what’s gore up to now?

Al Gore took the climate fight up a notch this weekend, when he announced the launch of the We Can Solve It campaign. According to Gore, who appeared on 60 Minutes last night, the campaign, aimed at constructing a broad coalition of millions around the single issue of global climate change, is built around a $300 million adverstising campaign, in which he’s investing much of his own money… To see the first ad in the We campaign, which will begin airing during American Idol and other popular television shows this week, click here.

For those interested in knowing more about the campaign, the “Washington Post” just ran a good feature. Here’s a clip:

…In an effort to broaden the campaign’s appeal, the alliance has already forged working partnerships with groups including the Girl Scouts and the United Steelworkers of America. One of its early ads will feature the unlikely alliance of clergymen Pat Robertson and Al Sharpton sitting on a couch on Virginia Beach, talking about their commitment to address climate change…

If you fall somewhere between Girl Scout and steelworker on the American continuum, and would like to join the campaign, just click here and enter your email address.

Speaking of Gore, it’s looking unlikely that he’ll be the Democratic candidate for President at this point, but you never know what might happen if we go into the convention without a clear frontrunner. Here, on that subject, is a clip from an article in today’s Huffington Post:

…In effect, Gore’s prospects are aligned with Clinton’s. Unless the contest comes down to the convention, neither is likely to emerge the nominee. To the extent that Gore truly does want the presidency, he has every incentive to prolong the fight (the current Clinton strategy). And if you were looking for a hidden reason why Gore has not endorsed Obama, consider that his doing so would probably doom Gore’s chances, a fact of which his aides are doubtlessly well aware. That is not to say that Gore will not eventually endorse Obama, particularly if a June coronation is all but assured. But the more likely it appears that the fight will continue to the convention, the more likely Gore will remain silent…

If it works out that Gore’s the candiate, I’ll be happy about it, but it’s really not something that I’m wishing for at this point. I actually think he’s right where he needs to be at the moment. A year ago, regardless of what good he might have been doing for the planet, I would have said that we needed him in the White House. Now, I don’t think that’s the case. I guess the thing that’s changed for me is that I’ve become more comfortable with the idea of Barack Obama as President. Right now, the idea of Obama as President, Clinton as Vice Presidnet, Edwards as Attorney General, and Gore as leader of the non-political campaign to save the planet sounds like a pretty damned good lineup to me.

This entry was posted in Environment. Bookmark the permalink. Trackbacks are closed, but you can post a comment.

7 Comments

  1. egpenet
    Posted April 1, 2008 at 10:49 pm | Permalink

    I take back what I’ve beeen saying about Hillary (I was calling her Billary) being Satan was wongfull and mean-spirited.

    For months I ignored her often-repeated claims of visiting our troops in Bosnia under sniper fire and her self-depreicating comments about how she had to duck and run for her safety.

    I have viewed the video from several angles and am convinced she should NOT be VP but should be Obama’s Chief of Staff. Every angle showed her courageously and truly without fear, evn a smile on her face, walking calmly to a brave contingent of greeters at the airbase, even receiving flowers from a brave little kid! No one ran. No one ducked. No one screamed. It was a Medal of Honor performance. Hillary even risked Chelsea’s life! What a brave mother to put her own child in harms way for the benefit of our troops.

    What a gal! HA!

    – April fool!

    “The Devil hath power to assume a pleasing shape.”

    Billary IS Satan.

  2. Posted April 1, 2008 at 10:50 pm | Permalink

    The one thing about “An Inconvenient Truth” that disappointed me was the lack of a well thought out list of solutions to global warming. I most certainly accept the science. Global warming is happening. I’m almost certain man’s contribution of CO2 to the atmosphere is largely the reason for global warming. Strategies for reducing CO2 emissions, as well as sequestering CO2 (planting trees and/or pumping it deep into the earth) need substantial investment of thought and solid scientific research. $300M+ could go a long way towards funding such research.

    Of course, I still stand by my view that global warming is very much less an environmental problem, than it is an economic problem for mankind. The planet will survive global warming. Mankind will likely survive it too, but with significant economic damage.

  3. MaryD
    Posted April 2, 2008 at 5:19 am | Permalink

    I agree with you Mark. Except for Vice Hillary. Somehow I cannot see it. To subservient for her and Bill. I would like to see Hillary continue to be a senator. Bill can keep squeezing the bucks out of rich peeps.

  4. Meta
    Posted April 2, 2008 at 9:26 am | Permalink

    According to Gore, before the ad campaign even launched, they had 924,000 people signed up.

  5. Meta
    Posted April 2, 2008 at 11:43 am | Permalink

    Think Progress puts Gore’s ad campaign in context:

    While spending $100 million per year is remarkable for an issue-based public advocacy campaign, it is dwarfed by the $700 billion market in annual corporate advertising and public relations spending. The companies in the polluting sectors, such as energy, transportation, agribusiness, chemical, and manufacturing, recognize the economic stakes of fighting climate legislation. Their efforts involve public campaigns that “greenwash” their environmental record, arguing that global warming is not their fault. For example, the “clean” coal industry is sponsoring a $20 million lobbying campaign by the National Mining Association and a $40 million astroturfing campaign by front group Americans for Balanced Energy Choices. The American Clean Skies Foundation, a “clean” natural gas industry front group, is launching a “multi-million dollar media advocacy campaign” on Earth Day. The “ultra-clean” auto industry trade group Alliance for Automobile Manufacturers runs its “Discover the Alternatives” campaign — while lobbying against increased fuel economy standards and filing suit against the regulation of tailpipe greenhouse emissions. The “clean” nuclear industry has established the Clean and Safe Energy Coalition to promote nuclear’s low global warming footprint — while ignoring the unsolved problem of radioactive waste. Big Oil’s $100 million trade organization, the American Petroleum Institute, spends millions a year promoting projects like the “Energy Tomorrow” campaign — which blames ethanol for rising fuel prices — and buying goodwill from science teachers, environmental groups, volunteer organizations, and even bloggers, all while lobbying to keep billion-dollar tax breaks for oil companies.

  6. Andy C
    Posted April 3, 2008 at 10:07 am | Permalink

    Gore can do way more at this point out of politics than in. I like the idea that he’s above it. No matter how good a candidate is, they have to roll in the muck. Al can do more with public awareness and the people can pressure the government.

    Speaking of green, the Washtenaw County Road Commission just voted to re-stripe Ypsi Township’s Ford Boulevard back to a 4 lane road removing the bike lanes. I’m told that the owner of Ed’s Garage was the one who requested it. So much for green Ypsi. Too bad the city and the township aren’t on the same page.

  7. egpenet
    Posted April 3, 2008 at 12:14 pm | Permalink

    Ypsi Township will never be on the same page … and so what … they can’t read, anyway.

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Learn how your comment data is processed.

Connect

BUY LOCAL... or shop at Amazon through this link Banner Initiative Steve