Al Gore: Odds-On Favorite?

How easy would it be for Al Gore to leap to the head of the pack, were he to announce his candidacy for President? After this week's Nobel Peace Prize win, easy enough to make some bookies nervous.

Bookmakers cut the odds of Al Gore becoming the next president of the United States and started to sweat as the former U.S. vice president won the Nobel Peace Prize on Friday.

The reason is that in winning the prize Gore has now satisfied two of the three conditions the bookies set for a 100 to one bet they had offered -- winning an Oscar, becoming a Nobel laureate and taking up residence in the White House.

The oddsmakers have improved Gore's chance of winning the White House from 10-1 to 8-1...all without him even having announced his candidacy. A current Gallup Poll has him tied for 3rd nationally with John Edwards at 10%...again, without him even having announced his candidacy.

Certainly, entering a race this late and winning the nomination goes against all current conventional wisdom. But then, when was the last time a former (and possibly future) candidate for president had an Oscar-winning film and a Nobel prize on his résumé?