Did Al Gore have what it takes to be President?

Started by Razgovory, April 15, 2015, 10:20:40 PM

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Razgovory

With people declaring their candidacy for the President right left, I had a few idle thought about poor old Al Gore.  Now I, like most Americans who voted, voted for Al Gore.  Still, despite my vote he did not win.  He did not appear to take losing well, he gained quite a bit of weight and kinda went a little nuts.  I wonder if a man that is so transformed by setbacks would make a good president.  While I was no fan Mr. Bush, in hindsight he seems a bit more stable then Mr. Gore.  A sitting President who has a nervous breakdown would probably be bad.  So I wonder if Bush was actually the better man for the job despite everything.  Any thoughts?
I've given it serious thought. I must scorn the ways of my family, and seek a Japanese woman to yield me my progeny. He shall live in the lands of the east, and be well tutored in his sacred trust to weave the best traditions of Japan and the Sacred South together, until such time as he (or, indeed his house, which will periodically require infusion of both Southern and Japanese bloodlines of note) can deliver to the South it's independence, either in this world or in space.  -Lettow April of 2011

Raz is right. -MadImmortalMan March of 2017

Eddie Teach

To sleep, perchance to dream. But in that sleep of death, what dreams may come?

Razgovory

I've given it serious thought. I must scorn the ways of my family, and seek a Japanese woman to yield me my progeny. He shall live in the lands of the east, and be well tutored in his sacred trust to weave the best traditions of Japan and the Sacred South together, until such time as he (or, indeed his house, which will periodically require infusion of both Southern and Japanese bloodlines of note) can deliver to the South it's independence, either in this world or in space.  -Lettow April of 2011

Raz is right. -MadImmortalMan March of 2017

alfred russel

Al Gore almost had what it takes to be president---he needed to have 5 supreme court votes, and he only had 4.
They who can give up essential liberty to obtain a little temporary safety, deserve neither liberty nor safety.

There's a fine line between salvation and drinking poison in the jungle.

I'm embarrassed. I've been making the mistake of associating with you. It won't happen again. :)
-garbon, February 23, 2014

dps

I didn't vote for the man in 2000, so obviously didn't think so then, and I haven't changed my mind since. 


DGuller

Better to trundle forward rather than to gallop backwards.  Would he be a great president?  Seems unlikely.  But to be better than Bush, all he had to do was to not go out of his way to be a disastrous one.  No contest, really.

Ideologue

If Al Gore had been elected, we'd have lunar colonies and flying cars by now.
Kinemalogue
Current reviews: The 'Burbs (9/10); Gremlins 2: The New Batch (9/10); John Wick: Chapter 2 (9/10); A Cure For Wellness (4/10)

jimmy olsen

Quote from: Ideologue on April 15, 2015, 11:04:38 PM
If Al Gore had been elected, we'd have lunar colonies and flying cars by now.
But would we have armies of killbots? That is the question.
It is far better for the truth to tear my flesh to pieces, then for my soul to wander through darkness in eternal damnation.

Jet: So what kind of woman is she? What's Julia like?
Faye: Ordinary. The kind of beautiful, dangerous ordinary that you just can't leave alone.
Jet: I see.
Faye: Like an angel from the underworld. Or a devil from Paradise.
--------------------------------------------
1 Karma Chameleon point

Eddie Teach

To sleep, perchance to dream. But in that sleep of death, what dreams may come?

Habbaku

Quote from: DGuller on April 15, 2015, 10:54:34 PM
Better to trundle forward rather than to gallop backwards.  Would he be a great president?  Seems unlikely.  But to be better than Bush, all he had to do was to not go out of his way to be a disastrous one.  No contest, really.

Yeah.  If the choice is between the Bush we know and the Gore we don't, I'll "risk" a Gore Presidency.
The medievals were only too right in taking nolo episcopari as the best reason a man could give to others for making him a bishop. Give me a king whose chief interest in life is stamps, railways, or race-horses; and who has the power to sack his Vizier (or whatever you care to call him) if he does not like the cut of his trousers.

Government is an abstract noun meaning the art and process of governing and it should be an offence to write it with a capital G or so as to refer to people.

-J. R. R. Tolkien

MadImmortalMan

Al saved himself from having to be the guy everybody hated by losing that election.
"Stability is destabilizing." --Hyman Minsky

"Complacency can be a self-denying prophecy."
"We have nothing to fear but lack of fear itself." --Larry Summers

Richard Hakluyt

Quote from: Habbaku on April 15, 2015, 11:45:24 PM
Quote from: DGuller on April 15, 2015, 10:54:34 PM
Better to trundle forward rather than to gallop backwards.  Would he be a great president?  Seems unlikely.  But to be better than Bush, all he had to do was to not go out of his way to be a disastrous one.  No contest, really.

Yeah.  If the choice is between the Bush we know and the Gore we don't, I'll "risk" a Gore Presidency.

People like certainty though and it was unclear whether Gore would be a bad president, not so with Dubya.

MadImmortalMan

Quote from: Richard Hakluyt on April 16, 2015, 02:24:35 AM
Quote from: Habbaku on April 15, 2015, 11:45:24 PM
Quote from: DGuller on April 15, 2015, 10:54:34 PM
Better to trundle forward rather than to gallop backwards.  Would he be a great president?  Seems unlikely.  But to be better than Bush, all he had to do was to not go out of his way to be a disastrous one.  No contest, really.

Yeah.  If the choice is between the Bush we know and the Gore we don't, I'll "risk" a Gore Presidency.

People like certainty though and it was unclear whether Gore would be a bad president, not so with Dubya.

History decided that question. Gore would have been the same as Bush on most things, especially war. Especially with Iraq.
"Stability is destabilizing." --Hyman Minsky

"Complacency can be a self-denying prophecy."
"We have nothing to fear but lack of fear itself." --Larry Summers

Richard Hakluyt


jimmy olsen

Quote from: MadImmortalMan on April 16, 2015, 03:07:38 AM
Quote from: Richard Hakluyt on April 16, 2015, 02:24:35 AM
Quote from: Habbaku on April 15, 2015, 11:45:24 PM
Quote from: DGuller on April 15, 2015, 10:54:34 PM
Better to trundle forward rather than to gallop backwards.  Would he be a great president?  Seems unlikely.  But to be better than Bush, all he had to do was to not go out of his way to be a disastrous one.  No contest, really.

Yeah.  If the choice is between the Bush we know and the Gore we don't, I'll "risk" a Gore Presidency.

People like certainty though and it was unclear whether Gore would be a bad president, not so with Dubya.

History decided that question. Gore would have been the same as Bush on most things, especially war. Especially with Iraq.
Might have managed the occupation better. Hard to see how he could have done worse.
It is far better for the truth to tear my flesh to pieces, then for my soul to wander through darkness in eternal damnation.

Jet: So what kind of woman is she? What's Julia like?
Faye: Ordinary. The kind of beautiful, dangerous ordinary that you just can't leave alone.
Jet: I see.
Faye: Like an angel from the underworld. Or a devil from Paradise.
--------------------------------------------
1 Karma Chameleon point