Chuck Norris Endores Huckabee

Well, Chuck and I agree on the best Republican candidate. We certainly did not agree on the last.

CNN...

It could be the latest so-called Chuck Norris fact: The American people don't choose presidents, Chuck Norris does.

The cult hero of “Walker Texas Ranger” fame said Monday he’s backing Republican Mike Huckabee for president.

“Though Giuliani might be savvy enough to lead people, Fred Thompson wise enough to wade through the tides of politics, McCain tough enough to fight terrorism and Romney business-minded enough to grow our economy, I believe the only one who has all of the characteristics to lead America forward into the future is ex-Arkansas Gov. Mike Huckabee,” Norris wrote on the conservative Web site World Net Daily.

“Mike is also a respected and fearless leader, and he does not cower to the cries of any majority or minority,” Norris added. “He doesn't abandon his values for what's expedient. Like our Founding Fathers, he's not afraid to stand up for a Creator and against secularist beliefs.”

Huckabee’s campaign has not responded to a request for comment.

LINK: Martial arts TV star picks presidential candidate

The Indecision 2008 blog had a great "Mike Huckabee Facts" parody...

You may be wondering why Chuck Norris has decided to throw his massive support behind Mike Huckabee for president. Turns out there's a bunch of reasons...

• When Mike Huckabee participated in the Iowa Straw Poll, they had to re-name it the Iowa Iron Pole.
  
  
• Mike Huckabee can cut taxes... with his penis.
  
  
• Stephen Hawking told Mike Huckabee the universe was 12 billion years old once. Once.
  
  
• Mike Huckabee lost 100 pounds of body fat by eating it.
  
  
• Jesus asked Mike Huckabee for career advice, but Huckabee was too busy body-slamming Satan.
  
  
• Mike Huckabee flosses his teeth with the bones of abortion doctors at least twice a day.
  
  
• Mike Huckabee is forbidden to interfere with human history.
  
  
• Top scientists believe global warming is a direct consequence of Mike Huckabee getting angry.
  
  
• Mike Huckabee opposes gay marriage because every man on earth wants to marry him.
  
  
• Mike Huckabee won't repeal the Estate Tax out of sympathy for the families of his victims.
  
  
• Mike Huckabee has completed six marathons, two of which aren't until next year.
  
  
• Fred Thomspon, John McCain and Rudy Giuliani all got cancer because Mike Huckabee looked at them too hard.
  
  
• If Mike Huckabee is elected, he'll bring all the troops home--he can handle this himself.
  
  
• If Mike Huckabee had been around in Biblical times, the symbol of Christianity would be Pontius Pilate with a cross up his ass.
  
  
• Mike Huckabee would've stopped the attack of 9/11, but there was an asteroid hurtling toward Earth that day.
  
  
• Mike Huckabee doesn't talk in sound bites; he speaks in decibel munches.
  
  
• Charles Darwin was actually born the same year as Mike Huckabee, but Huckabee punched him back to the 1800s.
  
  
• If Mike Huckabee had been President, the levees in New Orleans never would've broke, because Katrina would've known better.
  
  
• Mike Huckabee's philosophy on showing mercy is "abstinence-only."
  
  
• Atheism can be cured by Mike Huckabee's farts.
  
  
• Mike Huckabee is so powerful, even the ugly, unwanted, weight he discarded is running for president: Dennis Kucinich.
  
  
• Most bass players tune to a low E; Mike Huckabee tunes to F U.
  
  
• The 1976 Tangshan earthquake killed over 250,000 people. Nine months later, the Huckabees welcomed their first son.
  
  
• Mike Huckabee spelled backwards is "Jesus Loves You." It's not? I dare you to tell that to Mike Huckabee.
  
  
• Mike Huckabee is only running for President because he's reached his term limit as Grand Master of Space and Time
  
  
• Mike Huckabee opposes the right to die... painlessly.
  
  
• Mike Huckabee is running the greenest campaign transporting his entire staff from state to state on his c*ck and huge rolling balls.
  
  
• In Soviet Russia, President runs for Mike Huckabee!
  
  
• Fifteen years ago Mike Huckabee cured "Andrew" Coulter of his vestigial male genitalia.
  
