‘Draft Gore’ Movement Makes ’08 Pitch
EmailABC News’ Nitya Venkataraman Reports: Grassroots organization DraftGore.com pleaded with former Vice President Al Gore to enter the 2008 presidential fray via an "open letter" in the New York Times.
Written on behalf of volunteers and petitioners behind the DraftGore movement and addressed to Gore, the full-page ad in the Times’ A-section says:
"You say you have fallen out of love with politics, and you have every reason to feel that way. But we know you have not fallen out of love with your country. And your country needs you now — as do your party and the planet you are fighting so hard to save." (LINK)
(The ad’s timing comes two days before the announcement of this year’s Nobel Peace Prize winners; Gore’s crusade for the environment landed him a nomination.)
DraftGore.com founder Monica Friedlander started the group in 2000 after her "outrage" towards the outcome of the Bush-Gore battle for the White House. Today, the group is run by a five-member executive committee, including Friedlander, each of whom operate from different locations. Alongside Friedlander, the committee includes: Treasurer Eva Ritchey in North Carolina, Nathalie Green in Kentucy, Andrea Aronhovde in Washington, D.C., and web guru Bill McCormick in California.
Ritchey says the five organizers met "by accident over the Internet four years ago just seeking fellowship with other people who believe Al Gore was a missed opportunity for America" and insists DraftGore.com has had no contact with Gore’s office outside of delivering a petition of signatures to the former Vice President in July urging Gore to make an ’08 run.
Ritchey describes their efforts as "a draft, not a fan club."
Though they serve mainly as an Internet hub providing "resources to the ground troops," Ritchey says DraftGore.com will launch a letter-writing campaign in the next week to Florida DNC Chair Karen Thurman to put Al Gore’s name on the state ballot.
"If the president serves the people, we ought to get the choice. And since he is a viable choice he ought to be on the ballot," Ritchey says.
Ritchey describes their campaign’s defining moment as the New Hampshire Democratic debate on September 26 "when the country came face to face with major candidates waffling on the issue of Iraq. I think it hit them like a brick."
Air America Radio host Randi Rhodes the next night began promoting Gore as a "political solution", Ritchey says, ever since she describes the swell of ground support "like a tsunami."
Ritchey told ABC News the ad cost them $64,575 and ran on stand-by, meaning the ad could run at any time within a seven-day window. Though the ad has been part of the group’s larger strategy since late spring, DraftGore.com founder Monica Friedlander says the money for the ad was raised in six days following an appeal about ten days ago to their 136,000-member signature base.
Abbe Serphos, PR Director at the New York Times, said Times policy does not allow them to "disclose the rate that any one advertiser pays" but did confirm the rate and standby status of the ad given to ABC News by DraftGore.com.
Serphos confirmed that the rate for a full-page, seven-day standby ad in this category is $64,575.
DraftGore.com chair Friedlander says most contributions came in small donations in the $20-$50 range.
Because of that, Ritchey adds the "ad belongs to the petitioners."
Both Ritchey and Friedlander mentioned the importance of keeping their grassroots movement to draft the former Vice President separate from Gore’s office.
Friedlander insists, "This is our effort, no way driven by him or encouraged by him," but she adds, "They also don’t try to stop us."
Gore spokeswoman Kalee Kreider told ABC News that the former Vice President "understands and appreciates the sentiment behind the ad" and "hears what people are trying to say to him, however he does not have any plan to run for president."
As for Friday’s Nobel announcement, Kreider indicated that October 12 would be an "
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I don’t think the HILLARY camp could stand the GORE-OBAMA team rolling over them, so would they even support this ticket? If Gore really knew US History he would want to rectify the LIE of 2000 and return to claim the office and attempt to save the country. After what bushbaby cheeny have done, Gore would really only have an attempt and my not be able to save the country.
