I’m with Ezra on this one. Al Gore has been on the right side of every issue from Iraq (Hillary Clinton’s achilles heel) to taxes to the media to the war on terror (and Bush’s mismanagement of it).
Al Gore has been what the Democratic party should have been for all these years – more people would be alive and we’d be safer and better off.
It always surprised me how Gore distanced himself from Clinton (and by doing this his successes), and nobody tried to associate GWB with his Daddy (no new taxes). These obvious strategies could easily have swung it with an electorate who mostly vote with their pockets.
He’s a brilliant, brilliant man. He should have been a poli sci professor not a politician. He doesn’t have the “likability” that is needed to win a national election– not like his former running mate in 92 and 96. Which is why he floundered through 2000 and waffled in 2003.
But I’m glad to see him doing what he seems to do best: teaching. That man brings the knowlege.
And he has a wry, subtle, almost schoolmarmish (hell he is Tipper’s husband after all) sense of humour too. He seems to be basically calling the Cheney Administration a bunch of whores. The entendres made me laugh out loud here:
“They placed a former male escort in the White House press pool to pose as a reporter – and then called upon him to give the president a hand at crucial moments. ”
I accidentally read “give the president a hand” as “give the president a hand job”, and then bust out laughing. But then wondered if that was an accident, especially given the context of the male escort. Which, accurately enough, is basically what Guckert was hired (by the RNC) to do.
“They paid actors to make make phony video press releases and paid cash to some reporters who were willing to take it in return for positive stories. ”
“Willing to take it”? Hee hee. In exchange for cash? Take it where, exactly, Big Al? Indeed, the press has been all too willing to take it, in the tight one. Bend over and grab your ankles, cash-taking reporters. Where I come from, that’s called a bribe. And juxtaposed with the previous sentence about the male escort, there’s no doubt in my mind what Professor Gore is trying to say here.
Gore is subtly– perhaps unconsciously– calling the Repugs a bunch of Johns and the media a bunch of whores, and making a direct link between sexual and economic sleazery. Between this speech, and Howard Dean accusing Shrub of playing “hide the salami” with the American people, I’m glad to see Democrats telling it like it is.
It’s not about blowjobs, it’s about assfucking. And we’re tired of taking.
goatchowder: Now that’s articulate! I’m sure Gore would be proud to have for one of his supporters. Are you by any chance athletic?
Then you could one of Al Gore’s athletic supporters
Tee hee! I made a funny!
He’s got my vote.
Besides, even though Gore is a phony, repugnant scumbag, he’d be a slamdunk to win in 2008, which is another reason why the Democrats will never be smart enough him. If he is the nominee, though, be sure to explain that whole Electoral College thing to his campaign staff.
Although, leftists being such a predictable bunch, i can see the slogans already.
“RE-ELECT GORE in 2008″
Al Gore doesn’t even know what Al Gore stands for.
This is how cons treat their political opponents, with riducule and scorn. They don’t want a public debate about policy.
I was listening to the Laura Ingraham show on the way home last night, the whole first 1/2 hour of the show (I didn’t hear the rest) was “Democrats are stupid”, “Look at the stupid things the Democrats say”, etc, etc. No discussion of how the con way is better.
They infantilize their opponents, so that the simple minded (frankie and friends) dismiss them without considering the content of their ideas. Because that debate, they will lose.
Loopy,
Good try. You don’t want real debate on this site. Oliver and you parrots have shown time and time again that all you are interested in is hearing like minded emotional response and everyone else is considered a “con” troll. Frank, PSU, JD and several other have tried to debate ideas here, with very little honest attempts at discourse. Don’t peddle that crap, it’s not selling.
Oliver, this is your site, you are the one who sets the tone here, if you want debate then you have to start debating instead of merely hurling insults. I have seen some people attempt to debate issues, but before long it degrades into low level smack talk.
phony, repugnant scumbag
“honest attempts at discourse.”
Zorro,
In the interest of fairness, you are quite correct about Frank, and JD, and Dugger. However, you’re giving me far too much credit.