  
• If elected, Mike Huckabee will replace the Justice Department with his fists.

LINK: Propaganza: Mike Huckabee Facts

Go Huckabee?
-Mr. Joseph

UPDATE (11/19/07):

LINK: Mike Huckabee Ad: "Chuck Norris Approved"

You really can't make this stuff up.

9/11 Truthers Interrupt Bill Maher

I don't know how I feel about these "Truth about 9/11" people. I saw 9/11 in Plane Sight, I've been meaning to watch Loose Change, I interview a 9/11 conspiracy theorist, and I've had questions before. But when they pull stunts like these, it is ridiculous...

All videos via Youtube...


LINK: 911 TRUTHERS INFILTRATE BILL MAHER AUDIENCE

This was all probably in response to these comments...

LINK: BILL MAHER *9/11 TRUTHERS SHOULD BE MEDICATED*

LINK: Bill Maher brushes off 9/11 truth

LINK: Bill Maher attacks Charlie Sheen 9/8/06

Well, the "Truthers" got back at him...


LINK: 9/11 Truthers Respond to Bill Maher

Lame, huh?

Well -- they also struck at FOX News' Alan Colmes...


LINK: Change Confronts Alan Colmes

I really think these guys shoot themselves in the foot when they come off as such jackasses. Maher and Colmes are critical of the Bush Administration's response to 9/11, and that should be the focal point. What happened after 9/11, not if it were some inside job.

-Mr. Joseph

UPDATE (10/25/07):
Now they're going after Clinton...

LINK: Bill Clinton Takes On 9/11 Conspiracy Protesters

Fred Phelps endorses Fred Thompson!

The Westboro Baptist Church is disgusting. I, actually, feel bad for Thompson. Who would want their support? But then again, why would he work for them in the first place? Well, I certainly don't support Fred Thompson.

The Associated Press...

Members of the anti-gay Westboro Baptist Church are urging Fred Thompson to support their stance on homosexuality — a position on which they say the Republican presidential candidate once "saw eye to eye" with them.

Thompson was hired for a mid-1980s legal case in Kansas on the recommendation of Margie Phelps, daughter of Westboro founder Fred Phelps.

The Topeka, Kan.-based church is now best known for protesting at soldiers' funerals, claiming their deaths are retribution for the nation's acceptance of homosexuality.

Thompson campaign spokeswoman Karen Hanretty on Wednesday dismissed the church as "a radical fringe group, looking to draw attention to themselves."

"Their behavior at the funerals of fallen soldiers is disgraceful and reprehensible," she said. "In no way do these people share Fred's values."

Church members released an open letter to Thompson this week, saying he had discussed his views on homosexuality with them while handling the case of a woman who had sued the state's Republican attorney general for sexual harassment.

"We know what your position used to be on the homosexual question — and it was wonderful, and we saw eye to eye," church members said in the letter to Thompson.

That statement appears to conflict with comments made by Margie Phelps to the Journal-World of Lawrence, Kan., in June about her interaction with Thompson.

"I'm quite confident he would've completely disagreed with everything about my faith," she told the paper.

Phelps' sister, Shirley Phelps-Roper, said in a phone interview Wednesday that while Thompson might disagree with the church today, he didn't disagree then.

And yet, Phelps-Roper said, "He wouldn't dare stand up and say that when he's running for president."

Thompson, a former Tennessee senator, has said he favors a constitutional amendment that bars judges from legalizing gay marriage but would leave the door open for state legislatures to act.

Thompson was hired in 1985 to represent Marcia Tomson Stingley, who sued Kansas Attorney General Bob Stephan, accusing him of violating a confidentially agreement on a sexual harassment case she had filed against him.

Margie Phelps, the original attorney on the harassment case, could no longer represent Stingley because she was now a witness. She recommended Thompson because she had just read a book about his representation of Marie Ragghianti, a Tennessee official fired by the state's governor because she refused to go along with a cash-for-clemency scheme.

Thompson won a $200,000 judgment against Stephan, who abandoned plans to run for governor because of the controversy. Stephan avoided paying by declaring bankruptcy.

A campaign spokesman this summer said that Thompson's firm did not make any money off the case.

LINK: Anti-Gay Church Says Thompson Agreed

Ridiculous.

