Secret Gore

According to a story in the Telegraph, a secret team of political operatives is being lined up to prepare for a run by Al Gore for the Democratic nomination in 2008. The people involved say that Gore has not officially asked them to do this, but also that he has not told them to stop, either.

Friends of Al Gore have secretly started assembling a campaign team in preparation for the former American vice-president to make a fresh bid for the White House.

Two members of Mr Gore's staff from his unsuccessful attempt in 2000 say they have been approached to see if they would be available to work with him again.

Mr Gore, President Bill Clinton's deputy, has said he wants to concentrate on publicising the need to combat climate change, a case made in his film, An Inconvenient Truth, which won him an Oscar this year.

But, aware that he may step into the wide open race for the White House, former strategists are sounding out a shadow team that could run his campaign at short notice. In approaching former campaign staff, including political strategists and communications officials, they are making clear they are not acting on formal instructions from Mr Gore, 59, but have not been asked to stop.

His denials of interest in the presidency have been couched in terms of "no plans" or "no intention" – politically ambiguous language that does not rule out a run.

One of his former campaign team said: "I was asked whether I would be available towards the end of the year if I am needed. They know he has not ruled out running and if he decides to jump in, he will have to move very fast.

I think Al Gore is unlikely to win if he enters the race, but it sure would torpedo the aspirations of some of the other candidates. Gore is, whether his ardent supporters care to admit it or not, carrying a lot of negative baggage. It would actually be quite easy for the Republican nominee to hammer Gore with all of that. I don't honestly believe that Gore will jump in unless one of the other candidates self-destructs. Then all bets are off.