There ARE liberal sites that i go to where I have some good, spirited, and respectful debates with liberals.
but, Oliver decided a long time ago that this wasn’t gonna be a serious site, and he was just gonna be a jerk and lob bombs, facts be damned.
So, I just come here to be a jerk and make my points in a totally sarcastic, dickheaded manner, which is all Oliver and most of his liberal echo chamber deserves.
And Oliver, don’t give me “well, they started it!” Whose site is this?
It makes me sad that intellectuals no longer have a place in American government. I wish Al Gore never left the Senate. I wish his victory in 2000 was not pre-emptively over ruled by the Supreme Court. I wish he was the head of the DNC. Instead he’s been relegated to the “radical” sidelines with MoveOn.org, et al. Since his beard and belly developments of 2001 this tin man has certainly found his heart.
Al Gore did not, and could not beat George Bush in 2000. John Kerry did not, and could not beat George Bush in 2004.
On another thread, I posted a reference to an article that clearly analyzed the mistakes made by the Democrats in both of those elections. Did anybody have an argument against it? Nope.
The closest anybody came to an argument was Leo’s wild – eyed statement that if it came from AEI it was useless (as if AEI has some stake in mischaracterizing the American electorate), and the non sequitur that the article was “illogical”.
Did anyone refute any of its points, or even question any of its points?
Nope.
May I hazard a guess as to why not?
Because it couldn’t be done.
Here’s the article (again):
http://www.aei.org/publications/pubID.23301,filter.all/pub_detail.asp
AEI has more original thought, integrity and academics than “The Bush Basher; Hannity and Colmes Basher; Rush Limbaugh Basher; Biill O’Reilly Basher Newsletter” will ever have.
And it’s funny that you call people liars and work for David Brock.
Here’s an important paragraph (something I’ve said many times before):
Oliver, no one is bellyaching. Just pointing out facts. Your last comment makes the case. Do you really think ridiculing a source is all there is to debate. That has been one of the great problems with Democrats throughout the last several campaign seasons. Either ridicule the source or the messenger. I have yet to hear you, Oliver, bring anthing other than snide comments after your initial postings.
It’s funny that you guys bellyache about echo chambers and then hook up with AEI of all places for intellectual heft.
Don’t waste your time Frank.
The echo chamber is just gonna say that it all happened because Republicans appealed to people who don’t like Negroes.
Leo: Actually, you may, if you wish, look at it, not as advice, but as a refutation of all the bogus theories the Democratic left have brought forth to explain why they had no part in the Dems’ defeat in 2000 and 2004.
And that’s not a question — that’s a fact.
Leo,
You want to win in ‘08? BECOME A REPUBLICAN!!
Loopy, you’re so craaazzzzyyy!! But where is your denial of anything that has been stated in this thread? Spout and fume all you want, but your tantrums only expose your weak mind.
Back to the thread, Al Gore has a habit of stretching the truth in the past. I think that is the case again.
http://www.usnews.com/usnews/opinion/baroneblog/columns/barone_051007b.htm
I have always thought that Barone was a moderate voice that most times leaned somewhat to the right, but has not hesitated to disagree with either side at times.
cleo,
Are you really as stupid as you seem?
Note: Rhetorical question, unnecessary to answer.
This is rich
All the Gore bashers here are trying to point out what the democrats did wrong to lose in 2000 and 2004.
Are you rational in any sense of the word?
Is there any credible advice your side could give to this argument designed to ‘help’ democrats win in 2008?
Note; rhetorical questions-unnecessry to answer.
Whine, Oliver, Oliver, whine, the mean old liberals are picking on us innocent trolls wahhhhhhh. Oliver, Pleaaaaaaaase make the liberals stop calling us on our lies so that we can disrupt this forum, wahhhhhhhh.
Go to Powerline and post there, cons. Oh, that’s right, they don’t want your comments.