-Mr. Joseph

Brownback to drop out

Following Jim Gilmore, Tommy Thompson, and Newt Gingrich, my least favorite 2008 Presidential candidate, Sam Brownback, is dropping out.

Yahoo! News covers the story...

Republican Sen. Sam Brownback, the Kansas conservative who struggled to raise money and gain recognition in the 2008 presidential campaign, will drop out on Friday, people close to him said Thursday.

Money was a main reason for his decision, said one person close to Brownback who requested anonymity because the candidate had not yet announced his plans. Brownback is expected to announce his withdrawal in Topeka, Kan.

It's widely anticipated Brownback will run for Kansas governor in 2010, when his term — his second — expires. He had promised in his first Senate campaign to serve no more than two terms.

"He also mentioned he is really looking forward to spending more time in Kansas," the person said.

As recently as last week, Brownback indicated he would keep campaigning through Iowa's first-in-the-nation presidential caucuses in January, saying he would exit the race if he finished worse than fourth there.

But his fundraising has sagged. Reports released Monday showed that of the nine Republican candidates who filed reports, Brownback was seventh in fundraising from July through September and had a mere $94,000 cash on hand, less than any of his rivals. Brownback raised nearly $4 million overall and was eligible for $2 million in federal matching funds.

He spent a good chunk of his money on the Iowa straw poll, an early test of strength whose significance diminished after Arizona Sen. John McCain and former New York Mayor Rudy Giuliani decided not to compete. He finished third in the August contest behind former Massachusetts Gov. Mitt Romney and former Arkansas Gov. Mike Huckabee.

The straw poll gave a boost to Huckabee, said Chuck Hurley, an influential Iowa conservative who is friend and adviser to Brownback.

"Brownback's campaign didn't catch fire," Hurley said. "It's just the field is still so full, and the pool of voters he was most fishing from was almost perfectly split between him and Mike Huckabee."

Hurley said Brownback called him Thursday morning to say he was dropping out.

Nationally, Brownback had the support of 1 percent of Republicans in this month's Associated Press-Ipsos poll, after peaking at 3 percent in June.

Besides money, Brownback was hurt because he supports a path to citizenship for illegal immigrants, an issue that angers conservatives who influence voting in Iowa and other states that are struggling to provide education, medical care and other services to an influx of immigrants in recent years.

People close to Brownback said it was unlikely he would endorse another candidate on Friday.

It's uncertain how much weight a Brownback endorsement would carry. While the anti-abortion senator is a favorite of religious conservatives, he failed to become their consensus candidate and ranks low in national polls and state surveys.

Still, a nod from Brownback could bolster the conservative credentials of a candidate such as McCain or Huckabee, the rivals who appear most likely to receive his support.

Brownback and McCain are close Senate comrades and have refrained from criticizing one another, instead assailing Romney.

While McCain has a voting record similar to Brownback's on cultural issues, McCain prompts skepticism on the right flank of the party because he isn't a high-profile crusader against abortion rights and gay marriage. Brownback's backing could signal to Christian conservatives that they can trust McCain.

Campaigning in Spartanburg, S.C., on Thursday, McCain said of Brownback, "I'll miss him in this debate. He's a voice for family. He's a voice for the pro-life movement and community in America."

Huckabee, a Southern Baptist preacher, is another favorite of religious conservatives. But like Brownback, he has struggled to rally that voting bloc around his candidacy. He, too, could benefit from Brownback's backing.

Huckabee, campaigning in Rindge, N.H., declined to comment on Brownback's withdrawal because he hadn't heard it officially.

It's harder to imagine any other Republican in the field getting a Brownback nod, although former Tennessee Sen. Fred Thompson is a possibility. The Kansas senator has bitterly criticized Romney, and Giuliani is disliked by many religious conservatives because of his abortion rights and gay rights positions.

LINK: Brownback to withdraw from GOP race

RELATED READING...

LINK: Report: Brownback dropping White House bid

Well, I wasn't worried -- he wouldn't have won my home state, anyways.

-Mr. Joseph

Drudge breaks story on the Imus Return

From the Drudge Report...

