Ohhhh The Drama!!!

If the 2008 presidential race keeps up its current level of drama, the nightly news may out do Grey's Anatomy for juiciest content on evening television.

Tonight's top story: A new poll by the University of New Hampshire shows that despite Hillary Clinton's impressive fundraising capabilities, former White House wannabes John Edwards and Al Gore have stolen quite a few points from her early lead in the race for the Democratic nomination. Edwards has edged into second place just behind Clinton and Gore (who STILL isn't running) has actually gained points consistently since the race began.

Edwards is dangerous. Although I don't think he's going to get many votes because of his wife's battle with cancer, I do believe that her willingness to be public about the their situation made people remember he was running in the midst of the Hillary-Obama drama. And he needed that attention. His strategy of laying low while Hillary and Obama beat the crap out of each other through the media was starting to hurt him, because people forgot he was an option. But over the past few weeks, his numbers are up and he's right back in it--with people actually listening.

In 2000, Al Gore as a presidential candidate was seen by a lot of democrats as a kind of settlement. We voted for him, because he was the lesser of two evils and because he had White House experience with a president that most of us saw as very successful. Still--he was known in more than a few circles as Al "the bore" Gore. He didn't seem to have any zest, though Tipper's skills on the drums gave a minute hint that something could be hiding behind his monotone daily address.

An Oscar winning documentary later and suddenly he's the most interesting person in politics with a thriving "Mickey Mouse" candidacy on the democratic roster. He was actually hilarious on Jay Leno. I was rolling on the ground laughing with him instead of at him--and I couldn't believe it. Could we have misjudged him 8 years ago?

11 percent of Democrats sampled in New Hampshire (+ or - 5 points) seem to think so although he STILL ISN'T on the ballot (I honestly can't get over it). Even the conservative Christians (many of whom have decided that being "green" is no longer a heathen hippie thing to do and rather a service to God's creation) are giving the man props for his work in bringing awareness to what the White House still describes as a naturally based phenomenon that shouldn't worry us in the least, and most all scientists describe as most certainly aggravated by humankind's irresponsible pollution of the land, air and sea. Who would have EVER thought that Global warming might be the issue that actually brings people in this nation together? And wouldn't it be crazy--ridiculous even-- if it brought them together over Al Gore as a nominee? I might have to eat my hat.