Posted by: daddy | October 10, 2007, 1:17 pm 1:17 pm
Al Gore is the coolest!! But as they say, you can lead a horse to water, but you can’t make it drink. This isn’t like electing a pope where the cardinal’s wishes don’t count for anything. Al Gore’s ”place” is where-ever he choses.
Posted by: KEJ2000 | October 10, 2007, 1:35 pm 1:35 pm
Gore will definitely be the world’s greatest apologist for the United States in ’08. He’ll do a better job of pointing the accusing finger at every American citizen than anyone has ever done before.
Posted by: Joseph Mattaino | October 10, 2007, 1:50 pm 1:50 pm
Al Gore (Mr. PGE bill) and John
Edwards (Mr 1500 haircut 28000 sqft home)
are 2 of the biggest Democratic
hypocrits – that is why they couldn’t
win their own home states. It seems
Al Gore’s mansion uses a high amount
of electricity -
Gore’s mansion, located in the posh Belle Meade area of Nashville, consumes more electricity every month than the average American household uses in an entire year, according to the Nashville Electric Service (NES).
Gore is raking in big bucks with his
hypocritical global warming crusade.
Posted by: Diane | October 10, 2007, 2:19 pm 2:19 pm
This is what is very sad – using the death of a family member for one’s personal gain. Gore used the death of his sister, Nancy, from smoking-related cancer as a prop, saying in 1996, “that is why until I draw my last breath, I will pour my heart and soul into the cause of protecting our children from the dangers of smoking.” Seven years after her death, Gore was still on the Big Tobacco dole – accepting tobacco money and accepting government subsidies for the tobacco he still grew on his Tennessee farm.
Posted by: susan | October 10, 2007, 2:23 pm 2:23 pm
This is what is very sad – using the death of a family member for one’s personal gain. Gore used the death of his sister, Nancy, from smoking-related cancer as a prop, saying in 1996, “that is why until I draw my last breath, I will pour my heart and soul into the cause of protecting our children from the dangers of smoking.” Seven years after her death, Gore was still on the Big Tobacco dole – accepting tobacco money and accepting government subsidies for the tobacco he still grew on his Tennessee farm.
Posted by: susan | October 10, 2007, 3:02 pm 3:02 pm
Al Gore has a level head. He is sensative to what goes on around him. He is not a sabre rattling good ol boy.
He will look at what is good for the US and the rest of the world unlike the present administration. He will not lie to congress and he will not stand for lies from congress.
Neither Hillary not Barak has a hope in
Hell, AR of winning in the south. If the Dems don’t win the south, we will have a Republican president again. Only a Gore/Edwards or Gore/Clinton ticket will win the next election over Rudy. Rudy will steal Dem votes from everyone else. Come on Al, your country and your world needs you. Come to the plate! It’s your turn to hit a home run.
Posted by: jaworski | October 10, 2007, 3:05 pm 3:05 pm
Republicans have turned into the best “DUMBED DOWN PRODUCT” this country has ever produced or even thought about producing. Now that their obvious hypocrisy is laughable, as their leaders are as well, we can only hope they don’t unravel too seriously, because they have that ability too. I am glad we got a few rich democrats so we can use them to find out where all the rich republicans hang out and turn their dirty deeds, as the war profiteers might need a tall tree to humble them someday.
Posted by: daddy | October 10, 2007, 3:27 pm 3:27 pm
I’d rather have an environmental profiteer than a war profiteer in office anytime.
Posted by: thisguy | October 10, 2007, 4:26 pm 4:26 pm
I’d like to see Al run again. And so would any of the Republican candidates. Because after they expose the fraud in his film, they can then expose the fraud in him. And they can use the internet he invented to do it. Come on Al, let’s lose again for old times sake. Hey Al, got a carbon credit for an old altar boy!
