« Defense Budget Disasters | Main | Movies »
March 20, 2006
Return of Gore
So here's your link of the week, as I'll keep plugging this as the days go by. My first cover story is out, and it focuses on the resurrection of Al Gore, both as a candidate for 2008, and as a disintermediated, new media figure. My argument is a bit odd: that Gore's post-non-presidency has really been marked by search for communicative technologies that would allow him, and others, to marginalize the "mainstream media" as gatekeepers and filters for political communication. I think it's interesting stuff. And you should read it. And, if you have a blog, link to it, so I look good.
March 20, 2006 | Permalink
TrackBack
TrackBack URL for this entry:
https://www.typepad.com/services/trackback/6a00d8341c572d53ef00d8342585a153ef
Listed below are links to weblogs that reference Return of Gore:
» The Re-emergence of Al Gore from The Galloping Beaver
Al Gore, it can be said, was easy to dislike, particularly during the 2000 campaign. He was stilted and sometimes painful to watch. Ezra takes this on and issues a reminder of what Al Gore has done and been willing to do since then. [Read More]
Tracked on Mar 20, 2006 8:16:43 PM
» Al Gore reboots from Majikthise
Ezra Klein's story about the new Al Gore is on the cover of the the latest issue of The American Prospect. The article is about how Al Gore reinvented himself as a new media mogul after losing/winning the 2000 election. [Read More]
Tracked on Mar 20, 2006 10:33:10 PM
Comments
Good piece, Ezra. The only things I didn't like were two words: "trope," which is almost as overused as "meme;" and "asymptotically," which strikes me as the epitome of the $50 college word. But those are quibbles.
Posted by: peter snees | Mar 20, 2006 12:44:04 PM
Well, Ezra's now gotten (at 21) to the cover-story-writer level in the influencial American Progress that is his (temporary?) home. What's next: Cover Boy?
Fine article. Your copy editor missed at least two instances of referring to 'gore' instead of 'Gore', but I guess that's not a capital offense. Does the copy editor work for Rove?
From my perspective, Gore's 'direct two-way communication to the people' thing (the word disintermediation is a absolute turnoff) is all to the good, but is not done enough to make lasting public impact. Why doesn't he have a website where the video and transcripts of all his speeches are available? Why are his speeches so episodic?
Whether Gore wants to just be a national figure that says important things occasionally, or an active candidate for something is very unclear. The impression is that he is still indecisive.
I'd vote for Al Gore rather than Hillary without even thinking, but I am sure I'm not a typical anything. He probably is way too wonky and not enough an every-man to really 'connect' with the people in an election, but he could be a huge influence on the public dialogue, and he hasn't achieved that, if that is his goal.
Gore is ambiguity personified, as to his public persona. It takes more than heartfelt, well ordered thoughts to make a course-change in our society and he could do it if he really wanted to. I don't think even he knows if he does want to.
I sure do wish he had taken control of the New Republic, and used it as a vehicle to progagate his vision: think Crooks and Liars + You Tube + Media Matters + Move-On + DailyKos.
I hope his fate is not that of Adlai Stevensen and Eugene McCarthy, with a first-class mind and ideas, but largely self-consigned to a peripheral role leading inevitably to less and less influence and effectiveness. If he doesn't make up his mind about the 2008 election real soon now, his last chance will likely be gone.
Posted by: JimPortlandOR | Mar 20, 2006 1:15:55 PM
I think I meant George McGovern rather than Eugene McCarthy in my comment above. Early morning muddled mind, probably.
Posted by: JimPortlandOR | Mar 20, 2006 1:21:58 PM
I don't know what's up with the lower case "gore's", they're not in the print edition.
Posted by: Ezra | Mar 20, 2006 1:44:06 PM
From my perspective, Gore's 'direct two-way communication to the people' thing (the word disintermediation is a absolute turnoff) is all to the good, but is not done enough to make lasting public impact. Why doesn't he have a website where the video and transcripts of all his speeches are available? Why are his speeches so episodic?
I think Gore is still learning? I don't really know why he hasn't gone all out in his communication to the public. Gore could really be a leader on this front, and he, if he isn't going to run in 08, can show an insurgent candidate the way to work with the new media.
Ezra, excellent article, it sums up nicely how Gore has changed, and it would fit nicely into a PR package reintroducing Gore to the country.
Posted by: jbou | Mar 20, 2006 4:13:13 PM
hurray, ezra....wonderful article!!!!!! i hope many people take the time to read and consider what you wrote. thank you for all of the work and research each day that you put into your writing.
Posted by: jacqueline | Mar 20, 2006 5:07:51 PM
To clarify my earlier comment, "asymptotically" is an I'm-smarter-than-you word, best used exclusively at unfogged.com, where everybody is smarter than you, or thinks he is (except apo and lizard breath). And it's best used to combat similar words used by tireless pedant Ben Wolfson.
Posted by: peter snees | Mar 20, 2006 5:55:30 PM
JimPortland,
Thanks for complaining about the disintermediation thing, which sounded all too much antidisestablishmentarianism. I had meant to make the same point, but was too annoyed by asymptotically. Ezra's a fine writer when he doesn't try to show off.
snees
Posted by: peter snees | Mar 20, 2006 5:59:39 PM
"Capital offense." Hee hee hee. Snort.
Posted by: Stephen | Mar 20, 2006 6:20:40 PM
Fantastic article, Ezra. I've never seen the case for Gore presented in so unified and convincing a package. (And hey, I liked 'asymptotically'...)
Posted by: morinao | Mar 20, 2006 6:52:33 PM
"Antidisestablishmentarianism" was snark/code for "hidebound" courtesy HRH the Prince of Wales circa late 50's. It poked fun at pretentious usage that obviated communication. ooops...
Posted by: opit | Mar 20, 2006 11:31:56 PM
hey...I'm with morinao. "asymptotically" is a great word. Such a big, beautiful language... why not use all of it?
Posted by: Laura | Mar 21, 2006 1:29:01 AM
Even though you've broken the first rule of Gore Club (2nd rule is "Of course global warming is real, you ninny"), congrats on the article.
Posted by: Oliver Willis | Mar 21, 2006 4:17:21 AM
it's always good to see the left getting ahead of bill o'reilly in making one of our candidates (hillary clinton) unpopular.
good work, champ.
Posted by: jami | Mar 21, 2006 2:01:44 PM
The comments to this entry are closed.
