Allahpundit touched on this idea briefly this week in an article primarily to do with Mitt Romney in specific and the general question of whether or not there are second acts for losing party nominees in the 21st century. But apparently the idea has taken root in a few places, and as he noted in the article, the Daily Caller (or at least Mark Halperin) talked about it without being entirely tongue in cheek.

Mark Halperin, the senior political analyst for “Time” magazine, appeared on MSNBC’s “Morning Joe” Thursday and boldly reiterated his Wednesday Twitter assertion that Al Gore — the same Al Gore who served as Bill Clinton’s vice president — poses the greatest threat to Hillary Clinton’s White House aspirations. Still, he stopped short of saying Gore would run in the Democratic primary.

“I don’t know that Al Gore will run against her, but I do know that of all the other people who’ve talked about running against her, I don’t think anybody has his strengths. And I think Al Gore would like to be president. And I think that if he decided to do it, it would be a matchup worth running,” Halperin explained.

“I think he’s got a better chance of beating her in a primary, today, than any Republican does in the general election,” Halperin continued.

Jay Nordinger at The Corner was on the story as well, though I can’t help but think he was smiling a bit.

Two thoughts: Hillary would then be running as the poorer candidate, right? Or have she and Bill together beaten out Al in the moolah department?

Do Hillary and Bill pool their money? Like, you know — John and Jane Doe?

Thought No. 2.: I don’t have many questions about recent American politics, frankly. If I had the chance to interview Bill Clinton, I really don’t know what I’d ask him. I know what all his answers would be. “Why did you commute the sentence of Susan Rosenberg?” (a Weather Underground terrorist). He’d BS his way through that one, same as all the others.

But there is a mystery surrounding Al Gore: Why didn’t he run for president in 2004?

As for the primary – assuming he was even interested – Al does offer one thing that most of Hillary’s other potential competitor’s don’t. For those in the Left base who are just aching for a carbon tax and somebody who would really do something to stop the polar bears from moving to Minnesota or whatever, he’s got the bona fides. Their most devoted voters are probably more than a little disappointed that Obama never really did anything but pay lip service to the idea in a successful effort to win votes. Gore is the consummate green warrior for them.

How does Gore fare in the general election? The guy is so far left that I think most of the GOP field currently under discussion would beat him handily, but it would make for one heck of a debate stage. And hey.. he could replay that famous stage kiss with Tipper over and over and over and over…