Gore up for Nobel Peace Prize

by Jerome Armstrong, Thu Feb 01, 2007 at 07:06:22 AM EST

I was going to put this in the Breaking Blue, but it deserves commentary:

OSLO, Norway -- Former Vice President Al Gore was nominated for the 2007 Nobel Peace Prize for his wide-reaching efforts to draw the world's attention to the dangers of global warming, a Norwegian lawmaker said today.

The winner is traditionally announced in mid-October... then he can announce for President the following week? Seriously, how much time does Al Gore need to have for announcing a presidential campaign?

Update [2007-2-1 12:40:35 by Jerome Armstrong]:Some commenters (obviously not clinking through to read the news) think being nominated is not that notable. True, but Gore was nominated by Conservative Member of Parliament Boerge Brende, Heidi Soerensen of the Socialist Left Party, and Canadian Inuit activist Sheila Watt-Cloutier--that sort of appeal is what wins the prize.

Tags: Al Gore (all tags)

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Re: Gore up for Nobel Peace Prize

Wow, what an accompishment. Nobel Peace Prize nominations are so rare.

Now he's in the same league as George W. Bush.

by zt155 2007-02-01 07:09AM | 0 recs

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Re: Gore up for Nobel Peace Prize

Seriously, if Gore announces at the start of November, he is dead in the water. Sure he'll have his cheerleaders getting all excited but the rest of the party is going to be saying "is this a joke?"

by kundalini 2007-02-01 07:25AM | 0 recs

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Re: Gore up for Nobel Peace Prize

Er... I don't about the joke part../?

Gore can 'sell' tickets in an afternoon for a 10,000 -- IN IDAHO, and celebrity Hillary can pulls, oh about 3000 in Iowa...?

I can't see Gore being an underdog... here.

by SandThroughTheEyeGlass 2007-02-01 01:56PM | 0 recs

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Re: Gore up for Nobel Peace Prize

It's an honor to be nominated. Who nominated Bush? A rightwing Norwegian politician in 2002 nominated Blair and Bush for fighting terrorism. They didn't win.

Gore Nominated by: Norwegian Conservative Member of Parliament Boerge Brende, Heidi Soerensen of the Socialist Left Party, and Canadian Inuit activist Sheila Watt-Cloutier.

"Norwegian lawmakers are among the thousands of people and groups with rights to nominate Nobel candidates. Others include members of national governments, past laureates, members of the awards committee and its staff, and many university professors."

http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/16920923/

by mrobinsong 2007-02-01 07:27AM | 0 recs

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Re: Gore up for Nobel Peace Prize

Some readers may recall that during the Terri Schiavo fiasco, the other side constantly tried to bill one of their quack doctors as a "Nobel Prize nominee." The fact is that being nominated means absolutely nothing.

by Steve M 2007-02-01 07:32AM | 0 recs

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Re: Gore up for Nobel Peace Prize

Except that Hammesfahr was "nominated" by Rep. Mike Bilirakis (R-FL), who is not authorized to make such a nomination. In other words, it was a nullity, in effect never happening. Gore, on the other hand, was actually nominated, and by person authorized to do so. A distinction, I would say, with a genuine difference.

by dhonig 2007-02-01 09:03AM | 0 recs

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Re: Gore up for Nobel Peace Prize

That's a valid point, but the fact remains that there are thousands of people empowered to make a "nomination."

And despite the dismissive tone of Jerome's update, I really doubt he's an expert on what sort of support is most likely to result in a Nobel Peace Prize.

Look, I'm a huge Al Gore fan, I'd walk the streets for his campaign, but I feel like the whole liberal blogosphere has been hit with a big splotch of stupid based on the attention given to this story.

by Steve M 2007-02-01 09:54AM | 0 recs

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Re: Gore up for Nobel Peace Prize

Kundalini, actually Gore is about the only person I know at this time who could still be considered to be a viable nomination candidate even when entering as late as November.

He's got a significant edge (not guarantee) that belongs to nobody else -- in the eyes of a lot of democratic voters, he got robbed. Electing him this time around carries undertones of justice.