All along I’ve been saying Republicans are evil, not dumb. This thread has me reconsidering a lot. AEI is crappy, so is Heritage. There are other nonpartisan sources of research that would hold much more water, linking to them is like me using The Nation as the gauge of opinion for middle America. And what the heck does Media Matters have to do with it? We back our items up with these things called facts. Look into it.
Leo:
I’ll change my moniker when you change yours to “FalstafftheFool” (or maybe just “Bottom” would suit you better, I like the simplicity). Actually, I haven’t spoken to you at all; however, if you are referring to my posting… you really shouldn’t let it get under your skin. By the way, I”m not in the least interested in what you think would behoove me, you pompous ass.
Zorro, You are the ants at the picnic. You are the troll. So I’m not going to waste my time “refuting” you, a simple “blow me” is all the retort you and the other trolls deserve.
Al Gore is a brilliant, visionary man. It is unfortunate that, even though he did get the majority of the vote, and would have won Florida easily if not for vote suppresion shenanigans, that his words didn’t resonate with a larger majority in 2000.
I have a slogan for Gore ‘08: “Gore. Because we told you so.”
PSU94;
“So, I just come here to be a jerk and make my points in a totally sarcastic, dickheaded manner, which is all Oliver and most of his liberal echo chamber deserves.”
I believe that’s the best definition of TROLL I have read
Zorro;
Change your name to Bernardo. It would behoove you to speak less.
Loopy,
Sorry I hurt your feelings. While you may think that Gore is brilliant and visionary that isn’t necessarily what makes an effective leader or politician. Just look at Carter and Woodrow Wilson. Wilson is probably the most intellectually accomplished president in the 20th century and many people (although I think less and less as the years go by) feel that Jimmy Carter had an excellent mind. As it turns out, neither was a very effective poliician and both left the white house under a cloud of great failure. Al Gore’s message obviously did not resonate with the right wing but why not the large moderate/centrist segment of the population? You and the others on the left on this board should look at more than just how the message was presented and look at the message itself. When AG ran away from Clinton he also ran away from the “Safe, Legal, and Rare” abortion stance of the DLC. Why did he do that when it was so effective at keeping the hounds at bay in the Clinton years? Many people think that the Democrat party is beholden to too many masters and they felt that the would not get the NARAL and NOW voting block (which went to Nader anyway) unless they went all out towards the “abortion at any cost” wing of the party. This is just an example of the way the Democrat party has been pulled in the past three decades. IMO it is getting worse, not better, but we will see come primary season next year.
Now, that wasn’t so bad. I din’t insult you one time in that post. What is your opinion regarging the ‘06 primary season.
Zorro;
I simply meant to give you advice in a spirit similar to that, of which, you offer the misguided democrats. We couldn’t win without your help. Much thanks. It really isn’t necessary to get peronal about it.
Don’t let the door hit you in the ass on the way out Zorro. Go cry to Charles Johnson or Assrocket.
Oliver,
Dumb is just a state of mind for you. I’ve told you that you can set the tone on this board, but you obviously don’t have the inclination. That’s fine, but your alter egos on this board shouldn’t complain when they post offerings like the following complaining about the lack of substantial debate:
“This is how cons treat their political opponents, with riducule and scorn. They don t want a public debate about policy.
I was listening to the Laura Ingraham show on the way home last night, the whole first 1/2 hour of the show (I didn t hear the rest) was Democrats are stupid , Look at the stupid things the Democrats say , etc, etc. No discussion of how the con way is better.
They infantilize their opponents, so that the simple minded (frankie and friends) dismiss them without considering the content of their ideas. Because that debate, they will lose.”
I think that it is natural for anyone to use opinion from the right/left to back up their respective point of view, however, if all you can bring to the fight is “Cons Are Stupid”, why have the fight at all? You surely can’t settle anything and you’re not contributing anything to the “national dialogue”. Think about it.
Loopy-
This wouldn’t be a delaying tactic while you think about how to reply would it? I think you know of whom I refer to.
That depends Zorro- I don’t know of this “Democrat Party” I see in your post. Who are they?