THE RESURRECTION OF IMUS: RETURNS ON NATION'S TOP TALK STATION
Mon Oct 15 2007 07:52:30 ET

**Exclusive**

In a dramatic and dazzling career rebound, controversial radio host Don Imus has secured a deal returning him to the airwaves on December 3 -- this time on the nation's most listened to talk station, the DRUDGE REPORT has learned!

"Imus In The Morning" will make a high-impact resurrection on WABC in New York City, top sources reveal.

"We'll have him on a standard 40-second delay," a studio source explains. "Don is rested, humbled, and ready for war!"

Specific terms of the deal will not be released, but the host, who was fired by CBS and MSNBC after making disparaging comments about the Rutgers women's basketball team, has inked a eight-figure, multiyear contract with WABC parent company, CITADEL BROADCASTING.

But who will his GUESTS be?

Will senators come on? Presidential candidates? Tim Russert? Anna Quindlen? Who's the guest now? WILL THE ELITES TURN THEIR BACK ON HIM?

MORE

The stunning comeback is a defeat for those who protested and picketed Imus earlier this year.

Imus is said to be particularly incensed by Senator Hillary Clinton's "shameless exploitation" of the Rutgers situation.

The senator, who Imus has called "satan" and the "devil", traveled to Rutgers in April to praise the women's basketball team for its response to the controversy. In a campaign email, Hillary called Imus's comments "small-minded bigotry and coarse sexism."

"Hillary, prepare to meet your maker!" a source close to the host joked early Monday.

Station executives are still tinkering with the new schedule at WABC, which will likely see current morning jock Curtis Sliwa paired with late morning's John Gambling.

Imus will be interviewed by Barbara Walters for a coming special.

Developing...

LINK: THE RESURRECTION OF IMUS: RETURNS ON NATION'S TOP TALK STATION

-Mr. Joseph

The 2008 Presidential Elections: An Early Look at the Democratic Candidates...

With this spectacle of the 2008 elections already heating up. I figured the Political Thunder Blog should analyze each candidate and then announce which one we here at PT support. This first edition will analyze the Democratic candidates.

Democratic Candidates:

Hillary Clinton...
Hillary Clinton, although the first woman from a major political party to ever run for President, is the Establishment candidate. She's played the game of politics all her life. She is intelligent and well spoken. And although she brings out the worst in pundits of the Right-Wing, she would be a fine President. Unfortunately, the possibility of her winning the 2008 Election is slim. She has a strong base of voters, however that base won't likely grow very large given the other candidates. She does not appeal to moderates. And that is because of the conservative hit machine that does its best to bring her down. This campaign is led by conservative pundits like Rush Limbaugh, Sean Hannity, Tucker Carlson, and Glenn Beck.

I wish her the best, but I think her campaign will be a difficult one to sell. "Love her" or "hate her" ones always are. If nothing else, her campaign will decide if America is ready for a female President.

On the Web...

LINK: HillaryClinton.com (Official Website)

LINK: Hillary Rodham Clinton, Senator from New York (Senate Website)

LINK: Hillary Rodham Clinton presidential campaign, 2008 (Wikipedia)

LINK: News results for "Hillary Clinton" (Google News)

---

Barack Obama...
Jon Stewart once described Barack Obama as the first black man to ever "have a prayer" of becoming President (which is ironic because Jesse Jackson and Al Sharpton are both reverends). Barack is the people's choice for President. He is man of popularity. His charisma wins over huge groups of people and it doesn't take much effort for him to convince people that he is a good guy. Unfortunately, his amount of experience in national government is limited. This is his biggest weakness. Also, he can be an easy target for the media. In Mid-December of '06, CNN ran a story on his name alone. Racism is also a factor. Rush Limbaugh dubbed him a "Halfrican American" and "Barack, The Magic Negro". Glenn Beck said that Obama is "colorless ... he might as well be white".

All this is just the beginning of the smears. They go on and on and on. The media has overblown every story with even a hint of controversy -- from Sen. Joe Biden stating that Obama is “the first mainstream African-American who is articulate and bright and clean and a nice-looking guy” to the "Hillary 1984" attack ad.

I would love to see Barack Obama as President, for he is a breath of fresh air in the world of politics. He doesn't fight dirty and he believes strongly in bipartisanship. Hopefully, the smear campaign against him won't defeat his cause.

