Some in Silicon Valley still dream of Al Gore 2.0 for president

By: LAURA KURTZMAN - Associated Press Writer | Sunday, May 20, 2007 7:00 PM PDT ∞

PALO ALTO, Calif. (AP) -- Even with 18 presidential candidates to choose from, it is Al Gore who draws the allegiance of many high-tech elite.

Since losing the 2000 election, Gore has become an environmental crusader and technology insider. He is on Apple's board of directors, advises Google and has his own startup.

The former vice president, who insists he is not running again for the White House in 2008, has close ties to some of the biggest names in the technology industry.

He is one reason that enthusiasm and fundraising in Silicon Valley for any of the current candidates has been noticeably muted even though candidates such as Democratic Sens. Hillary Rodham Clinton of New York and Barack Obama of Illinois have come courting.

Donnie Fowler, a Democratic consultant in Palo Alto, said party donors in Silicon Valley and Hollywood have told him, "I'm waiting for Gore, I'm waiting for Gore," even as they contribute to other candidates.

"There's fashion in politics," said Fowler, who was Gore's national field director in his 2000 campaign. "And the most fashionable candidate is the one who's not running."

Hopes for a Gore candidacy are not limited to California's high-tech and film set. Across the country, some Gore fundraisers from his 2000 raced are staying out of the 2008 campaign or are prepared to switch from a current hopeful to Gore should he decide to run.

The no-clear-favorite perspective in the technology industry was borne out by the current candidates' fundraising. Although Clinton came in first, Obama was a close second.

Joe Cotchett, a lawyer with Silicon Valley ties who is raising money for Democrat John Edwards, said tech leaders are uncertain.

"The candidate of Silicon Valley is Al Gore," he said. "But he's not running."

Silicon Valley tends to be libertarian. Its inhabitants traditionally have shied from politics -- and from political giving. But candidates seek endorsements from high-tech entrepreneurs to show they understand the vanguard of U.S. business.

Bill Clinton's candidacy got a boost in 1992 when high-tech leaders, many of them Republican, endorsed him over President George H.W. Bush. Still, Clinton collected just $150,000 that election cycle from Silicon Valley, according to an analysis by the nonpartisan Center for Responsive Politics.

Gore hardly did much better in 2000, when he took in about $650,000 to George W. Bush's $1.3 million. Bill Bradley, Gore's rival for the Democratic nomination, also beat him with $1 million.

Since then, the region has grown more wealthy and more liberal, becoming a frequent stop along the California money trail. In 2004, Democratic nominee John Kerry raised $4.7 million to George W. Bush's $1.9 million.

Gore has close ties to three of Silicon Valley's biggest names: the venture capitalist John Doerr, who was instrumental in Clinton's 1992 endorsement; Apple chief executive Steve Jobs; and Google chief executive Eric Schmidt.

Jobs has not donated to any candidates this cycle. His wife, Laurene Powell Jobs, has given $9,600 to Democrats -- $4,600 each to Obama and Edwards and $400 to Clinton. Doerr and his wife, Ann, have given $2,100 apiece to Sen. Chris Dodd, D-Conn.

On the Republican side, eBay chief executive Meg Whitman has contributed $2,300 to former Massachusetts Gov. Mitt Romney. Romney and Whitman worked together in the 1980s at Bain & Co., a management consulting firm in Boston. Today, she is helping him raise money. Cisco chief executive John Chambers gave $2,300 to Arizona Sen. John McCain.

Some activists say the possibility of a Gore run has become a fig leaf for those who do not want to choose between Clinton and Obama.

"There are a handful of high-profile Clinton-Gore people who are sitting this out and are using Gore as an excuse," said Wade Randlett, who is raising money for Obama. "It's an excuse that's really solving a problem for them."

With contribution limits double what they were when Gore ran, both Clinton and Obama have raised about as much money in Santa Clara and San Mateo counties -- the heart of Silicon Valley -- in just the first quarter of this year as Gore did in the entire primary. Clinton raised $700,000; Obama $600,000.

Clinton and Obama have declined public financing, which means they are raising money for both the primary and general elections. That doubles again the amount an individual can contribute -- $4,600 total. By accepting public financing, Gore agreed not to raise general election money.

"I think people are making decisions now," said Mark Chandler, Cisco's general counsel who is raising money for Clinton. "You see a lot of people getting very committed."

Gore has several projects in the works that will boost his visibility in the weeks to come. Among them are:

--Promoting a new book, "The Assault on Reason," set for release Tuesday. The book is described as an indictment of the Bush administration's rejection of reason, using "the politics of fear, secrecy, cronyism, and blind faith."

--Headlining a series of worldwide concerts on July 7 to focus on the threat of climate change. They are expected to reach 2 billion people through attendance or broadcasts.

Gore seems flattered by the attention. On a recent visit to Silicon Valley, he thanked a local official for saying he could save the party if the other Democratic candidates stumbled.

"He's riding the wave," said Santa Clara County's assessor, Larry Stone. "Well, he should be. Here's a guy who won -- and he lost."

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