So Bill Frist is up for re-election, Should Al Gore Run?

[Obviousman]

Frist has hinted he won't run again, would Gore win an open seat if he ran? Would he beat Frist? Would it be a nice present to the GOP to oust him after what they did to Daschle?
PolitiKoll Discussion

[AntiCoup2K4]

1. Gore's already been a Senator

Why do you think he would go back?

[Obviousman]

4. It might be a "step down"

But John Quincy Adams became a representative after being president. I'm just speaking of "what if's"

[DieboldMustDie]

6. Hubert Humphrey, after 1 term as Vice President and a losing Presidential

bid in 1968, was once again elected to the Senate in 1970 and served there from 1971 'til his death in 1978.   That's not to say that Gore should run, only that it wouldn't be unprecedented.

[ronnykmarshall]

17. Andrew Johnson did too.

This was even after his impeachment.

[mitchtv]

2. I doubt if he could win in Jesusland

He'd be lucky if he susvived with his life.

[HeilChimp]

38. Dems had no problem winning there in 2002

2002 Gubernatoral Election Results - Tennessee

Phil Bredesen - DEMOCRAT 837,284 50.65%
Van Hilleary - Repug 786,803 47.59%

[antigone382]

53. Umm, well, Tennessee isn't as red as it seems.

Granted, we have two Repug senators, Bill Frist the wacko and Lamar Alexander the "moderate," but we have a Democratic governor, Phil Bredeson, and (I believe) a Democratic majority in the state senate. My district's house representative, Lincoln Davis, is a Democrat who whooped Republican Janice Bowling's ass in this last election.He also wrote a wonderful letter to Rummy in response to that TN National Guard guy speaking up about the lack of armor, which I've been meaning to post on DU.

[TnDem]

57. Never happen

Al Gore couldn't win in Tennessee now if they handed out $10 bills at the polls in exchange for a vote for him....No way, no how.

Lincoln Davis is also MY representative. He is as conservative as Zell Miller. I like him personally, but most of DU would hate his voting record. As far as the "whooping" he gave Janice Bowling, that's bunk. It was MUCH tighter than Davis thought it would be. That's straight from the campaign. His election gets harder every time because of the trending of the state Republican. Bredsen won because he was thought of as a fiscal conservative Democrat who campigned in the eastern part of the state as someone who will reign in the Tennessee Dept. of Transportation, who ran virtually amok during the Sundquist years.

[SharonAnn]

3. No, he's already "been there, done that".

[ProudDad]

5. Yes

Absolutely. We need all the non-repuke votes we can get.

[Poiuyt]

7. Didn't Gore lose the state of TN to Bush

when he ran for president? Or am I wrong on this? It might be a tough run for Gore.

[Obviousman]

8. You're right

I forgot about that. I was just going over the 2006 races and thought this was an interesting scenario.
PolitiKoll Discussion

[hfojvt]

11. McGovern lost the state of SD to Nixon too

and then was re-elected to the senate in 1974 in SD.
Trouble with Gore running is that I do not think he has spent the last 4 years residing in Tennessee, so he would be seen as a carpetbagger.

[mattclearing]

13. Actually, not true. He has been "mending fences."

I'm of the impression he's spent more time in Tennesee than anywhere else.

[salin]

15. Gore's message has grown progressively populist

and, to an extent, "anti-government" (per critiquing abuse of power) which sells well in many red areas. If economic hurt grows at home (as it seems likely to do with the acceleration of outsourcing, the decline of the dollar, the severe cutting of essential services, the threat of killing social security)... I think he could give any firebreathing social conservative are real run for the money.

[mattclearing]

16. And it's not like the usual nonsense would fly with him.

They can't accuse him of tax and spend, because he helped re-invent government and balance the budget. Meanwhile, he would give Tennesee a high-profile senator to replace Frist.

[w4rma]

14. He worked as a professor at a university in Tennessee. (nt)

[fujiyama]

23. He bought a house in TN

and has been living there since.

That said, the state has gone way too far to the right for Gore to get elected. I doubt any democrat can win it at this point.