On the web...

LINK: Obama '08 (Offical Website)

LINK: Barack Obama, U.S. Senator for Illinois (Senate Website)

LINK: Barack Obama (Wikipedia)

LINK: News results for "Barack Obama" (Google News)

---

John Edwards...
John Edwards is a man with a lot to offer. He is strong supporter of unions and he will fight for the working class. Ann Coulter hates him enough to call him a "faggot", so he must be doing something right. Unfortunately, his campaign was struck with the sad news of the return of his wife's cancer. I salute them for pushing on with the campaign, and I hope Elizabeth has a swift recovery. I also salute her for her brave confrontation with Ann Coulter.

I met Sen. Edwards in September of 2007 and saw him give a speech. I have a video of his performance that I hope to get online somewhat soon. He truly came across as very Presidential. And this suprised me quite a bit. Before I saw him talk, I thought he came across as lackluster, but that is no longer my belief. In fact, when I started this analysis, I intended this to be the announcement of the official PT Blog's endorsement. However, after meeting him in person, I could not hold back my support for Edwards. And I officially support Senator John Edwards for President.

Now, unfortunately, with the release of this embarrassing video, the "Breck Girls" nickname, and news of his $400 haircut, he is already an easy target by the brain-dead media and immature Right-Wing. All in all, I wish him the best.

On the web...

LINK: John Edwards for President (Offical Website)

LINK: John Edwards (Wikipedia)

LINK: News results for "John Edwards" (Google News)

---

Bill Richardson...
Governor Bill Richardson is another "first [minority] to run for President". Although one of the most experienced and qualified candidates of the whole group, his nomination is unlikely. He's not as mainstream as Hillary, Obama, or Edwards. He does have chances to be a VP, however. With the way this election has ALREADY become grandiose and, quite frankly, ridiculous, Richardson will probably be swept under the rug by the mass media. He is one of the few candidates to promise immediate withdrawl from Iraq, something I personally disagree with.

I admire the man's career and I wish him the best, but unfortunately, I see his campaign a difficult one to pursue.

On the web...

LINK: Bill Richardson for President Exploratoy Committee (Offical Website)

LINK: New Mexico Governor Bill Richardson (Governor Website)

LINK: Bill Richardson (Wikipedia)

LINK: News results for "Bill Richardson" (Google News)

---

Chris Dodd...
The head of the New Hampshire Democratic party said Dodd told her that he wasn't "going to do the exploratory thing, I'm going to plunge right in." And he did. Unfortunately, it was on the recently disgraced Don Imus' show, Imus in the Morning. I don't really know why he is running for President. He doesn't seem to have much of a chance. I know very little about him, only that Dodd and Sen. Ted Kennedy once formed a "human sandwich" with a female waiter. Oh, and something called a "Dodd Pod".

His chances are minimal, so I only hope he brings some relevant discussions to the campaign. However, when I saw his performance on Real Time with Bill Maher, I was impressed.

On the web...

LINK: Chris Dodd for President (Offical Website)

LINK: U.S. Senator Christopher J. Dodd | D-Connecticut (Senate Website)

LINK: Christopher Dodd (Wikipedia)

LINK: News results for "Chris Dodd" (Google News)

---

Joe Biden...
I am not much of fan of Biden. Even thought he apologized, his comments about Barack Obama were irresponsible and stupid, even if they were misinterpreted. However, some believe the what he said wasn't important at all. What was even more irresponsible was his comments about Indian-Americans, when he said, "I've had a great relationship. In Delaware, the largest growth in population is Indian Americans — moving from India. You cannot go to a 7-11 or a Dunkin' Donuts unless you have a slight Indian accent. I'm not joking."

To his credit, The Biden-Gelb Plan for Iraq does make a lot of sense. In fact, it makes the most sense of all plans for Iraq. It is very reassuring to see that some Democrats do actually have a plan for Iraq.

The bottom line is that I really believe that his 2008 bid will end on something embarrassing, as it did in 1988. Biden, hopefully, will drop out soon because he nomination is incredibly unlikely and his election is even more unlikely.

On the web...

