WESLEY/GORE?

Al Gore to Run in '08 Predicts Buchanan, Blankley and Clift

The pundits are lining up to predict an Al Gore presidential candidacy in 2008. On Sunday's "The McLaughlin Report," veteran journalists and commentators Pat Buchanan, Tony Blankley and Eleanor Clift stated they believe the former vice president will eventually toss his hat into the ring.Newsweek's Clift said Gore's been front and center in criticizing the Bush administration, saying all the things others in the party have not, but has basically side-stepped the issue of an '08 run. She believes he's seeking to be drafted by the party in a groundswell of support."He's the only candidate that can jumpstart a campaign instantaneously. He has 100% name-recognition, and he has the MoveOn.org machinery" behind him.Blankley, the conservative columnnist from The Washington Times, said "Gore got half the votes and a few more in 2000. If the Iraq war remains unpopular in the Democratic Party in 2007, Gore is much better positioned than Hillary (Clinton) because they're going to want a champion, and he's going to be a champion on the issue."And conservative columnist and political analyst Buchanan predicts that Gore will soon emerge as the leading candidate. "The anti-war movement is enormous in the Democratic Party, probably 70%. It is wide open. No one's leading it. I see Gore waiting until after 2006, and if nobody steps out, I would not be surprised to see him step out."It's encouraging to see many in the mainstream press begin to smartly assess the Democratic playing field. Look at the pack of '08 hopefuls--Kerry, Biden, Hillary, Bayh, Warner, etc (yawn)--and it isn't too difficult to see why a potential Gore candidacy is capturing the attention of the pundits and creating excitement among many voters who see the new and improved Al as their "Goracle;" the new voice of the Democratic Party.

If only...