Thank you, Al Gore

It's something of an irony that I just finished listening to the audio book, Al Gore's Assault On Reason, the day before he was awarded the Nobel Peace Prize. It's been an amazing couple of weeks as my daily commute has been enriched by the words of our once-and-future president.

For many months I had a "draft Al Gore" picture and link up on this web site, which I deleted a few months back, having concluded that the man just wasn't interested. And why should he be? He's accomplishing great things for all mankind, and what similarly gifted and rational man would want to tackle cleaning up the toxic waste that these past years of the Bush-Cheney administration have created for the Murrican people? And why on earth should he believe that the media would be any more reasonable, responsible or fairer to him in 2007 or 2008 than they were in 2000? Al, I've realized (and especially after finishing his latest work), will be more clearly heard and heeded by Americans and the international community outside of political office than inside it. The press simply has no intention of every acknowledging or bemoaning their wrongheadedness-about-everything, and would turn once again into slavering beasts eager to rip his throat out simply to prove that they were right in the first place to despise and disparage this exceptional man. He's just no fun at a barbecue, and he's no good at nicknames.

No, despite my fantasies about a Gore presidency, my inclination is just to say thank you, Al, for your valiant attempts at saving our democracy and the future of humanity. I supported you in 1988, in 1992, and in 2000, and you've proven me to be wise, perspicacious, and just plain bloody brilliant for recognizing your potential for greatness.

UPDATE: Two great, similar commentaries by Jeffrey Feldman and the "boring" Bob Herbert.