Al Gore

[vraiblonde]

Excuse me, Ken King! I thought we made a pact that, when someone made a farewell address, we were just going to say "Don't let the door hit ya where the good Lord split ya"? Man, you HAVE mellowed!


Maynard, for Pete's sake! I thought for sure we now had a lib with some sand. One who could take a little ribbing. I am terrifically disappointed! You ventured into the lion's den, asking what we thought of Al Gore. We told you. Now you're mad. Get over it or move on.

 

[Ken King]

Originally posted by vraiblonde
Excuse me, Ken King! I thought we made a pact that, when someone made a farewell address, we were just going to say "Don't let the door hit ya where the good Lord split ya"? Man, you HAVE mellowed!

But who are we going to argue with if they all keep leaving. Larry doesn't even get it going like he used to. Bring back the cage matches, Alydar, and the feral cat.

As far as me mellowing that is partly your fault for the chastizing you used to give me when I would really tear into someone. Don't you miss the old days back before we counted posts and had all the cute little emoticons? You know when it was about fighting and cutting people to the core.

 

[Kyle]

Krebs,

Sorry I didn't answer with the seriousness you felt was appropriate but when you spoke of Al Gore inspiring you... I didn't think you were serious either. My bad!

When the Democrats find a candidate with a little, even a hint, of integrity, honor and a moral compass... I might take them seriously. So long as they remain the stronghold of licentiousness, depravity and disloyalty to this nation... There's no way I can.

 

[Kyle]

Originally posted by Ken King
...Bring back the cage matches, Alydar, and the feral cat.

Ken, I remember during my initial "lurking" some of the "feral cat" string... But don't remember Alydar? Was there an argument over the racehorse?

 

[Heretic]

I find it interesting that Al Gore was just critizing W for his economic policies, saying that W is doing much to reverse the success that the Clinton/Gore administration enjoyed.

Well Al, if you havent noticed alot of what drove the "good economy" you speak about was falsified earning statements by the countries largest companies and pure speculation on companies that never made any money. How is this success?

I really don't think we are any worse today than we were 3 years economically, we just have our eyes open. Do I give Clinton/Gore credit for the good economy, No, do I blame them for the bad happening, No. I just wish politicians would quit trying to take credit for something they had nothing to do with and quit trying to blame their political foes for something that they had nothing to do with. Invented the internet indeed.

Bill Gates had more to do with the state of the economy in the 90's than Bill Clinton. Now American investors are much more cautious and leary of small startups and realize that their chances of getting rich overnight are very small. I doubt a "boom" like the 90's will ever happen again.

 

[Frank]

I wasn't too thrilled with Al Gore in '88. And even less during the Gulf War, when he equivocated on the vote for the War, essentially selling his vote in exchange for TV time. I have his book, and it's weak. He's tall, physically strong - and has a good TV presence, provided only that he is well coached, and has prepared well. All of this provides an illusion of great intelligence.

His condescension and rude behavior during the '92 debates appalled me. His stories regarding the Buddhist temple were lame - why couldn't he just be plain-spoken, and come right out and say something? He and Bill both liked to blame the failures of their first two years in office on "the 12 years of the previous two administrations". I didn't like the bizarre praise he gave to Clinton, especially in light of facts coming out later, that they never liked each other much.

I thought his treatment of Bill Bradley on Meet the Press was ridiculous - Bill was actually beginning to WIN, and Gore tries to finagle a deal where they both shut down their TV campaigns. He offered to shake, on national TV. Bradley told him "you virtually ignored me for months", criticized him badly and now wants to be friends, because Bradley was gaining ground.

There was the fit of exasperated sighs and behavior in the debates - which actually wasn't new, he did it with Bradley as well. And if I heard "lcokbox" one more time, I thought I'd explode. This is a man who is able to convince some people that he is brilliant, but when placed under careful scrutiny, he demonstrates that he cannot form an opinion without coaching from political strategists. Remember, for all his claims of intelligence, this is a man who flunked out of law school and divinity school. Just as Bush is probably smarter than people suspect, Gore is not as bright as people suspect.

Finally - politically, he's done. He ran in '88, in '92, and in '00. No way is the Democratic Party dumb enough to gamble on him a fourth time.