LINK: Biden for President '08 (Offical Website)

LINK: Joseph R. Biden, Jr. U.S. Senator from Delaware (Senate Website)

LINK: Joe Biden (Wikipedia)

LINK: News results for "Joe Biden" (Google News)

---

Mike Gravel...
Former Senator Mike Gravel was a name unknown to me. After doing some research, I found that he was instrumental in ending the draft and releasing the Pentagon Papers during the Vietnam War. So, he's a pretty cool guy.

Apparently, in 1972, he ran for Vice-President. In 1980, he was ousted in the Democratic primary by the grandson of the man Gravel had defeated in a primary 12 years earlier. Oh, the irony. However, he didn't take it to well. "I had lost my career. I lost my marriage. I was in the doldrums for ten years after my defeat," was what he said regarding the 1980 election.

He made a major error in judgment in 2003 when he gave a speech that was co-sponsored by Holocaust deniers (the Barnes Review). At least, he made a point that he did not share their view when he stated that "You better believe I know that six million Jews were killed. I've been to the Holocaust Museum. I've seen the footage of General Eisenhower touring one of the camps. They're [referring to the Barnes Review] nutty as loons if they don't think it happened".

His positions are very liberal (he supports legalizing marijuana), and he has been ignored by the media. Add that to the fact that only about 0.5% of Democrats support him, his candidacy is all but dead. Although his chances are nil, I hope he can bring some important discussions to the table and be a strong voice for the far left of the Democratic Party.

On the web...

LINK: Gravel 2008 (Offical Website)

LINK: Mike Gravel (Wikipedia)

LINK: News results for "Mike Gravel" (Google News)

---

Dennis Kucinich...
I don't care what anyone says -- Dennis Kucinich is cool... to an extent. I don't have too much to say about his current campaign. He is, potentially, undermining black voices by not boycotting the (now cancelled) FOX News Democratic debate. And, after missing the point of the boycott, he is taking potshots at the other Democratic candidates.

Kucinich is an odd character. He was named "among the ten worst big-city mayors of all time" by Melvin G. Holli. In 2003, Kucinich was the recipient of the Gandhi Peace Award, an annual award bestowed by the Religious Society of Friends-affiliated organization Promoting Enduring Peace. In more recent times, he started impeachment proceedings against Vice President Dick Cheney.

Unfortunately, he is ultimately just the punchline for the joke that is his own campaign. Even though he has laid out a plan for Iraq and put together a very nice liberal campaign platform, everyone already knows his campaign will go nowhere. Hopefully, he will be able to bring some good discussion to the campaign.

A part of me wishes he would win -- back in 2003, he was the only candidate who promised (and is currently only one of two) to close the School of the Americas, a cause that is very personal to me.

On the web...

LINK: Kucinich for President 2008 (Offical Website)

LINK: Congressman Dennis Kucinich (House Website)

LINK: Dennis Kucinich (Wikipedia)

LINK: News Results for "Dennis Kucinich" (Google News)

---

Well, that is it for the official Democratic candidates. However, I find it important to analyze the two major potential Democratic Candidates, Gen. Wes Clark and Al Gore.

Wesley Clark...
Although the Draft Clark movement was pushing for a Clark candidacy, it seems that he has entirely rejected the chance to run for President in 2008. And, along with other ex-Democratic Candidate Tom Vilsack, has given his endorsement to Hillary Clinton. Which, some think, will make him a possible VP choice.

On the web...

LINK: Wesley Clark's WesPAC -- Securing America (Offical Website)

LINK: Wesley Clark (Wikipedia)

LINK: News results for "Wesley Clark" (Google News)

---

Al Gore...
If the latest Nobel Prize laureate were to enter the race, he could easily thunder into the primaries and steal a lot of votes from the Clinton campaign, but, in all reality, he will not. Gore loves his work for the environment and is doing a fantastic job at it, so there is no reason for him to enter. And, unlike the Republicans, Democrats are mostly satisfied with their choice of candidates; so if Gore were to enter, it would have mixed responses.

I must admit, up until I met Sen. Edwards, Al Gore was my hope for the White House. But, I have to face reality and understand that he has no reason to enter and he, most likely, will not. However, if he actually does enter, I will give him my utmost support.

On the web...

