Well, I do support his not-being-Hillary platform...

Like, I suspect, many Democrats, I am feeling enormous ambivalence this week over the buzz surrounding Al Gore's possible 2008 presidential bid. On one hand, I welcome anyone who can steal the nomination from Hillary Clinton -- not because I would mind seeing her in the White House, but because I think she would get annihilated in the general election. There are just too many people who would consider voting for a Democrat but not for her.

More to the point, I think Gore has the makings of a very good president. If he were to accomplish even half his agenda on global warming, we might even someday consider him one of our great presidents.

But, oy, the campaign. Is there any reason -- other than extreme wishful thinking -- to conclude that Gore would run a less cringe-making campaign this time around? Yes, as John Heilemann points out, Gore is engaging in person -- but we've known that for years. Okay, so maybe he has an appealing fuck-all attitude now. Wouldn't it evaporate the day he declares, opening the way for more painful, trying-too-hard gaffes like the convention kiss?

For awhile now, I've been telling anyone who will listen that what the Dems need more than anything in 2008 is to learn the lesson of the last four elections and offer voters the guy with more charisma. I'm not prepared to say that Gore isn't that guy, but it's going to take a hell of a lot of convincing.