If Clinton gets the nomination and loses in 2008, then Obama is the frontrunner for the Dem. nomination in 2012. After not running in 2004 or 2008, I don't think Gore is likely to run for president ever again.
Incidentally, when was the last time someone was out of public office for 12 years or more, and then made a serious run at their party's presidential nomination? Has it happened at all in the last few decades?
Well Nixon did it after 8 (1960 and 1968) but I can't think of anyone who did it after 12.
Yeah, there are a few who've done it after 8. (Giuliani is doing it after 7, which is the longest timespan for the current election cycle among the candidates with a legitimate shot at the nomination.) Jerry Brown ran in 1992, 10 years after the end of his governorship, and he was a serious enough candidate that he won a few primaries. Elizabeth Dole ran in 2000, 10 years after the end of her stint as Secretary of Labor (and yes, her campaign flamed out even before Iowa, but she was initially seen as a serious contender). But 12 years is really pushing it. That's a long time to be out of office. I'm not sure if it's happened any time in recent history.
