Al Gore had his coming out party yesterday in his home state of Tennessee, saying he intended to "rejoin the national debate." While agreeing with President Bush's handling of the war, Gore said that Bush was doing just about everything else wrong. (Let's just ignore the 80 percent plus approval ratings for a moment.)

Gore on the budget and economy:

"Not long ago, our economy was very strong because we made the right decisions, decisions that reflected our values," Mr. Gore declared at a fund-raising reception here for the Tennessee Democratic Party. "Whatever anyone wants to say, I believe Bill Clinton and I did a good job on the economy. But now, our economy is back in recession, an unbelievable $4 trillion in projected surpluses have disappeared in a single year and public investments in priorities like job training, school construction and health care are once again being slashed."

Al, the economy was beginning to go in the tank at the end of Clinton's administration. $4 trillion in projected surpluses gone? Don't count your eggs before they're hatched Al. That $4 trillion surplus was a 10-year guesstimate. It's not like Bush squandered that money, that money never existed in the first place.

Gore on the Alaskan National Wildlife Preserve:

"They're trying to open up the most beautiful and pristine wilderness in Alaska."

I've seen pictures of ANWR. I've been to Yosemite. Yosemite is beautiful. ANWR is not. Let's be serious. If ANWR is beautiful, then I've got a future as a supermodel.

Yesterday's speech was the first step for Gore if he decides he wants to run for president again. I think Gore should just hang up his hat. I don't think he's got a chance at winning. Actually, as long as the economy improves and Bush doesn't do any major screw-ups, Bush will win a second-term easily.