In my opinion he's also gotten over one of his major handicaps - Wooden Al seems to be gone. For the past half-century, if one candidate acted "presidential" (read wooden and pompous) and the other was human, the human won. They don't have to be a person you'd like to sit down and bs over a sixpack with, but we need to feel they might just bleed if we are cut. Or at least give a d***.

FWIW I think he'd be better served entering earlier, but there are solid strategic reasons for waiting till the rest of the rat-pack's finished getting into some sort of order.

by kirkspencer 2007-02-01 07:40AM | 0 recs

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Re: Gore up for Nobel Peace Prize

Well as someone who thinks that Gore would make the best president, I have to say that his weaknesses relate to his previous performance on the campaign trail. To put it mildly, despite the difficult circumstances, few were impressed. Now you can make a decent case that Gore 2007 is a very different animal to Gore 2000 but beyond his cheerleaders amongst the netroots, I don't think the wider democratic party is prepared to make that leap without some evidence on the battlefield.

So should he decide to skip the campaigning bit, I think he is dead in the water. The calibre of the other heavyweights in the field is such that Gore cannot afford to enter late. HRC's support doesn't switch to Gore and by late autumn Edwards and Obama's supporters will have invested too much emotional energy in their respective candidate to changes horses.

by kundalini 2007-02-01 08:27AM | 0 recs

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Re: Gore up for Nobel Peace Prize

Yes, I'm one of those that can see v. different Gore from 2000. However, I've also changed, understanding more about the political process and what he was up against!

Also, where's the evidence to say Gore would NOT be seen as a serious contender - outside the netroots? Most of the polling I've seen around the place (probably part-financed via Mark Penn's office) hasn't had Gore in the mix?

And regarding the campaigning bit - I'd much rather he starts campaigning here rather than sniffing around AIPAC and the like.

But I agree, if he's going to run he needs to announce soon - real soon.

by SandThroughTheEyeGlass 2007-02-01 02:07PM | 0 recs

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Re: Gore up for Nobel Peace Prize

Charles Franklin has a trend map of how the various contenders have performed in the polls which you can view at:

http://www.pollster.com/charles_franklin /

All the various national polls on the democratic side for 2008 (some include Gore, some don't)conducted over the last couple of years are here:

http://www.pollingreport.com/wh08dem.htm

There are other pieces of data that I'm struggling to remember where they came from, such as favourables for Gore and other contenders.

But anyway, add all that up and you get a sense that Gore has huge support within the netroots but that the wider democratic party has moved on.

The late entry strategy assumes that the wider democratic party loves Gore and is just waiting for him to announce. When in reality there is more than a little scepticism about his campaigning skills and whether he is still an active politician.

by kundalini 2007-02-02 03:10AM | 0 recs

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Re: Gore up for Nobel Peace Prize

Thanks for the polling info...

I actually agree with you that the average Democratic voter who is outside the fiery blogsphere have probably moved on with Gore. Especially when he hasn't given us any postive clues that he is even 'thinking' about running VS. Hillary, where you could see wild horses wouldn't have stopped her.

However, I can't agree with your evaluation on his campaigning skills. If doesn't hire the same idiots from his last campaign and keep out the people who were/are ready to stick knives in his back, I think he would do just fine!

Again, I was really impressed that Gore can STILL pull a crowd of over 10,000 in IDAHO of all places. Also, his 'Constitutional Crisis' speech last year was breathtaking, there was real fire in his belly -- that Gore I think could WIN.

But <sigh> this is all wishful thinking at this point. Coz although I strongly disagree with you hitting on his campaigning skills, it's his active or rather inactive politician status that I have to accept.