LINK: An Inconvenient Truth -- ClimateCrisis.net (Offical Website)

LINK: Al Gore (Wikipedia)

LINK: News results for "Al Gore" (Google News)

---

So there you have it, the 2008 Democratic Presidential Candidates, and my endorsements -- Sen. John Edwards or (if he enters) Vice President Al Gore.

-Mr. Joseph

What follows Gore's Nobel Peace Prize?

What an honor. Following an Oscar and an Emmy, Former Vice President Al Gore won the Nobel Peace Prize.

The Politico documents the part of story on everyone's minds...

Former Vice President Al Gore was named joint winner of the Nobel Peace Prize on Friday for his environmental activism, likely increasing pressure from his supporters for him to enter the Democratic race for the White House.

Sources say Gore will resist entreaties but will continue to tease by not ruling it out.

Just this week, an unofficial "draft Gore" movement bought a full-page ad in The New York Times — a move that succeeded in amping up the buzz among pundits and operatives.

The announcement boosts Gore's leverage with his party's presidential candidates and the next White House, if a Democrat wins. Now he and his agenda will command more attention.

The former vice president scheduled a news conference for 1:30 p.m. Eastern time in Palo Alto, Calif., at the offices of the nonprofit Alliance for Climate Protection, of which he is chairman. The group receives 100 percent of Gore's proceeds from the film and book versions of "An Inconvenient Truth."

A top Gore adviser said the prize — the latest in a string of awards Gore has won for his environmental work, including an Oscar in February — will not push him into running.

“My sense is that this won’t affect that calculation," said the adviser, Michael Feldman.

"He has said all along he has no plans to run for president. He’s been spending all his discretionary time on the climate crisis. This great honor will further enhance that.”

Gore said in a statement he was "deeply honored" to win the prize.

"The climate crisis is not a political issue; it is a moral and spiritual challenge to all of humanity," Gore said in comments e-mailed by his office 44 minutes after the prize was announced at 5 a.m. Eastern time. "It is also our greatest opportunity to lift global consciousness to a higher level."

He said he would donate 100 percent of the proceeds of the award to the Alliance for Climate Protection.

Denied the presidency in the chaos of the Florida recount of 2000, he now has received what is arguably the most prestigious award in the world.

Gore, 59, shared the $1.5 million prize with the United Nations Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change.

The citation praised him and the U.N. panel for their effort to “disseminate information about man-made climate change” — in the former vice-president's case, most notably with his book and movie, "An Inconvenient Truth."

Kudos from potential rivals

Gore was in the San Francisco area when the Nobel Foundation announced the prize in Oslo.

Democrats are already buzzing about the possibility that he could get a high-level post in a Hillary Rodham Clinton administration, perhaps as a roving ambassador charged with seeking global cooperation on climate change.

Fifteen minutes after the announcement, Democratic presidential candidate John Edwards was out with a three-paragraph congratulatory statement praising Gore's “prescient and compelling — and often lonely — advocacy for the future of the Earth.”

Friday morning, the home page of Clinton's presidential campaign featured a large photo of Gore in a thoughtful pose and a huge "CONGRATULATIONS!" A tribute says his "dedication and tireless work have been instrumental in raising international awareness about global warming."

Sen. Barack Obama (D-Ill.), another leading presidential candidate, issued a statement saying: “By having the courage to challenge the skeptics in Washington and lead on the climate crisis facing our planet, Al Gore has advanced the cause of peace and richly deserves this reward."

On Thursday, Clinton told MSNBC’s Keith Olbermann when asked about the prospect of running against Gore: "There isn’t anybody who deserves it more, for the work he’s done for the past 20 years or more on behalf of sounding the alarms in the world concerning global warming."

There was a flurry of speculation on Thursday that Gore would win the Nobel when he unexpectedly canceled some appearances for what Sen. Barbara Boxer (D-Calif.) called "an exciting and urgent mission that could result in a major breakthrough in the fight against global warming."

The Gore camp pushed back against the rumors, saying the former vice president had meetings in Asia which were later canceled.

Gore is also on the board of Apple Computer Inc.; is a senior adviser to Google Inc.; is chairman and founder of Current T, an independently owned cable and satellite television network for young people; and is chairman and founder of Generation Investment Management, a private partnership focused on "sustainable investing."

