Courtesy of MCT Campus

Toward the end of every midterm election, discussion invariably shifts to the next election – the one for president. So far we’ve heard names that are familiar, such as Hillary Clinton, D-N.Y., Barak Obama, D-Ill., and John McCain, R-Ariz. But there are also names we haven’t heard before, such as Evan Bayh, D-Ind., or Gov. Tom Vilsack of Iowa. There’ll be more names, that’s for sure. They’ll mostly look bland and sound the same as each other. They’ll criticize the Bush policies and say that changes are necessary.

But what can they do?

As charismatic and supremely intelligent as he is, Obama is a rookie senator. Everyone likes McCain, but he has failed several times at receiving his party’s nomination. Of course there’s Clinton, and if America was ever to elect a woman president, it’d be her. But there’s another name that’s begun to surface recently. It’s a familiar name. His is a story we all know, for we all helped to write it. He’s a man that, but for the grace of the Supreme Court, would be a lame duck right now. His name is Al Gore and, six years removed from his Democratic victory, he’s out to save the world.

You do remember what happened six years ago, don’t you? Our Constitution was burned on the steps of the Supreme Court building and all hope of continuing the glorious “Clinton years” was turned to ash along with that document.

There’s little doubt in my mind that to this day, former President Bill Clinton is the single most capable and qualified person to be president in our country. I defy you to tell me President Bush has been a worthy successor to the man from Hope, Ark. Bush isn’t even the most qualified person in his family to be president.

Where can we look to find better?

Considering that a Democrat from the Senate hasn’t been elected president since John F. Kennedy in 1960, betting on Obama or even Hillary would seem to go against the odds. If the new Democratic Congress works to pull us out of Iraq and helps to turn around the War on Terror, then a Republican running for president has very little chance. Considering the state we find ourselves in both home and abroad, choosing our next leader is tantamount to the immediate and future success of the United States.

This is not the time for experimentation. This is the time we need a career politician – someone who knows Washington, D.C., someone who has been there before and who was already given our blessing, though it seems eons ago.

Should Gore choose to run for president in 2008, he may very well run as the most prepared and experienced candidate this country has ever seen.

Sure, he’s dull. Yea, he talks pretty slow. He’s not a cowboy – big deal. Cowboys should stay in Dallas, anyway.

This isn’t just some guy who likes to come around every few Novembers and throw his hat in the ring. This is the man who spent eight years as the vice president for Clinton. That’s like spending eight years as the understudy for Al Pacino.

Gore can be president. We know this because 48 percent of us already told him that he could be.

While the election is still light years away, it’s never too early to start getting interested. While there will be more names that you have and haven’t heard, keep in mind the name that we’ve all heard so many times before. His chance was taken away before he could ever prove himself as worthy.

Forgive us, Al, for we now know what we’ve done.

-Ben Shore is a political science junior.

-This column does not necessarily reflect the opinion of The Daily Aztec. Send e-mail to letters@thedailyaztec.com. Anonymous letters will not be printed – include your full name, major and year in school.