Even with Nobel, Gore Not Likely to Enter Race

Winning the Nobel Peace Prize boosts Al Gore's standing among political activists. Still he says he won't run for president. In fact, he would have a great deal to overcome if he did, chiefly the $80 million war chest amassed by Democratic frontrunner Sen. Hillary Clinton.

As NPR's Washington Editor Ron Elving told NPR's Steve Inskeep, he believes that winning the Nobel will do little to ease the calls for Gore to enter the 2008 race.

"The people who already wanted him to run for president are going to demand that he run for president," Elving said.

But Gore isn't likely to answer that demand, Elving said.

"Under the current circumstances, with Hillary Clinton lapping the field, and with her $80 million ahead of him, and Barack Obama $80 million ahead of him, this would not be the time."

Still, Elving said he believes that Gore has decided that he has one last chance for the presidency in his political future. "And he did not want to spend that one more good run at it running against Hillary Clinton. That would divide the Clinton base, the Clinton organization, the Clinton money sources. It didn't make sense."

Instead, Elving said, Gore will likely use his recent accolades as another tool to ensure that climate change is part of the conversation in the 2008 election campaign. And that development would likely help the Democratic candidate.