Saturday, August 18, 2007

Waiting for Al Gore


It's getting to be that time, the time for Al Gore to make that fateful decision that will impact all our lives and the planet itself. His big goal was to have all the presidential candidates provoke an intense national debate about the urgency of the climate crisis. It's not happening. They seldom mention it.

There is only one potential candidate who can ensure that the climate crisis stays in the forefront of the public consciousness. He must realize that.

I'll go with whoever the Democratic nominee is, but these are extraordinary times, damn it, and we need an extraordinary leader. After the hell we've been through, we deserve an extraordinary leader.

I don't know if that story in the Taipei Times, which claims that Mr. Gore has cancelled a host of events because he is "considering a presidential bid," is true, but true or not, I'm waiting for Al Gore.

Buhdydharma, over at Daily Kos, is waiting too. He has penned a truly eloquent and magnificent call for Al Gore to give it up and embrace his destiny. You should read the whole front-page entreaty. I'm sure Mr. Gore has.

Here's a taste:

We are all of us waiting for someone to stand up, to rally us, to point the way. For someone to say that there IS a way, that we CAN do this. Just point the way, and the country and the world will rise up to follow your direction. Destiny has made you into the man our country needs to lead us, the man the world needs, the man the planet needs. . .

Destiny is waiting for your announcement, as are we all.

These dark times owe us a hero. We are hoping it is you. For we ALL want to fight, we all want to work, we all want to see the world change. We all want to come closer to what we all know in our hearts this world CAN be. We just need a hero to fight beside us, to lead us into the battle we all know needs to be fought and fought soon. So we acknowledge it, we are asking much of you, the man. It will be a hard, long fight, even with us beside you, even with all of us working together. . .

We need YOU, President Gore. Destiny is calling. All you have to do is answer, and we will answer too!


But the best case for the urgency of our need for the kind of leadership that only Al Gore can give can be found in Mr. Gore's very own words.

Al Gore's Martin Luther King Day Speech at Constitution Hall (6 mins):