[HeilChimp]

36. no Dem can win TN? Tell that to Governor Phil Bredesen (D)

>>>
That said, the state has gone way too far to the right for Gore to get elected. I doubt any democrat can win it at this point.
<<<

The sitting Dem Governor of TN might disagree with you that the state is "too far right for any Democrat to win". Not to mention that the state treasuer, Comptroller, SOS, and Lt. Governor are all Democrats. And that a majority of their U.S. Congressman are Democrats. I think they might run one of the state legislature houses too.

Let's face it, Gore narrowly lost TN in 2000 when when he was running in a nationwide election with massive vote fraud. If he's running only in Tenn., he has a good shot to get his old Senate seat back in an open race.

[antigone382]

51. It was 47% to 50%

But that was after a whole lot of negative propaganda. I think Tennesseeans who wouldn't accept Gore as a president might still accept him as a senator.

[JI7]

9. Frist is going to run for President

he will be out of the Senate in time to start his primary campaigning.

[Chicago Democrat]

10. Bring that skelatore evil herr doktor on!!

[coffeenap]

21. yes, but

the "administration" sent Jeb to Indonesia, etc. with Colin Powell. It's dynasty continuation time in '08, don'tcha think?

[Hippo_Tron]

27. Bill Frist is very much part of the BFEE

He was installed as majority leader by Karl Rove so that he would run the Senate exactly how the administration wanted it. His only obstacle will be McCain. Hagel and Santorum may run, but Frist will have better funding and probably have Bush's endorsement. Having Jeb run in '08 is just a little awkward and it will bring out accusations of nepotism and the "Bush Dynasty". Plus as others said, Jeb probably has too many skeletons in his closet.

[Obviousman]

31. But if he isn't running for his senate seat

Then doesn't Al Gore become the instant favorite, by not even running against an incumbent?

[FreeStateDemocrat]

12. If Al Gore is the best candidate the party can present......

he should then be the obvious selection? Al Gore would be able to raise the funds to campaign and if elected he would have a greater impact on our national life and that could only be an improvement. If nothing else it would drive the repukes crazy (crazier) and cause the RNC to spend a lot of time, money, and energy to defeat him.

[John_H]

18. Why wouldn't Frist run again

if he wants to be pres? It seems to me that running from senate majority leader puts him in a better position than herr docktor, and i doubt that chimp is going to improve frist's chances by appointing him to anything, at least if Jeb is considering a run.

I bet Frist runs again unless he wants to retire from politics or run for Veep. Can Gore beat him? It all depends on how well the dems can paint the rethugs as radicals. If they do a good job, anyone, including gore will be able to beat frist.

[catbert836]

22. He wants to hve a head start on running for president

And wants to work on that full time.

[Radical Activist]

24. Last time he promised to term-limit himself

If he runs again he will be attacked for breaking his promise to voters.

[JNelson6563]

19. I think it's be great!

I'd love to have Gore in the Senate.

Julie

[MAlibdem]

20. I like Gore for President...

he's a good man.

[Radical Activist]

25. Yes, as long as its the new and improved Al Gore

The one we saw after he lost that became a progressive populist and spoke out early against the Iraq war.

That would be a vast improvement over Harold Ford and I'll bet he can win. Although I've heard that even when he was in the Senate his focus was more on media and running for President. So, he may have no interest in it anymore.

[ldf]

44. gore/dean would sound great to me.

they've both been under the heel of the opposition, their own party AND the media.

they would know what to expect and meet it head on.

plus, gore is the most intelligent man that has ever run fro president. i would have tremendous hope for the solutions he would offer.

[Cheswick2.0]

49. he didn't change after he won and was cheated out of office

The Al Gore you discribe was the one I saw during the 2000 campaign.

[IStriker]

26. Sure, if he wants to be humiliated where he lives like last time.

[Obviousman]

33. I'd agree that if he was defeated, his career would be over for sure

But, if he wants to get back into politics, this seems like one of the only gambles he has.

[Cheswick2.0]

50. he wasn't humiliated

The republicans humiliated themselves by creating fraud and havoc in TN too.

[Gyre]

28. Gore is too nice.

It's going to take a butcher to wrest the presidency from the repugs. Wish it could be won by overall merit, but it's going to take a specialist to get the blue half of this country back in any game worth being in.

Gyre

[nymd81]

29. Gore?

Anybody but Gore!!!

[Obviousman]

32. What's wrong with him?

[nymd81]

34. have you seen him lately??

