Today I took a long lunch and went and saw Al Gore doing his book tour appearance at the Barnes and Noble in Union Square. I expected Gore to do his usual and work the crowd up about global warming. But what I saw instead really surprised me--I saw a presidential candidate giving a very strong campaign manifesto. Gore, speaking to a packed audience, gave this strong, forceful, heartfelt speech about the need for american citizens to be called to action to rise above the lack of reasoned, intelligent debate that we have now in this society, and to reclaim our country and our ideas, and make this country live up to its grand potential.
Gore's new book is called "The Assault on Reason", and in it, he talks about the loss of judgement and intelligent conversation in this country, about how all too often now important decisions are made
without full consideration and proper debate. Gore mentioned in his speech that when the decision was made to go to war in Iraq, 70%,*seventy percent* of americans thought Iraq had attacked us on 9/11.
Because the average citizen was too busy watching American Idol to pay attention to what was going on in Congress, in more than thirty second sound clips. Gore cites statistics like this as proof that the
political discourse in this country is seriously eroding, and with it our democracy. What does it say about american society, he points out, when more people know more about whats been happening with Paris Hilton's court troubles over the last month than whats been going on around the world, in places like Iraq, the Sudan, Afghanistan? What does it say when you can't get people to care about global warming because it inconveniences them too much? Gore argues that people don't understand reasoned debate when they hear it because they pay so little
attention. This takes the power away from those with reasoned arguments, and gives it to those who can appeal to passion with the best thirty second soundbites and videoclips.
Gore gave a well crafted speech with thunderous applause lines, like "we must make this country great again" and how his new book represents a great call to action, for american citizens to rise up and
take their country back, before reason and informed political discourse are permanently beaten down in favor of political soundbites tailored to the lowest common denominator. In his book, and in his speech, Gore repeatedly refers to the internet as the greatest tool for raising the level of debate in this country. But only if more people will use it the right way, use the internet for substantive debate, and not to let it become yet and not second sound and video clips that appeal to passion instead of reason. Gore truly is the netroots candidate of candidates. He is the great champion of our cause.
This speech-- that he is giving around the country on his book tour-- and the new book, "Assault on Reason", are clearly IMO setting up Gore's entry into the presidential race. Before today, I was fully convinced that Gore was not running, I was more than willing to take him at his word. Not anymore. There had to be very few people in the huge gathering today at B&N who couldn't recognize what was going on
here. If the implications weren't clear enough, who was also at the event in the front row applauding, and jumped on stage after the speech to hug Gore and mug with him for the cameras? Harold Ford Jr., the
chairman of the Democratic Leadership Council (DLC) This was no coincidence. Nor was I doubt the fact that Gore has lost weight and looks to be in great shape and in fine form. He didn't write this book to sit on the sidelines.
I think Gore is playing a very smart game of running while not really running. He gets the attention and the limelight, but isn't having to spend time sounding like a typical politician. Later this year, perhaps after winning the Nobel Peace Prize and selling plenty of books and doing more lectures, I think clearly (after today) that Gore is going to get in the race. He will be pitching himself as the candidate of reason, the candidate who wants to make this country great again by not playing the game the way the game doing the early primaries or raising a gazillion dollars. But there is no reason such a plan wouldn't work. Al Gore is a great american and a truly inspiring leader, and if he gives speeches such as he gave today hitting on these themes, he is going to be a real force in the campaign.
Anyway, it wasn't a bad way to kill a lunchbreak on a hot day. I am looking forward to reading his book 
Gore/Obama '08 anyone?
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