Gore will also announce that he breathes air and drinks water.

Is it really news that a major member of the democratic party is endorsing that party's candidate. Maybe a month ago, but not now that the primary is over.

Hey, he's seasoned, has foreign policy experience, global cred, and his own well thought out environmental platform. Plus, he's a white guy from the South. And if he did want to run in '16, he'd still only be 68--younger than McCain is now.

(Yeah, yeah, I know he didn't carry Tennessee. But he's much better liked now than he was then).

Agreed. I mean, it's nice to hear that Al's not sitting this out, but beyond that the announcement seems real dog-bites-man at this point.

Yes, I already recieved the latest Obama fund raising e-amil with AL Gore's edoresment and ASK.

No, it's not news that Gore is endorsing the Democratic candidate. But here's why the WAY this is happening IS news:

He's doing it in Detroit, the least hospitable place for those fighting for aggressive action on the climate crisis. You can bet this is a sign that Gore is leveraging this issue with Obama for all it's worth -- and he should!

He is not endorsing "too late" as many will undoubtedly say. Gore wants a Democrat in the White House and, from the perspective of environmental concerns, getting leverage means backing the winner and doing what he can for them. If he had endorsed Obama in the primaries, you can bet that ALL the coverage would focus on bogus personality issues -- the supposed Gore-Clinton feud, etc. That's not what Al Gore gives a shit about. If you read his last book you'll know that he's most concerned with putting the issues that matter at the front of public discourse. This is the way to do it.

Al Gore is also using his enormous email list to raise money for a candidate for the first time. That's bigger than anything else that will come of this announcement. If he can deliver the environmental vote AND the big bucks, he will do Obama and the nation a world of service.

Al Gore is a true national hero in my book. He has rarely wasted his energy on the petty poliics of ego and such and has truly put his back into fighting for what matters. All the snarky comments over the years haven't diminished what has and always will be true; Al Gore is an amazing human being we are lucky to have as an American and a Democrat.

It sickens me that we live in a culture where a man of this type of integrity is constantly ripe for abuse because he is perceived as "spineless" -- when in fact, he's just not driven by rampant testosterone. And the anti-intellectualism that always rears it's ugly head whenever Gore's name is mentioned in the media is exactly why we got George Bush in the White House.

i imagine we would have seen al gore endorse her candidacy as well, in a post-personality partisan gesture.

HOOOORAAAYYY!!!!

Gore is indeed driven by what matters, and doesn't reallly care about political feuds. We are lucky to have him in the Democratic party, and Obama's fortunate to have him for an ally.

It's not very often someone on these message boards can change my mind...but your last post just did. My first reaction to the article was "big deal...like it really matters now"...but your reasoning makes ALOT more sense than mine!

cheers!

I live right next to Joe Louis Arena in Detroit, where Barack and Al Gore will speak tonight. At about 2:30pm, I took my beagle for a walk down there. This was four hours before they open the doors, six hours before Barack appears (about two hours ago).

About 300 people already were lined up, waiting for the show. They were happy. They were just lined up in the sunshine. By now, probably several hundred more have arrived. Barack needs to get some hotdog and pop (= soda) vendors down there. He also should send some entertainers.

Just now, I am hearing helicopters over the Detroit River. The security is in place. Barack needs to provide some loaves and fishes to boot.

Ok. I think this is great, if anticlimactic.

However, given the venue (Joe Louis Arena), there would probably be greater political effect in Southeast Michigan if Senator Obama were endorsed tonight by...

...Steve Yzerman.

I want to see more Hillary stories! How about; "Sexism 101, How Hillary overcame Snipers and a Talk show Host's Chauvinistic Sexist Nexus or “Hillary for VP, Why she should or shouldn’t ….again….” or the ever popular children’s book “Hillary has a hangnail, and it ISN”T going anywhere” This is Salon.com, isn’t it?

it could be taken for granted that the Dems former VP and presidential candidate could be counted on to endorse the party's current nominee. But look at Lieberman - former VP nominee out there stumping for McCain. It is the only upside to Gore's loss is the exposure of Liebrman's true nature.

I hope we win enough seats in the Senate to tell Lieberman piss off on his committee chairmanships. Hey if wants to continue to caucus with the dems that's fine but he shouldn't be chairing the homeland secrurity committee. It is a travesty that he is in any leadership position for the party at all.

Anyhow, I'm glad Gore is backing Obama now- somebaody made the good point ealier that it was too sticky to pick him over Clinton before the nomination was decided.

Re: "he shouldn't be chairing the homeland secrurity committee."

If it's not LIEberman chairing that committe, it will be somebody just like him--no matter who wins in November. Read "Losing America" by Senator Robert Byrd.

That committee needs to be turned into a Cabinet level position with Congressional oversight, or else get rid of it. That's what I wish Obama would do, but considering where he rushed to give his first speech after becoming the nomineee, I doubt it.