LINK: Gore's Nobel boosts talk of White House run

In an email, Gore's statement was this...

Dear Joseph,

I am deeply honored to receive the Nobel Peace Prize. This award is even more meaningful because I have the honor of sharing it with the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change--the world's pre-eminent scientific body devoted to improving our understanding of the climate crisis--a group whose members have worked tirelessly and selflessly for many years. We face a true planetary emergency. The climate crisis is not a political issue, it is a moral and spiritual challenge to all of humanity. It is also our greatest opportunity to lift global consciousness to a higher level.

My wife, Tipper, and I will donate 100 percent of the proceeds of the award to the Alliance for Climate Protection, a bipartisan non-profit organization that is devoted to changing public opinion in the U.S. and around the world about the urgency of solving the climate crisis.

Thank you,

Al Gore

LINK: AlGore.com

Brent Budowsky wrote another fantastic essay in response to Gore's victory...

As these words are written the recipient of the Nobel Peace Prize has been chosen but not yet announced and for purposes of the future of America the great and inconvenient truth is that this does not matter.

America does not need another prize, we need another president.

Americans deserve a president who aspires not merely to wield power but to use the office of the presidency as the center of action to lift our land to the greatness that was bestowed to us by Americans who came before us.

My hope is that Al Gore is awarded the Nobel Peace Prize. He deserves it, and it would be a great moment for America and a great statement about the future of the earth.

But America does not need another prize, we need another president. “An Inconvenient Truth” was a brilliant, noble and historic undertaking, but if saving the planet from the ravages that threaten it is our purpose, in a journey of a hundred steps, the film took us one step, not 99.

The Assault on Reason will be viewed by historians as possibly the most sweeping and profound analysis of the troubles of our times, and the most brilliant manifesto of where an American president in the tradition of Roosevelt and Kennedy would lead this land we love.

But America does not need another brilliant book with a compelling program; America needs another president to make it happen.

The concert for the earth was a wonderful and important moment that brought to the attention of the planet the latent idealism and dreams of young people who want to inherit the wind of a better world, not merely the winds for another war, and a statement of generosity and conviction of stars who joined with kids on every continent of the earth.

But now, America does not need another concert, we need a new courage, a new conviction, and a new president to bring out the best of all of us, and make America a force that brings light to the world…

Personally I will support any of the Democrats over any of the Republicans, but does anybody believe that the campaign of 2008 has given any hint of a renewal of American greatness?

In my view, never before in memory have the man, the moment and the magic come together as they come together for Al Gore in 2008.

My hope is that he is awarded the Nobel Prize for Peace, but whether or not that comes to pass does not ultimately matter.

There is a far higher stake than another honor, another prize and another award, and that is the future of a great country that deserves a remembrance of our past, a renewal of our better angels, a reform of our shortcomings, a revival of our national spirit and unity, and a restoration of our role as the true leader of the free world.

LINK: Al Gore for President

TIME Magazine covered this aspect of the story of well. And, of course, Political Humor did a fine wrap-up of Gore's career. Keith Olbermann weighed in as well.

Congratulations, Vice President Gore.
-Mr. Joseph

UPDATE (10/21/07):

LINK: The Daily Show: "Gore and Peace"



LINK: Colbert Report - Enviro-medal Disaster

Interesting Trivia about the '08 Candidates...

Via RadarOnline...

Meet the Candidates
How well do you know your presidential hopefuls? Radar helpful voter's guide compiles a few fun facts they left off their resumes

LINK: Meet the 2008 Presidential Candidates

The profile include info on the candidates' religious background, youth, "relevant experience", "family values", and other odd trivia.

-Mr. Joseph

PS Also, check this out.

Political Quiz

I just took this random political quiz. Here are the results...

My Liberal Identity:

You are a Working Class Warrior, also known as a blue-collar Democrat. You believe that the little guy is getting screwed by conservative greed-mongers and corporate criminals, and you’re not going to take it anymore.

Take the quiz at www.FightConservatives.com

-Mr. Joseph

Friday Funnies

This was actually posted last Friday, but I couldn't help it...

LINK: Mother Goose and Grimm

-Mr. Joseph