Enter Al Gore. If he has a chance to make an influential endorsement, possibly even to nudge Obama to victory, does he have the willpower to refrain? I don't see how. It would be such sweet balance to his botched endorsement of Howard Dean in '04. Like Ted Kennedy, Gore would become a huge fish in the comparatively small(er) pond of Obama's powerful backers. He would enter 2009 with the full power of an historic new presidency at his back. Imagine what could be done with that power. Gore as climate envoy? Climate czar? Climate secretary?
In that event, Gore would have achieved a balance between the conflicting demands of his conscience. He would have the freedom to be a focused advocate and change public opinion, alongside the power of government to affect real change. Best of all, he could get there without the inanities and indignities of a political campaign.
If the Democratic primary reaches the point where Gore could become kingmaker, I suspect the temptation will be irresistible.
I agree, but I think that the author of this post is a little too focused on Obama. Al Gore is a politician first, and I have no doubt that in a close race, he'd throw his weight behind whichever candidate promised him more for his support, and in such a scenario you should never underestimated the Clintons.
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