Room for Al Gore in the race?
Former US vice president and Nobel laureate Al Gore talks during a session at the World Economic Forum in Davos in 24 January 2008. (PHOTO CREDIT: GETTY IMAGES)
FROM CNN's Jack Cafferty:
In many ways, it's been a strange campaign up to this point. But it could get a lot stranger.
Consider this: What if we go through the Florida primary and Super Tuesday and the race between Hillary Clinton and Barack Obama remains as tight as it's been? For the primaries, Democrats have the same rules in every state: delegates are awarded in proportion to the vote - meaning no winner-take-all. If Clinton and Obama continue to split the vote in many states, it's possible we could get to late spring or early summer and neither candidate would have enough delegates to secure the nomination.
And that's assuming they get that far without destroying each other with their increasingly nasty bickering. There just might be an opening for someone else to step in and unify the party. Oh, you know, like say maybe Al Gore.
Gore insists he won't run despite a movement called "draft-Gore-dot-com" that's calling on him to "transcend politics as usual and bring real hope to our country and to the world." As recently as last month, the former vice president said he has "no plans to be a candidate." But being a politician he added, "I see no reason to rule it out entirely."
Also, it's worth noting Gore has not backed either Clinton or Obama so far, and a recent report indicated that an endorsement by Gore is looking less likely. Former advisers suggest the Nobel Prize catapulted Gore to a new national and international standing that could possibly be tarnished by taking sides in the primary battle.
Here’s my question to you: If the Democrats have trouble picking between Barack Obama and Hillary Clinton, should Al Gore consider entering the race?
Interested to know which ones made it on air?
Bill Clinton: political attack dog?
Former U.S. President Bill Clinton campaigns for his wife in Greenville, South Carolina. Click the play button to see what Jack and our viewers had to say.
FROM CNN's Jack Cafferty:
Bill Clinton, former president of the United States turned political attack dog, is apparently helping his wife's presidential campaign.
The New York Times reports that Clinton advisers say the former president's aggressive stance against Barack Obama is resonating with voters, and they plan to keep him on the campaign trail in a major role after the South Carolina primary.
They say the benefits of having Bill Clinton challenge Obama are worth the trade-offs of perhaps overshadowing Hillary or damaging his own reputation.
In fact, campaign officials acknowledge that the former president is deliberately playing "bad cop", and predict a voter backlash against Obama if it ends up being Bill Clinton who looks like a victim. Whether it's working or not there are those who suggest this is no way for a former president to act.
Peggy Noonan in today's Wall Street Journal: "Bill Clinton, with his trembly, red-faced rage, makes John McCain look young. His divisive and destructive daily comportment - this is a former president of the United States - is a civic embarrassment." She goes on: "...The Clintons are tearing the party apart. It will not be the same after this. It will not be the same after its most famous leader, and probable ultimate victor, treated a proud and accomplished black man who is a U.S. senator as if he were nothing, a mere impediment to their plans."
Here’s my question to you: Should a former president be acting as a political attack dog on behalf of his wife?
Interested to know which ones made it on air?
McCain’s mom takes on GOP?
[cnn-photo-caption image= http://i.l.cnn.net/cnn/2008/images/01/25/art.mcainmother.gi.jpg caption=" Roberta McCain, mother of Republican U.S. presidential hopeful Sen. John McCain on the 'Meet the Press' May 2007 in Washington, DC.."]
FROM CNN's Jack Cafferty:
John McCain is getting no love from the Republican base…so says his 95-year-old mother, Roberta McCain.
She claims she's seen her son get no help whatsoever from the party base. Nonetheless, Mrs. McCain says he can go on to win the nomination, adding quote "I think holding their nose they're going to have to take him." You gotta love it.
She also had this to say: “Now I'm really popping off, but he worked like a dog to get Bush re-elected… He's backed Bush in everything except Rumsfeld. Have you heard other senators and congressmen backing Bush over eight years? Find me it, give me a name. I've not seen any public recognition of the work that he's done for the Republican Party.”
When asked about his mother's comments, McCain said that although he loves her, they disagree on some things. He joked that given his mom's age, she should get a little latitude for her candid remarks. McCain also pointed to the fact that he won more Republican votes than any other candidate in both South Carolina and New Hampshire. He says the support he got from independents should show conservatives he's the most electable candidate come the general election.
But his mother may have a point. McCain has some tough critics within the conservative establishment, including people like Former House Majority Leader Tom Delay, Former Senator Rick Santorum and conservative talk radio hosts like Rush Limbaugh. Many of them are disgusted with positions McCain has taken on issues like immigration, campaign finance reform, his decision to work with Joe Lieberman on global warming, and his opposition to President Bush's tax cuts.
Here’s my question to you: John McCain’s mother says he has no support from the Republican base. Is she right?
Interested to know which ones made it on air?
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