Gore x2
OK, so when I asked if people thought Al Gore could win the presidency in 08, I got 2 solid NOs and a question. (everyone else: I see the hits for this site and I know more of you read and did not respond, boooo)
First, the question: do you think Gore could defeat Rudy?
My response: probably. I guess a better response would be why the devil would anyone want Rudy Giuliani to be President? I don't know much about him, to be honest. Who are his supporters?
As for the two NOs: thanks for y'all's thoughts. I was kind of surprised, which means it was good for me to hear your responses. I know a lot of culturally astute and intelligent people who don't really like Gore or don't think he could ever win, and it's good to remember that before I run off and jump on the idealist train full-speed ahead. But... why don't you like him? Who would you support, and who could actually win?
[Really, I see it as Gore, Shillary, or Obama. No one else has the, uh, personality. Or vision.)
Also I just read this piece in SFGate about the case for Al Gore and it got me all excited again. He has the historical precedent on his side, among other things.
And as much as it pains me to say this, you can win the presidency without tons of support from the rural conservative white vote, which is certainly where Gore would have a tough time overcoming his image. Take Tester, in Montana - Burns (R) took 44 counties, Tester (D) took 15. Most of those were the more densely populated (and liberal) parts of the state, and he got just enough of the rural places to squeak by. Totally doable. Ditto for McCaskill (D) in Missouri and Kulongoski (D-Gov) in Oregon.
Here's an interesting piece in New West on how Tester was able to make Montana blue not by winning the rural counties but by simply cutting his losses there, losing the overall vote but by slim enough margins that the endcount put him ahead: Rural Montana Voters Carried Jon Tester’s Victory