As the drumbeats grow for Al Gore to run for the White House in 2008, some commentators see parallels between the unsuccessful Democratic contender and Richard Nixon, of all people.
In an editorial at CentreDaily.com Wayne Madsen points out that both served as vice president for two terms under a highly popular leader and both lost a close contest for the presidency.
The similarities end there - for the time being. Nixon went on to the White House before being destroyed by Watergate. Gore insists that he is not running for anything, but stoking publicity for his new film about global warming.
In her blog, Ariana Huffington, socialite turned commentator, gushed about the "new" Al Gore, a man completely different to the uptight (shades of Gordon Brown here) presidential candidate of 2000. She contrasts him favourably to Hillary Clinton, damned as being "more processed than Velveeta" as she goes about sucking up to various constituencies.
Projecting a relaxed demeanour in a pressure-cooker environment is a supreme art. Reagan had it spades and so did Bill Clinton. George W Bush had that facility at one stage, but less so as his ratings plummet.
Should Gore run, the chances are that he would revert to his former wooden self as the pressure piles on. He will probably turn off his current fans as he starts to trim his sails in order to woo "mainstream America".
Clinton did the same when he ran for president the first time, to the point of agreeing to the execution of a a self-lobotomized Arkansas inmate, Ricky Ray Rector, in 1992 to show how tough he was on law and order.
Even John McCain, independently-minded as they come, is toning down his maverick tendencies as he courts the religious right of the Republican party in preparation for his own 2008 White House run.
If Gore did run, the Democrats would have a riveting and probably bloody contest, pitting Al against Hillary. Going by the dictum that what doesn't kill you makes you stronger, the winner should have a real chance against a Republican party tainted by sleaze and Iraq.
But first Gore has to decide whether he wants to do a Nixon and turn past defeats into victory.
