We haven't even gotten to the mid-term elections of November 2006, but the 2008 Presidential field is already starting to firm up. The big news, as reported by the Associated Press, is that Al "Inconvenient Truth" Gore is almost certainly not running. According to Gore:
"I haven't made a Sherman statement, but that's not an effort to hold the door open. It's more the internal shifting of gears," said Gore, referring to Civil War-era general William Tecumseh Sherman. "I can't imagine any circumstances in which I would become a candidate again. I've found other ways to serve. I'm enjoying them."
Sounds like a "no" to me, and overall I think that's unfortunate. However, Gore is doing great work on global warming and in speaking out about the "constitutional crisis" we face. Hopefully, a Democratic President will appoint Gore to a powerful position - Secretary of State? - in 2009.
If Gore doesn't run, who does that leave on the Democratic side? Mark Warner, for one, as discussed by Michael Shear in today's Washington Post. According to Shear:
For Warner, Saturday [in Richmond at a "Politics and Policy Retreat"] was the beginning of a frenetic 10-day road trip designed to showcase him as a loyal Democrat, a serious policy wonk and a hip, Internet-savvy politician. In addition to New Hampshire's Democratic Convention, he is scheduled to make speeches before the Japan Society in New York and a Democratic blogger conference in Las Vegas.
Is there any doubt that Mark Warner is running for President? And, on the Republican side, how about George "Wish I'd Been Born in Iowa" Allen, also discussed by Michael Shear in his Post article today? There's one big problem for George Allen, of course, and that's a Marine and former Navy Secretary by the name of "Jim Webb." Just remember on June 13, if you don't want President Allen in 2008, you need to vote for Jim Webb in 2006.