Posted by: Chas | October 10, 2007, 4:26 pm 4:26 pm
Hey “daddy” speaking about “Dumbing Down” it may surprise you to know that 9 of the 12 richest Senators are Democrats:
1. John F. Kerry (D-MA) $675 million
2. Jon Corzine (D-NJ) $400 million
3. Herb Kohl (D-WS) $300 million
4. Jay Rockefeller (D-WV) $200 million
5. (tie) Lincoln Chafee (R-RI) $50 million
- Dianne Feinstein (D-CA) $50 million
7. Peter Fitzgerald (R-IL) $40 million
8. Edward Kennedy (D-MA) $30 million
9. Sen. Mark Dayton (D-MN) $20 million
- Sen. Bill Frist (R-TN) $20 million
10. Sen. John Edwards (D-NC) $15 million
- Sen. Maria Cantwell (D-WA) $10 million
Posted by: Chas | October 10, 2007, 4:38 pm 4:38 pm
I’d like to see Al run again. And so would any of the Republican candidates. Because after they expose the fraud in his film, they can then expose the fraud in him. And they can use the internet he invented to do it. Come on Al, let’s lose again for old times sake. Hey Al, got a carbon credit for an old altar boy!
you might better lay off FOX NOISE and Rush for a while, you’re getting delusional!
Posted by: Bec67 | October 10, 2007, 4:43 pm 4:43 pm
The link to the Draft Gore Ad doesn’t work. :o(
Posted by: Terre | October 10, 2007, 5:16 pm 5:16 pm
I’m a republican, and I don’t like anyone currently running. Get Al Gore in the race, and I will vote for him. Ya hear that al!?
Posted by: Mitch | October 10, 2007, 5:41 pm 5:41 pm
I really have no clue why Republicans are so doggone angry, vitriolic, and always go personal. This, as opposed to addressing the substance of an issue. It can’t be that Dems believe in something, they’re really eveil hypcrits! The state of discourse in this country is really sad.
Posted by: Erick | October 10, 2007, 6:01 pm 6:01 pm
Gore/Obama O8. A sure winner!!
If HRC is the candidate, I will not vote.
Posted by: bob | October 10, 2007, 6:11 pm 6:11 pm
If hillary cant beat algore in the primaries, then she has no right running for prez or even as a senator ever again.
Posted by: darknessesedge@yahoo.com | October 10, 2007, 6:31 pm 6:31 pm
Al Gore, you are the ONLY one who can make me believe again.
You are the one person that republicans truly fear because you beat them the first time..
Posted by: jude schroyer | October 10, 2007, 6:33 pm 6:33 pm
Run Al Run!! America needs you!
Posted by: bob | October 10, 2007, 6:36 pm 6:36 pm
May we not see a picture of the ad? Not all of us bought the New York Times today.
Posted by: ducdebrabant | October 10, 2007, 6:38 pm 6:38 pm
Just what we need: Gore vs Romney. Hypocrite1 vs Hypocrite2
Posted by: Royce | October 10, 2007, 11:01 pm 11:01 pm
Daddy get’s it all wrong as do all the liberals who claim the 2000 elections lie,a s rigged, stolen, etc. Even when later, again, counting the chads fraudently as Gore’s camp wanted it, Bush still won! It was recounted several times and each one had Bush winning. Stop spreading lies because of your sour grapes. I love how the liberals continually decry voter fraud, stolen elections, etc., but when they win a landslide victory into congress in the last election, suddenly, magically, everything worked great, all those supposed machines were now working and the Dem wins stand. How so very convenient? The Dems just can’t stand the fact that they had thier heads stuck in the media land sand that was so sure Gore would win, as they were that kerry would, so of course they were shocked when they learnt otherwise.
Yes, I really do hope Gore wins again so he can again be devastated and humilated as last time. He’s such a joke. thorw Hillary onthe ticket though to make it that much more winnable for us Repubs! The libs will always be whiners, liars, and bullies if they don’t get their way and if you dare to simply disagree with them. Hillary is thier perfect duplicious candidate, with Gore’s sleazy Hollywood connections being the perfect pairing.