 

[Heretic]

I think Gore will be their canidate for the simple fact that he is starting to attack Bush. Of course so is Hillary, but she promised the people of NY that she would fullfill the 6 year term of her office. I don't trust the promise of any politician especially when it comes to their own gain, maybe on some things depending on the person but not that.

I would like to see Rockefeller from WV throw his hat in the ring. I've met him and my father knew him and he is a decent man, probably a bit too moderate to get any attention though.

 

[Ken King]

Originally posted by Kyle
Ken, I remember during my initial "lurking" some of the "feral cat" string... But don't remember Alydar? Was there an argument over the racehorse?

Nope, no arguement over a race horse, just a clown that came on late at night (you know, after the bars close) and spouted his wretched feelings and hate. He would start a lot of attacks and I was more then willing to fight.

 

[vraiblonde]

Frank, Larry alluded to a brief speech Gore made during some Clinton scandal. I'll never forget it. He was poised, confident, mature, wise, caring and just (as Larry said) so Presidential I couldn't believe it. Scared the bejeezus out of me! I thought for sure he was going to keep that up and wax the heck out of whoever opposed him in 2000. But no, wasn't meant to be. Donna Brazile and Naomi Wolfe got ahold of him and turned him back into neuter-man.

Tipper going public with her mental illness didn't help him any, either.

Look for Hillary to either sit this one out and go full force for 2008 OR be the VP candidate for 2004. She promised she wasn't running for President but she didn't say anything about VP.

 

[Frank]

I'm slightly astonished that stuff about his son is just barely hitting the news. If something happens with the Bush daughters, or even a Bush niece or nephew -- it makes news.

 

[Heretic]

Well right now Al Gore is nobody (does he even have a job?) but Bush is the President.

 

[Tonio]

Originally posted by Frank
This is a man who is able to convince some people that he is brilliant, but when placed under careful scrutiny, he demonstrates that he cannot form an opinion without coaching from political strategists.

I don't think it's stupidity. I think it's self-preservation born out of fear. I see this with politicians from both parties. After a while in office, they get so used to the power and the attention that they feel they can't live without it. They think the Hill dome would collapse without them there. The only thing that matters to them is staying in office.

I'm beginning to believe Virginia has the right idea with no consecutive terms for governor.

 

[Bruzilla]

I think that Gore's most telling moment came when he was on Meet The Press. He had a very obvious ear piece in his ear, and he would immediately reply to every question from Russert with a patronizing delay. "Tim, that's an excellent question and one that needs to be asked", or, "I'm so glad that you asked that question because that's an issue I care a great deal about", etc. The way that he spoke them, with a very slow, deliberate cadence, made it pretty obvious that he was stalling for time while his advisors fed him "his" answers through the earpiece. His tone, demeanor, and rythem when actually answering the questions was completely different than from when he was stalling for time.

The best moment came when Russert, out of the blue, asked Gore if he would ever execute a pregnant woman. Gore took on an immediate deer-in-the-headlights look and stuttered around grasping for an answer. It was obvious whoever was feeding him "his" answers hadn't anticipated this question, and Gore didn't know what to think. He just kept saying that he would have to study the issue, think about it, look into it, etc. Duh... the obvious answer is "Hell No I wouldn't execute a pregnant woman", but Gore couldn't think even that out for himself.

Bush might mispeak his words, but at least they are his words.

 

[Kyle]

That was one of the best interviews I've ever watched. I assumed Russert was going to put on the kid gloves with his own party's candidate but he went for the kill. Priceless.

 

[Frank]

That may have been the one I saw. I just remembered that all that was required was a yes or no, and he couldn't produce an answer. Tim Russert has done that to him a number of times. My opinion of Tim that day went up, because he wasn't willing to just settle for pre-fab answers. And of Gore, went down, because either he was too afraid to just say what he thought because of politics, or could not think for himself. This was consistent with the Senator Gore who shopped for TV time during the Gulf War, and I have little patience with a man whose opinions depend upon opinion polls and political expediency.

Seeing him on enough political shows convinced me, this man has the aura of intelligence, because he holds himself well before the camera. But when challenged, he shows a lack of ability to demonstrate solid reasoning unless it is something he has carefully reviewed ahead of time.