On NBC's Meet the Press Sunday, Tim Russert hosted a 2008 presidential election conversation with panelists who included William Safire and Doris Kearns Goodwin. On screen was a graphic showing the most likely Democratic candidates: Senators Hillary Clinton (NY), Joe Biden (DE), Evan Bayh (IN), John Kerry (MA) and Russ Feingold (WI); Governors Mark Warner (VA), Bill Richardson (NM) and Tom Vilsack (IA); former Sen. John Edwards; and Gen. Wesley Clark, Fmr. NATO Supreme Allied Commander. Not a peep about former VP Al Gore. Not one single word.

Sure, Gore's previously stated he's not running, but he's not the only Democrat or Republican to play it coy. Can it be that the mainstream media still have it out for Al? How can Russert not mention Gore's name even as a dark horse or possible draft candidate? There's certainly been enough speculation over the past year about a Gore candidacy that would warrant inclusion at least as a real potential entry.

As we've said several times in this blog, Gore stands as good a chance as any based on his proven electibility (he did win the popular vote); his firm anti-war position from the get-go; his unrivaled 20+ year environmental leadership; his stewardship with Bill Clinton over 7 years of unprecedented economic prosperity; and his skeleton-less closet (he's already been vetted several times). He's the comeback kid; the New Nixon. And he's more viable in our opinion than those that Russert mentioned, including, yes, Hillary. Only Warner has the makings of a candidate who could achieve some broad national crossover appeal.

We're sticking to our guns here. Al Gore will run in 2008. Even if Meet the Press doesn't think so.