You remember Al Gore, the guy who got the most votes in the presidential election of 2000? Kept from assuming office by an obsolete Electoral College system and an ad-hoc sleight-of-hand now-it-applies-and-now-it-doesn't Supreme Court decision?

Today's WaPo, at the bottom of a story about a new Branson prize of $25 million for a way to pull carbon dioxide out of the air:

Gore said he believed public interest in climate change was growing in the United States. But asked if he thought Americans were ready for a presidential campaign in which global warming was the central issue, he said, "We're not there yet."

Branson and Gore said they hoped to ask the governments of the United States, Britain and other countries to contribute to the prize money, or match the $25 million pledged by Branson. "I don't have much influence with this administration," Gore joked..., Gore on Thursday said he would not categorically rule out another run for public office, but he said he "can't foresee" any circumstances that would lead him to enter the race.

"I'm involved in a different kind of campaign," Gore said.

I'll settle for that. A Sherman Statement (aka a Lyndon's Lament) is of course a flat "I shall not seek nor shall I accept the nomination of my party for the office of President...if nominated I will not run, if elected I will not serve."

Hang in there Al. This time next year when everybody's so fucking sick of HillaBama and McCainIani and the other moribund, defunded near-corpses already fallen by the wayside, you'll just be looking better and better.