A new Quinnipiac poll was released today, and it shows Al Gore continuing to trend upwards despite the fact that he isn't in the race (yet). And while it still shows Al in 3rd place, just slightly behind Mr. Coal-To-Liquid (aka the audacity to hope that coal starts to miraculously burn clean), he does the best of any of the candidates in head-to-head matchups against the Repubilcan front runners:

The top three Democratic presidential contenders all have caught up with former New York City Mayor Rudolph Giuliani, the Republican leader: New York Sen. Hillary Clinton gets 45 percent to Giuliani's 44 percent; Illinois Sen. Barack Obama ties Giuliani 42 - 42 percent and former Vice President Al Gore gets 45 percent to Giuliani's 43 percent, according to a Quinnipiac University national poll released today.

Giuliani, leading in national and statewide polls by the independent Quinnipiac (KWIN-uh- pe-ack) University for several months, had a 49 - 40 percent lead over Clinton in a May 3 national poll, where he also topped Gore 48 - 41 percent and Obama 44 - 41 percent.

His favorability ratings are also the highest.

As I've been telling people all along, Gore's present path is a brialliant one to take to the White House. Why bother wasting time and money on a year-long campaign, when you can remain in the spotlight, raise your profile, and increase the positive view that low-information voters have about you? If Gore didn't mean this to be a campaign strategy, that's all the better. But if he did, than it is BRILLIANT!

According to a Quinnipiac University poll taken last month, Al Gore led all Democrats in head-to-head matchups with the potential GOP nominees.

But former Vice President Al Gore, who is not yet a candidate, runs better against Republican challengers in most Swing State matchups than Sen. Clinton or Illinois Sen. Barack Obama. The independent Quinnipiac (KWIN-uh-pe-ack) University poll finds:

• Florida - Giuliani leads Clinton 49 - 41 percent, compared to 50 - 40 percent in an April 2 poll. Gore trails Giuliani 47 - 43 percent.
• Ohio - Giuliani leads Clinton 46 - 41 percent, compared to March 22 when Clinton was up 46 - 43 percent. Gore trails Giuliani 47 - 39 percent.
• Pennsylvania - Giuliani leads Clinton 47 - 43 percent, compared to 46 - 42 percent March 29. Gore ties Giuliani 44 - 44 percent.

"Mayor Rudolph Giuliani remains the front-runner, but he and the entire Democratic field should wonder if Al Gore will become an inconvenient truth in the 2008 presidential race and go for the biggest Oscar of them all," said Peter A. Brown, assistant director of the Quinnipiac University Polling Institute.

Gore also had the highest favorability ratings of any of the Democrats in Florida and Pennsylvania. Here are the PA #s from last month:

Giuliani gets a 57 - 22 percent favorability rating from Pennsylvania voters. Favorability ratings for other contenders are:

• 48 - 42 percent for Clinton;
• 51 - 38 percent for Gore;
• 48 - 24 percent for McCain;
• 46 - 17 percent for Obama;
• 49 - 22 percent for Edwards;
• 66 percent haven't heard enough about Thompson to form an opinion;
• 73 percent haven't heard enough about Romney to form an opinion.

A little over a week ago another Quinnipiac poll was released, which showed that Gore's star continues to rise, despite the fact that he is "not running":

Former Vice President Al Gore, who has not declared his candidacy for the 2008 presidential nomination, runs better in Pennsylvania than any Democrat against the Republican front runner, former New York City Mayor Rudolph Giuliani: Gore has 45 percent to Giuliani's 44 percent, according to a Quinnipiac University poll released today.

Giuliani leads New York Sen. Hillary Clinton 47 - 43 percent and tops Illinois Sen. Barack Obama 45 - 40 percent, the independent Quinnipiac (KWIN uh-pe-ack) University poll finds. In other possible presidential matchups in Pennsylvania:
Clinton edges Arizona Sen. John McCain 45 - 43 percent;
Clinton tops former Tennessee Sen. Fred Thompson 50 - 36 percent;
McCain gets 42 percent to 41 percent for Obama;
McCain ties Gore 44 - 44 percent;
Obama beats Thompson 47 - 32 percent;
Gore beats Thompson 50 - 35 percent.

I know that Gore wishes that people would stop talking about an election that is over a year away and focus on the issues at hand, but the reality is that our nation will not be able to address the looming crises we face without a real leader in the White House. Unfortunately, there currently is no candidate who fits that bill other than Gore. As it stands there also doesn't seem to be another Democrat who is better situated to take the White House in the 2008 general.