[Obviousman]

35. Yeah, and I like him more than I did in 2000

He knows more than anyone how to properly oppose Bush.

[nymd81]

37. depresed affect

and too angry for me.

[Cheswick2.0]

52. "depresed affect".......WTF?

LOL

He doesn't seem depressed or angry to me.

PS... the spell check button is right below your posting window.

[Annus Horribilis]

30. How About Gore in 2008 for Pres?

Gore/Dean in '08!

[Supersedeas]

42. I believe he ought to at least run

[radio4progressives]

39. Excuse me?

the problem with liberals is lacking imagination for truly inspiring leadership - Gore was very inspiring and passionate - two terrible years, too late = and damage done.

during the 2000 campaign, he was just another democratic party hack. we don't need anymore political hacks.

We need leaders who is not afraid to speak truth to power, when it is needed.

NOW.

Not later.

Not after the fact.

[Obviousman]

40. I disagree

Do you think anyone in power in the Democratic Party knows how to fight the slimey politics of the Bush Admin. As much as we don't like to admit it, their sleaze works, and it works well. Last time I checked, our Presidential Candidate was defeated, and our Senate Majority Leader was ousted from office, all because they had no clue how to fight back.
Al Gore has been there, and he has experience in dealing with Bush Admin. While you may think it's too late, the alternative is to keep going down the same path with Pelosi and Reid and other people who have no clue how to be the opposition.

[VOX]

48. Gore was "just another democratic party hack" in 2000? WTF?????

That same "democratic party hack" happened to be elected in 2000, and if the right-wing junta could have been exposed and turned back (tough to do when the SCOTUS in is the right-wing's pocket), Americans and the world would have been spared the last four years of absolute hell -- including, IMO, the tragic events of 9/11.

[Cheswick2.0]

54. obviously you weren't listening in 2000

[tblue37]

41. Richard Nixon

lost the presidential election in 1960, despite being the VP to a popular 2-term president. He lost the California gubernatorial election, and whined that he was retiring from politics, so the press " have Richard Nizon to kick around anymore." And yet he was elected president in 1968, and reelected by a landslide in 1972.

In other words, if Gore wants to make a political comeback, it is not unprecedented.

The main problem he would have, though, is the SCLM's absolute determination to destroy him through mockery. They continued to ridicule him even as he spoke out during this year's election. They really do have it in for him.

[Obviousman]

Interesting

I never knew Nixon lost in California. Let's just hope that Gore is remembered better in history than Nixon is.

[Obviousman]

43. Self Delete

[tblue37]

45. I didn't correct the above post in time.

It should read:

. . . so the press wouldn't "have Richard Nizon to kick around anymore."

(I wish the editing function didn't have such a limited window.)

[kentuck]

46. We don't need to waste Al Gore in the Senate...

He has a bigger job ahead of him...

[tblue37]

47. Actually,

we desperately need to retake the Senate and, if possible, the House. One of the things Dems have gotten wrong is to think that only the presidency matters and only being president is worth anything. Without a friendly congress, a president is hamstrung. If it were not for the Supreme Court appointments Bush is going to get to make, I would consider Kerry's "defeat" (I don't actually think he lost) to be his good fortune, since there is no way he could govern with a Republican congress, and he would be stuck with the blame when the sh** hits the fan because of Bush's disastrous policies.

Once Ted Kennedy stopped trying to be president, as if it were his birthright, and settled down to become one of the major players of the Senate, he actually achieved something. If Hillary could stop thinking about playing her Senate career as a steppingstone to the presidency, she could be much more effective, because she could show a lot more spine.

The houses of congress (the legislative branch) are supposed to be co-equal with the executive and judicial branches, but everyone wants to wear the "crown," and no one wants to do the real work of governing!

[Cheswick2.0]

56. there are plenty of people to run for senate

I want Gore to run for President.

[Dr Fate]

55. Gore could win if he aims for the throat.

Be BLUNT and honest- like he has in his post-2000 speeches.

He would also need an extremely coordinated effort to counter-act the inevitable media lies as well. Difficult, but not impossible.

I have a feeling Gore actually LEARNED somthing in 2000- if he can be blunt, 100% truthful about republicans & the media and FIGHT, he can win.

I'd love to see ANY DEM take down a top republican.