We have learned that anything goes in the quest for the American Presidency: a former Hewlett Packard CEO; a former brain surgeon; another Bush; a self-proclaimed democratic socialist; and, of course, the Donald.

What these individuals possess in celebrity, they completely lack in executive leadership potential.

There is hope, however, that a tried, true and seasoned political figure might come to lead the free world. This might be Al Gore.

Aside from the rhetoric surrounding his 15-year distance from the White House, Mr. Gore has much to buffer a potential candidacy.

Columnist David A. Graham of The Atlantic postulated that the Nobel Prize winner could rally the Democratic Party. “Gore appeals to a strange, wide swath of the party. He has links to the moderate Democratic Leadership Council types who brought Bill Clinton to office. More recently, he’s built strong ties with the party’s progressive wing,” writes Graham.

He notes that Gore does not carry the Clinton name, has made more money than Mitt Romney, and could easily spin his penchant for environmental activism as a platform for jobs. Mr. Gore could, in fact, push the green revolution to heights President Obama could not.

The polling organization Real Clear Politics reports that veteran politician Hillary Clinton still tops the Democrat candidate spread with a 47.8 percent average. This metric is compiled from an average of polls from Fox News, CNN, Rasmussen and Quinnipiac pollsters.

Despite her continued high levels of grassroots and establishment support – and her wide array of public service qualifications – Clinton might still have too much baggage to effectively weather the primaries if not the actual national election.

Columnist Mary Dejevsky of The Guardian opined Aug. 17 that an amalgam of conditions might make another Clinton victory impossible. “Clinton is a hugely divisive figure, including within her own party – and not primarily because she is a woman. There is the clan question… Then there is the Bill question,” writes Dejevsky.

She ultimately concludes, however, that Clinton’s own personal liabilities might be the breaking point, especially under renewed public scrutiny. Many Americans take grave issue with the use of a private email account as Secretary of State, and many others will neither forgive nor forget the handling of the terrorist attack in Benghazi, Libya in 2012.

Questions about Clinton’s age and health might come to bear, the same questions that might beset Senator Sanders should he, by some coup, snag the nomination. The presidency is no country for old people. Even robust, healthy, young and vigorous Barack Obama now looks more than 15 years older and grayer after only six and a half years in the Oval Office.

There is also, unfortunately, still the gender issue to consider.

“If anyone could succeed, it would be Hillary, but there is still the deep underlying attitude that women don’t hold positions of leadership beyond a certain point,” said Patricia Glazebrook, director for the WSU School of Politics, Philosophy and Public Affairs.

In short, Clinton will need to perform the almost inhuman task of drawing all attention away from her history, name and sex to a true debate about the real issues.

There may be one, however, who could come from the green outfield to save the Democrats: former Vice President and savior of the polar bears Al Gore.

There is also the Trump factor: the fact that a divisive real-estate mogul like Donald Trump could run for president and be taken seriously means this election is anyone’s game – that goes for the right and the left. If Trump can last this long as a presidential contender and be taken seriously, Gore can as well. 

Gore has his baggage, too, and he has not started fund raising, but he has plenty of wealthy allies and has the benefit of not being Albert Clinton or Albert Bush. Most of all, this season of heat and fire might have finally made climate change a palatable platform for the majority of the electorate.

Tyler Laferriere is a first year master’s student in applied economics and statistics from Phoenix, Ariz. He can be contacted at 335-2290 or by [email protected]. The opinions expressed in this column are not necessarily those of the staff of The Daily Evergreen or those of the Office of Student Media.