2.0 is much more comfortable with who he is. He seems to carrying a JFK-type "ask not what your politicians can do for you" message with his new book The Assault on Reason. His human connectivity in "An Inconvenient Truth", along with his long-lasting dedication on the climate crisis issue and by becoming a global voice he has been nominated for the Nobel peace prize.

So far this year, more than 180,000 people have signed a petition asking Al Gore to run for president in 2008. Over the last sixty days Draft Gore groups have begun statewide campaigns to put Al Gore's name on their presidential primary ballots in New Hampshire, Massachusetts, New Jersey, Michigan and Washington. Recently, organizers of California Draft Gore, a newly-formed PAC, announced "the granddaddy of all draft Gore ballot initiatives" to be waged in California. Will he run? Those who have organized California Draft Gore say they believe that an active grassroots and net-roots effort will make the difference – resulting in his October decision to enter the presidential race. Until he declares his candidacy, the California Draft Gore organizers believe the movement will continue to grow. The California effort will involve 70 organizers and hundreds of Draft Gore volunteers. Their goal is three-fold:

(1) to begin organizing the state of California for a Gore run,

(2) to influence and encourage other states to follow their lead, and

(3) to convince Al Gore to become a candidate in 2008.

The California Draft Gore ballot initiative involves collecting a minimum of 500 signatures of registered Democrats from each of the state's 53 United States congressional districts. To do this will require organizing in each of these districts , and would be as historical in California politics, if not larger, than the Gray Davis recall effort. "The Democrats are much better off with a candidate who has already won a popular vote for president – and has only added supporters since," wrote radio talk host Cenk Uygur on HuffingtonPost.com. One thing is sure: the next occupant of the Oval Office will take on an overwhelming agenda. The next president will need to be able to reach out the international community and heal strained relations, deal with the issues of Iraq, Al-Qaeda, climate protection, immigration, civil liberties, the growing deficit, among other issues. It needs to be a leader who will motivate a nation into action, someone the country can trust and be inspired by again. Imagine, who else could that be?"

At the end of his new book, The Assault on Reason, Gore wrote, “It is my greatest hope that those who read this book will become a part of a new movement to rekindle the true spirit of America.” This new movement begins now, with California Draft Gore.

Roy Gayhart is the state campaign coordinator for the California Draft Gore PAC. He is a volunteer, who organized the local San Diego Draft Gore chapter, orchestrated the viewing of Live Earth in Hard Rock Café's in the Western States, and is actively involved in the national Draft Gore movement. Ballot campaigns like the one in california are emerging in several states, to volunteer, donate to help California Draft Gore Ballot Initiative or info on Al Gore visit http://www.california4gore.org

Posted on October 03, 2007

Comments

Thanks for the link!

Posted by: Vigilante at October 3, 2007 06:39 AM

Well there's are handsome fearless leader. Nice article, Roy!

Central CA Draft Gore Ballot Drive
Gore 2008 Accept No Substitutes!

Posted by: marta Jorgensen at October 3, 2007 06:57 AM

I like ... especially the fact that California is just one of many states conducting the effort. If gore wins the Nobel Peace Prize ...(snicker) watch out Hillary

Posted by: Gabe at October 3, 2007 11:15 AM

Yes, because, who cares what Al Gore wants?

Posted by: JM at October 3, 2007 06:20 PM

Watch out, California, 'cause Massachusetts Draft Gore is coming on strong! Maybe we'll finish our ballot initiative before you, or maybe you'll be first, but as long as our once-and-future-next-president Al Gore is on the ballot in every possible state, and as long as Our Hero responds to the call, we all win!

Posted by: Dinah Kudatsky at October 4, 2007 03:21 PM

As the San Diego Area campaign coordinator for California Draft Gore — based on my nearly four decades’ involvement in Democratic presidential, state, and local campaigns and my familiarity with the extent and quality of both our leadership and organizations in every one of the 53 California congressional districts — I can predict, with complete confidence, that we Californians are inevitably going to put Al Gore on the state’s presidential primary ballot.

The only question is how quickly our more than 1200-strong (and growing) army of volunteers is going to complete their task. We have been organizing statewide for nearly three months and are ready to hit the ground running on Monday, October 8, the statutory launch date for our ballot campaign. Although the legal deadline for submitting nomination papers is December 4, we expect that many of our congressional district teams will have submitted the required minimum 500 signatures of registered Democrats within the first week and that most will have finished by the end of October. We fully expect to have achieved total success throughout the entire state by November 15 with an announcement by Secretary of State Debra Bowen to follow shortly thereafter.

The quicker we achieve our objective, the sooner Al Gore will respond to our efforts — as well as similar efforts in at least eleven other states as of the date of this writing — to put him on the ballot. We want him to realize that California Draft Gore is igniting a new, national, grassroots “movement to rekindle the true spirit of America” such as he described in The Assault on Reason.

We take Mr. Gore at his word when he says, “I'm not looking for it. But I guess I would know it if I saw it." He has already built the international consensus he sought regarding the looming climate crisis. The stakes for our nation, for our people, for the rule of reason, for the democratic soul of our republic, for America’s standing in the community of nations, for human rights, for world peace, and for the very health and habitability of Planet Earth are momentous. Al Gore must finally recognize that he is the Democrat most likely to defeat the Republicans in 2008 and that it is his duty as a citizen of our country and the world to lead humankind to rational solutions from the bully pulpit of the White House, employing the levers of power and persuasion available only to the President of the United States.

We're not trying to pressure him to run. We're planning to inspire him to accept his role as our leader and to become our next president.

Posted by: Ben D. Cooper at October 5, 2007 04:59 AM

Excellent article Roy and very inspiring! Hey, it's great to finally see your face!

Posted by: Beverly Flint at October 5, 2007 06:19 AM

I was hoping President Gore(Woops)I mean should have been President Gore would come on to the campaign trail earlier. But as one of the Republican front runners commented last night (Thompson) "I didn't realize I was late, it seemed like just the right time to me. As the canidates started to sound boring" That comment got quite a laugh from the audience. I believe it would get a even stronger positive reaction from voters if Mr. Gore entered the race before 2008. Good luck Roy and other volunteers.

Posted by: Dana Rodibaugh at October 10, 2007 03:43 PM

This thing is going to take off like a tidal wave and turn the election for profit system on its ugly head!

All the people who want to be President are running around the country raising money, while the person the people really want is waiting for the groundswell of public support to just usher him in!

I hope it does happen--it should--IT WILL!

Somebody won't like it, though. http://re3.mm-a4.yimg.com/image/3010893022

Posted by: public.takeover at October 17, 2007 08:52 AM

You know, Al Gore's attitude of not wanting the Presidency is exactly why we need him. All of the candidates with the exception of Obama or Edwards are career politicians that have been corrupted by the system. They only care about power and winning any way possible. However, a person who doesn't want the job, would not be afraid to make controversial, yet correct decisions... This is why we need Al Gore. Is there a group trying to get him on the ballot in Illinois? I realize its a longshot because Obama is from Illinois. I like Obama, a lot, but I like Al Gore just a tad bit more. Besides Illinois needs all the good politicians it can get. Anyway please Al, please run. I'm already doing everything you say to be Carbon neutral... Please do your part.

Posted by: Kenneth Clymer at November 5, 2007 10:52 AM

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