Posted by: embrair | October 10, 2007, 11:07 pm 11:07 pm
And once again, we have liberals/progressives talking about the issues, and conservatives talking about liberals. Interesting, isn’t it.
Posted by: Bill | October 11, 2007, 1:20 am 1:20 am
Rebuttal to posting by: embrair: In the 2000 election Mr. Gore garnered 48.4% of the popular vote to Bush’s 47.9%, even without hanging chad. I believe that means MORE PEOPLE wanted Mr. Gore than Bush. It’s unfortunate we have an antiquated and flawed electoral system. Rebuttal to posting by: Chas: Where in h–l did you come up with those figures? You need to look at the 2007 financial disclosure posted on opensecrets as reported by the Federal Election Commission. I’m not going to post the correct names and figures for you. It’s people like you that makes me wish one of our legislators would author a bill requiring voters to pass an intelligence test in order to vote. I believe it would probably pass and Bush’s veto would be over-ridden. Then there would be no more fiasco’s like 2000 where a losing candidate becomes president.
Posted by: GC | October 11, 2007, 1:34 am 1:34 am
GO “Gulfstream Gorebal Warming” Gore! Living life by example! You set the environmental standard to which we should all live by!
Posted by: TexBork | October 11, 2007, 2:21 am 2:21 am
Gore won FL in 2000. If ALL the votes in FL had been recounted properly, Gore would have won. There has so much other documented election fraud by Bush-K Harris-et.al., including voter suppression, that Gore DID win FL.
Gore not winning TN is irrelevant.
Gore never said that he invented the internet. The actual “inventor” of the internet said that the World Wide Web would never have been developed as rapidly for ordinary people if it had not been for Gore.
Gore’s house in TN is not only a residence. It houses three separate organizations AND all the security, both public and private, that the Gore family requires.
The National Academy of Sciences, who rarely endorse anything, have agreed with Gore’s conclusions in “An Inconvenient Truth”.
The 2000 and 2004 elections were fraudulent and stolen. Energy companies, Halliburton(s) and Blackwater(s), and Pentagon procurement fraud vultures helped bankroll that fraud, intimidation, and theft of the public will.
Posted by: KurtSteele | October 11, 2007, 4:52 am 4:52 am
Al Gore would make a great predident, but the media won’t give him fair coverage during a campaign; it will be a repeat of 2000 when all of the mainstream media, including ABC, went after him with every lie spoonfed to them by the GOP.
Posted by: John MacNeill | October 11, 2007, 7:53 am 7:53 am
go go go al the time is now
Posted by: carl banda | October 11, 2007, 11:33 am 11:33 am
If Al was going to run, he would already be in the race. Sad.
Posted by: AngryCitizen | October 11, 2007, 2:50 pm 2:50 pm
As ABC takes my post down and mulls over the consequences of it for them, let us again understand that all MAINSCREAM media got taken badly and participated in the lies and failed direction of the neo con bushbaby swill buckets. The Miami Herald tried to destroy the election evidence from Florida quickly so you would not ever understand that most all the hanging CHADS were hanging under GORE votes and the ebullient katie harris and the cuban republican Miami Herald rag know it. You all here today should know this eternal truth as well…
Posted by: daddy | October 11, 2007, 3:23 pm 3:23 pm
“The 2000 and 2004 elections were fraudulent and stolen.”
Kurt, so, if the voting machines don’t work, votes are discounted, and people turned away how on Earth did the Dems sweep into power in congress in the last election?! It doesn’t add up. You just can’t face the facts.
Posted by: embrair | October 11, 2007, 4:04 pm 4:04 pm
Let the right-wing flying monkeys howl… Gore/Obama is a slam-dunk against Mayor 9/11, Fast-Hands Freddie, Flippin; Mitt or any other pathetic candidate they can possibly offer up.
Run, Al, RUN!
Posted by: Jonathan Blaque | October 11, 2007, 6:44 pm 6:44 pm