http://www.draftgore.com
This is an interesting idea. Just ran into it and I thought it would be a good idea to post the link. And for those of you that think Drafting a candidate is silly and won't work. This has been done before. Check out this section I cut and pasted from the site.
Yes, Drafts DO Work!
TO DRAFT:
a. To nominate a person reluctant to be a candidate
b. To persuade or compel a person to become a candidate.
Today many people associate the notion of a draft with failure. This is a false impression created by recent efforts to promote fringe candidates who lacked the credentials and the national base of support to become viable nominees. In contrast, Al Gore fits the model of the candidate who can be -- and has been -- successfully drafted, nominated and elected.
The political draft has a long and successful history in the United States, including a few instances in the 20th century.
Sometimes success was achieved at national conventions, while in other cases the candidate was persuaded to run as a result of popular support -- a call to higher duty, as Dwight Eisenhower referred to it. That's what we hope Al Gore will choose to do as a result of this effort.
The Eisenhower Draft, 1952
Excerpts from the Eisenhower Institute website:
"Draft Eisenhower movements had sprung up in both parties in 1948 and again during 1951. Eisenhower had done his best to ignore them.
In late December President Truman wrote to ask General Eisenhower, "I wish you would let me know what you intend to do," and General Eisenhower replied, "I do not feel that I have any duty to seek a political nomination."
Before too long, however, General Eisenhower reconciled his commitment not to seek a political office by taking the position that he would be personally compelled to respond if called to a higher duty. On January 6, 1952, [Henry Cabot ] Lodge forced the issue by entering Eisenhower in the New Hampshire Republican primary without Eisenhower's authorization ... General Eisenhower won all the Republican delegates and soundly defeated Senator Taft (who had campaigned intensively in the state) by a vote of 50% to 38%.
Announcing that he was "astounded" and "moved" by the results, Eisenhower told a reporter, "Any American who would have that many other Americans pay him that compliment would be proud or he would not be an American." Convinced of being called to a higher duty, he announced his candidacy the next day."
The Goldwater Draft, 1964
In the early 1960s, two volunteers started a movement to draft Barry Goldwater, an unlikely and unwilling candidate back then. This extraordinary effort by a dedicated group of supporters won Goldwater the Republican nomination in 1964 in the face of the self-financed campaign of Nelson Rockefeller, the ridicule of the national press, and the refusal by Goldwater to run.
A book entitled "Suite 3505: The Story of the Draft Goldwater Movement," by F. Clifton White, William J. Gill, chronicles this effort. Here is an excerpt (p. 117):
"Clif," [Goldwater] said, "I'm not a candidate. And I'm not going to be. I have no intention of running for the Presidency."
I managed what was probably a pretty bleak smile. "Well, we thought we would have to draft you."
"Draft, nothin'," he shot back. "I told you I'm not going to run. And I'm telling you now, don't paint me into a corner. It's my political neck and I intend to have something to say about what happens to it."
"Senator," I retorted, "I'm not painting you into a corner. You painted yourself there by opening your mouth for the last eight years. You're the leader of the conservative cause in the United States of America, and thousands-millions-of people want you to be their nominee for President. I can't do anything about that and neither can you."
How Al Gore Fits In
If the draft was so successfully carried out half a century ago, it can surely be done now with today's means of communication and networking. And Al Gore is ideally positioned to become the target of such an effort.
He has a commanding lead over other candidates in all polls. He already proved he can win by defeating Bush in 2000 with the second largest number of votes in American history. He represents a cause to many who feel he should by right be our president. And he has the experience and recognition that comes with having served as vice president for eight years of peace and prosperity.
Last but not least, Vice President Gore said, quote, "I have the desire and the energy to run."
He is the right man at the right time for this effort. Draft Gore!
_______________________________________________
One never knows.........Does one?
This is an interesting idea. Just ran into it and I thought it would be a good idea to post the link. And for those of you that think Drafting a candidate is silly and won't work. This has been done before. Check out this section I cut and pasted from the site.
Yes, Drafts DO Work!
TO DRAFT:
a. To nominate a person reluctant to be a candidate
b. To persuade or compel a person to become a candidate.
Today many people associate the notion of a draft with failure. This is a false impression created by recent efforts to promote fringe candidates who lacked the credentials and the national base of support to become viable nominees. In contrast, Al Gore fits the model of the candidate who can be -- and has been -- successfully drafted, nominated and elected.
The political draft has a long and successful history in the United States, including a few instances in the 20th century.
Sometimes success was achieved at national conventions, while in other cases the candidate was persuaded to run as a result of popular support -- a call to higher duty, as Dwight Eisenhower referred to it. That's what we hope Al Gore will choose to do as a result of this effort.
The Eisenhower Draft, 1952
Excerpts from the Eisenhower Institute website:
"Draft Eisenhower movements had sprung up in both parties in 1948 and again during 1951. Eisenhower had done his best to ignore them.
In late December President Truman wrote to ask General Eisenhower, "I wish you would let me know what you intend to do," and General Eisenhower replied, "I do not feel that I have any duty to seek a political nomination."
Before too long, however, General Eisenhower reconciled his commitment not to seek a political office by taking the position that he would be personally compelled to respond if called to a higher duty. On January 6, 1952, [Henry Cabot ] Lodge forced the issue by entering Eisenhower in the New Hampshire Republican primary without Eisenhower's authorization ... General Eisenhower won all the Republican delegates and soundly defeated Senator Taft (who had campaigned intensively in the state) by a vote of 50% to 38%.
Announcing that he was "astounded" and "moved" by the results, Eisenhower told a reporter, "Any American who would have that many other Americans pay him that compliment would be proud or he would not be an American." Convinced of being called to a higher duty, he announced his candidacy the next day."
The Goldwater Draft, 1964
In the early 1960s, two volunteers started a movement to draft Barry Goldwater, an unlikely and unwilling candidate back then. This extraordinary effort by a dedicated group of supporters won Goldwater the Republican nomination in 1964 in the face of the self-financed campaign of Nelson Rockefeller, the ridicule of the national press, and the refusal by Goldwater to run.
A book entitled "Suite 3505: The Story of the Draft Goldwater Movement," by F. Clifton White, William J. Gill, chronicles this effort. Here is an excerpt (p. 117):
"Clif," [Goldwater] said, "I'm not a candidate. And I'm not going to be. I have no intention of running for the Presidency."
I managed what was probably a pretty bleak smile. "Well, we thought we would have to draft you."
"Draft, nothin'," he shot back. "I told you I'm not going to run. And I'm telling you now, don't paint me into a corner. It's my political neck and I intend to have something to say about what happens to it."
"Senator," I retorted, "I'm not painting you into a corner. You painted yourself there by opening your mouth for the last eight years. You're the leader of the conservative cause in the United States of America, and thousands-millions-of people want you to be their nominee for President. I can't do anything about that and neither can you."
How Al Gore Fits In
If the draft was so successfully carried out half a century ago, it can surely be done now with today's means of communication and networking. And Al Gore is ideally positioned to become the target of such an effort.
He has a commanding lead over other candidates in all polls. He already proved he can win by defeating Bush in 2000 with the second largest number of votes in American history. He represents a cause to many who feel he should by right be our president. And he has the experience and recognition that comes with having served as vice president for eight years of peace and prosperity.
Last but not least, Vice President Gore said, quote, "I have the desire and the energy to run."
He is the right man at the right time for this effort. Draft Gore!
_______________________________________________
One never knows.........Does one?
