Former Vice President Al Gore has written to supporters saying he will endorse Democratic presidential candidate Barack Obama in a speech in Detroit tonight.

The Nobel Peace Prize winner's late support has rekindled talk of a possible spot as running mate on the party ticket.

Gore's email message to his supporters said in part:

"Over the next four years, we are going to face many difficult challenges -- including bringing our troops home from Iraq, fixing our economy, and solving the climate crisis. Barack Obama is clearly the candidate best able to solve these problems and bring change to America," he said.

The news has generated pressure from some Democrats on the Obama team to include the man who lost to George Bush in 2000 on the ticket, however the presumptive nominee, while agreeing Gore had provided good political advice during the Illinois senator's campaign, declined to say if he was being considered as a running mate.

More on the speech as it comes to hand.

Image: Al Gore, co-winner of the 2007 Nobel Peace Prize at the ceremony in Oslo, Norway. Credit: guano/flickr

A recently released AP-Yahoo opinion poll has shown a large number of Republicans, conservatives and the all-important independent voters dislike Senator Hillary Clinton, suggesting the Obama camp would do well do consider carefully before adding her to the ticket as vice-presidential candidate.

The poll, the results of which were published in this AP report, involved telephone interviews with 2,124 adults conducted April 2-June 2, with most during April prior to her withdrawing from the Democratic contest.

Worringly for the Obama camp, thirty-two percent of independents strongly dislike Sen. Clinton, an area Obama must do well in if he is to challenge successfully for the presidency.

Image: Sen Clinton, Jul 2007. Credit Llima/flickr