Gore is having a wail of time in private life. Heaps of money, respect, less stress == why the hell should he come back into politics! Well personally I think it's his freakin destiny, and he is the only one that can beat Hillary, ESPECIALLY in foreign policy.

by SandThroughTheEyeGlass 2007-02-02 08:08AM | 0 recs

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Re: Gore up for Nobel Peace Prize

- and the media tires of playing soap opera with their "front-runners" as they did with Howard Dean. [Chapter 2; Who can stop Dean?]

by mrobinsong 2007-02-01 07:52AM | 0 recs

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Re: Gore up for Nobel Peace Prize

If Gore runs I think it will play out along this timeline:

Early August 2007 - Following an extensive online advertising campaign, AlGore.com relaunches featuring a weekly Gore video blog.

mid-September 2007 - In a surprise visit, Gore delivers the keynote address at the Harkin Steak Fry dinner in Iowa and becomes the first major Democratic figure to declare the "surge" a failure and calling for the immediate withdrawal of American troops from Iraq.

late-September 2007 - The NHDP announces that Gore will deliver the keynote address at the NHDP J-J Dinner in October; this sets off intense national speculation that Gore may jump in the presidential race.

late-October 2007 - at the NHDP J-J dinner, Gore confirms he's considering entering the race for President; for the first time, Gore beats all of the Democratic field, including Clinton and Obama, in presidential preference polling, both nationally as well as in Iowa and New Hampshire.

early-November 2007 - NH Sec. of State announces that New Hampshire will hold its primary election in mid-December 2007.

mid-November 2007 - Gore announces he's running for president.

by blueflorida 2007-02-01 08:08AM | 0 recs

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Re: Gore up for Nobel Peace Prize

I was heartened last night to see an hour long documentary on the urgency of the global warming problem on National Geographic simultaneous to Larry King devoting his entire show to the issue (although Imhoffe was one of the guests for "balance"). I'm getting the sense that because of Gore that the issue is finally being taken seriously.

by magster 2007-02-01 08:17AM | 0 recs

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What a contrast

between Bush and Gore. Imagine what could have been.

I sure wish he'd run again.

by michael in chicago 2007-02-01 09:16AM | 0 recs

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Re: Gore up for Nobel Peace Prize

Hello. I have wondered if Gore is waiting for the glittery spectacle of Obama and Clinton to fade so he could grab more of the spotlight? I wouldn't blame him for waiting. These things are ridiculously drawn out.

by spoonflipper 2007-02-01 10:25AM | 0 recs

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Re: Gore up for Nobel Peace Prize

Check Out this little Number I am WOrking on it's only been up for a few weeks. myspace.com/algore08

by Abraham Running For Congress When I Turn 25 2007-02-01 10:52AM | 0 recs

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Re: Gore up for Nobel Peace Prize

I love Al's work... he's an international hero as far as I'm concerned and I expect he will win the Nobel prize.

On the other hand, I don't want him to run for president. He has established himself as the world's leading spokesperson on global warming and climate change. His time is needed internationally... keep giving the damn slide show and meeting with heads of state and business/technology leaders around the world to keep the momentum going.

Climate issues are serious and we will reach a point where the warming trends speed up exponentially. Business still doesn't get it. Much of the public still thinks it's multiple generations away and are still buying their SUVs and consuming energy like there's no tomorrow.

As US president, he'll be distracted by cleaning up Bushco's war mess, New Orleans, health care, minimum wage, immigration, and making deals for his next election. We really need him on point for the environment. It's clear to me that this is the work he was born to do and this is where his energy really shines.

If you're reading this Al and co, we need you to stay the course... reminding the world of An Inconvenient Truth that's melting before our very eyes.

by nanasooz 2007-02-01 12:21PM | 0 recs

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Re: Gore up for Nobel Peace Prize

I reckon he is going to win the Nobel Peace Prize and he deserves it too. The thing y'all don't realise is that he has changed his constituency from 300M in the US to 6B in the world. Sorry, you guys don't own him anymore, he belongs to the planet.

His impact on the world perhaps exceeds what he could have achieved in the US and his timing and performance are exemplary. I'll bet he has wider name recognition worldwide than all of the US presidential candidates combined.

He would make a great Secretary of the Environment in the next administration but I think he is meant for bigger things. How about Secretary-General of the UN?

by Shaun Appleby 2007-02-01 09:55PM | 0 recs