Gore 2.0 Holds Court, Pimps New Book
Photo and audio by Chris Kornelis.
— Click here to listen to the first 15 minutes of Al Gore's speech Monday night at Town Hall.
The great thing about Al Gore right now is that he's not running for president.
Even those who hope against hope that he'll jump in for a last-minute 2008 bid, know on a gut level that it's better this way. I'd heard much about the “new” Al Gore, but had yet to see it in person until tonight. Town Hall offered a perfect venue for that with its civic square atmosphere and communal configuration. And the new Gore was in his element.
Pacing the stage in a slick suit and wireless headset, he was engaging and funny. “I'm a recovering politician,” Gore told the mostly baby boomer audience, “on step nine. ...You win some, you lose some, and then there's that middle category.” (Chuckles of recognition. Cheers all around.)
After the pleasantries, he plunged into a 45-minute history lesson that began with the dawn of civilization and hit on the everything from Greek Democracy to the Enlightenment and the advent of broadcast journalism. The message was broad but clear: “We are bound by the mental imprisonment of our shared illusions,” Gore boomed, adding that it's wasn't OK to invade Iraq and it's not OK that more than 40 million Americans go without health care. Eavesdropping on millions of innocent Americans, also not OK, or using the atmosphere like a sewer, or, or, or. “Who we are is not about what we learned in school, or what our parents taught us. We must communicate with each other. We must trust each other,” he said, adding later: “We have to attend to the cracks in the foundation of our Democracy.”
The new Gore may be more professorial than presidential, but his passion resonates. He serves as a salve that reminds us of a time when they weren't out there attacking our freedoms and we weren't attacking other countries. But it's more than just that. He speaks truth in a way that compels, even inspires. But that magic is only possible because he's doing it outside of politics. And it quickly disappeared when he was asked why he did nothing about global warming when he was in the White House. “We lost Congress in 1994 to Newt Gingrich. ...I was the vice president, not the president and not able to define our direction,” he explained, flashes of the old Gore coming out in his sudden defensive tone.
But he quickly recovered and gave the crowd one last nugget to ponder: “We have everything we need save political will, but in the United States of America, political will is a renewable resource.” Though he left the door open a crack, in true polite Seattle fashion, no one asked the question everyone wanted to know. ...Maybe they simply didn't want to hear him say “no.”
6 comment(s)
Sean says:
The presidency in 2008 is his for the taking. I hope he takes it.
Posted On: Monday, Jun. 4 2007 @ 11:58PM
Sky Bluesky says:
Yes, but...
He\'s quickly becoming one of the most well-known and well-loved Americans as a private citizen. He is raising significant awareness for a world-changing issue. He is one of the most eloquent and dignified opponents of the current president. He won an Academy Award and has been nominated for the Nobel Peace Prize. He has a worldwide following.
Who needs the presidency? Wouldn\'t you rather be a private citizen, free to pick your issues and our focus without the burden of the office? Wouldn\'t you rather go where you want, say what you want, act how you want, without all that baggage weighing you down? For Al Gore, the presidency might be a limitation rather than a promotion.
Posted On: Tuesday, Jun. 5 2007 @ 8:43AM
Don Ward says:
Can Al Gore pull a Richard Nixon? Former Vice-President who loses a close election comes back eight years later.
We might not have Tricky Dick to kick around anymore but I\'m sure Al Gore will provide lots of fodder for years to come.
Posted On: Tuesday, Jun. 5 2007 @ 3:02PM
Ludwig says:
I\'d rather him not run for President. He\'s better off as a speaker and an advocate.
Posted On: Tuesday, Jun. 5 2007 @ 3:06PM
T.J. says:
Technically, Al Gore didn\'t win an Oscar. He was in an Oscar-winning film and its biggest advocate. So, just like the election, Al Gore was close to winning something, but in fact, didn\'t win shit.
Posted On: Tuesday, Jun. 5 2007 @ 3:10PM
Seely says:
lol to TJ. but i agree with sean. obama\'s a perfectly regal horse when compared to the rest of the field (on both sides of the aisle), and i\'m not convinced Gore won\'t revert to Mr. Roboto-mode if and when he declares.
Posted On: Tuesday, Jun. 5 2007 @ 3:43PM