It all depends on whether Al Gore has the prophetic fire in his belly.
If he has that fire, then he will be able to transcend the petty slings and arrows and elevate the discourse to deal with the battle of good against evil that is now ongoing in America. And Budowsky's right: there is no more important role to be played in the world right now than to lead America against the dark forces that have taken it over through the Bushite regime.
If he lacks the fire, he'll succumb to the right-wing smears and belittlements. And besides, who needs yet another candidate who lacks that fire. If Gore's no more courageous and aflame than the current crop, then Roberts is right that Gore should keep doing his current, less combative form of leadership.
But then he has seemed to back away. The fire is one that makes one strong for the battle against evil, but Gore showed --in the ASSAULT ON REASON interviews-- a disappointing eagerness to avoid any fight.
Until I see a strong indication to the contrary, my belief for now is that Gore does not have the stomach or the heart to lead the charge --as a Democratic standard-bearer-- against these dark forces that continue to dominate both America's present course and the likely future uses of Republican power.
But here is what I will look for as an indication that the fire is there: that he speaks out boldly, and with righteous wrath, against the ongoing lies and crimes of this regime. He does not need to declare his candidacy to get attention for such remarks. And whether he runs or not, this would be an important service to the nation.
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