I personally don't care if you hole up in northern Idaho, barricading yourself against the authorities like those frightened kids, but if you're thinking at all about suiting up for a rematch in 2004, now is the time to start taking your head out of the sand.
Now, I'm not talking about going on 'Hardball' with the usual political flibbergibbits or issuing outraged press releases. I'm talking about beginning to speak out on issues that are close to your heart, issues that you've been identified with in the past: The environment, economic fairness, the role of government. And not in a partisan, attack-the-usurper way, but in a solemn, statesmanlike way.
You've been in public life your whole life — don't suddenly go silent now that you're in private life. And let the Al Gore who emerges be the Al Gore of the Democratic convention — passionately earnest — not the robotic Al Gore of the debates. Don't be ashamed of your knowledge of government and how things work — it makes for a good contrast with the present occupant. And, by the way, according to this week's TIME/CNN poll, Bush's approval rating has gone down 14 points in the last two months. But it's too early to look at polls.
So, here are the reasons why you need to start raising your public profile and some of the opportunities for doing so:
1. The Senate.Yes, the Democratic majority undermines Bush's shaky mandate, but it also gives your putative rivals a chance to find their place in the media sun. Soon the most dangerous place in Washington will be between John Kerry, John Edwards, and Tom Daschle and a TV camera. Don't let them get too much of a head start.
2. The Environment. Remember what Bush Senior called you? Ozone Man. Well, now is the time for Ozone Man to come out of the woods. Sure, Bush said yesterday that he was going to spend $5 billion sprucing up the national parks, but Americans only know that he wants to drill in Alaska, build hundreds of power plants, and keep his oil business cronies in the black. You shouldn't overtly criticize him, but instead talk about the virtues and practicalities of energy conservation. It's good to be green these days.
3. Occupy the Middle.In post-Jeffords Washington, Bush will have to tack to the middle. You can make his move seem even more artificial and transparent by staking out the middle as your own natural terrain. By the time he gets there, it will seem like he's trespassing.
4.2004. Sure, 2004 is an eternity away and plenty of people are still weary from the Florida debacle, but don't just get in the race when the last lap is beginning — then people see you as candidate of convenience. Just so you know the landscape, according to this week's TIME/CNN poll, 44% of Democrats say they'd vote for you in 2004, and 28% of all voters. That's twice as high as the next Democrat, who just happens to be your old chum Senator Hillary Clinton.
5. Your Middle — Not the Middle. And, finally, the only story about you that's been in the news lately is that your waistline is growing faster than the unemployment figures. Get a personal trainer — you have time for one now.