Howard Fineman: Running Hard By Staying Out ("Gore is a deep-dyed Democrat. ... He is "50-50") [View All]

[Pirate Smile]

Running Hard By Staying Out

By Howard Fineman
Newsweek

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So who is planning—or dreaming? Among independents, Bloomberg has brains and bucks, and has been studying a run with great care. "He has an almost British style, which is to make it all look effortless," said polltaker Frank Luntz, "but he's learned all the details of how it would work." Vastly wealthy from his eponymous media empire, he flirts publicly and privately with the other loose electrons circling the nucleus of traditional politics, among them Gore. A mutual friend of the two in the New York financial world has even suggested to them that they should run as an independent ticket—an idea, I am told, the former veep dismissed.

Gore is a deep-dyed Democrat; the real question is whether he will be a late entrant for the party nomination. He is "50-50," according to one of his closest friends and financial backers. On the one hand, Gore inquires about Manhattan office space for his business and charity ("It has to be a 'green' building," said this source, who didn't want to be named discussing Gore's affairs). On the other hand, he keeps his face in front of big donors, as he did at a recent dinner in Miami. Gore is all the rage among corporate executives, who see wisdom—and profits—in going green, and who appreciate Gore's prescience. "Al has set this up so he can jump either way in the fall," said the close friend. "If there is an opening, I say he goes."

In the meantime, Gore practices the Zen of running-by-not-running. Some Democrats tout a team of Gore and Sen. Barack Obama, whose effort to overtake Hillary has stalled, at least temporarily. In this version, Gore enters Iowa late, storms to victory and asks Obama to be his running mate. "Gore-Obama is a very big ticket, probably unbeatable," said Kerrey. He was not at the Palm when he said so, but he may as well have been. It is not just a restaurant, really. It's a state of mind.

http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/18881809/site/newsweek/