The Goreacle: An October Surprise?

NEW YORK – For months, a wide swath of Washington insiders have claimed that the real number to watch in fall 2007 is not necessarily the Democratic polling figures for the New Hampshire, but the circumference of Al Gore's waist. Well, we don't have the digits, but if Vanity Fair's 9-page exposé on the media's "distorted" coverage of Gore's campaign 2000, his "Emmy Awards," and "Tonight Show" appearances are any indication, Gore might just be on a diet.

Of course, this is total conjecture, but with the GOP nomination into a real horse race and the some very split opinions on Sen. Hillary Clinton's Democratic lead, Gore might still be considering an "October Surprise."

"Poppycock," you might exclaim. But, last Sunday's "Full Ginsburg" aside, the press and many influential Democrats might be getting a late case of "Clinton Fatigue." The Los Angeles Times reports that high-ranking Democrats in Montana, Colorado, and Arizona are deeply concerned that the inroads they have made in the last two election cycles are seriously at risk with Clinton as a nominee. At the same time, left-leaning columnist Frank Rich spent much is his Sunday, October 1 New York Times "Week in Review" column pillorying Hillary on her Gore 2000-like evading and equivocating, while Maureen Dowd decries the "Tango of Nepotism" that a Bush-Clinton-Bush-Clinton White House might represent. Even Gail Collins questions the ability of the woman whom Bill Clinton calls "the most gifted person of [his] generation" to provide straight answers to real questions. If this weren't enough, New York delves deeply into the overcautious nature of Sen. Clinton's campaign manager, while Ryan Lizza writes in The New Yorker of the tightrope act involving the promise of Bill Clinton's legacy and the sticky reality of issues like NAFTA. If this is the hometown press, you have to wonder how all of this will play in Ohio.

"This is all fine and dandy, but Sen. Clinton's leading in almost every possible poll, including Iowa. Bill's back in the nation's good graces, and she has the best team of political professionals on her side since, Ronald Reagan. Al Gore ain't gonna waste his sweet time tryin' to 'reinvent' the Democratic nomination," you might declare. And, you'd mostly be right. But, we at the Brandwagon are detecting a subtle shift in the Democratic political winds. It might not be a Category 5, but its definitely a tropical depression. If the water is warm enough, it might just develop into a real hurricane. The question is whether Al Gore wants to ride the waves – or just hunker down for the storm?