Al Gore, movie star, talks of his latest role

[Adenoid_Hynkel]

by David Roberts
Updated: 3:01 P.M.

Al Gore is on the campaign trail again, and he actually seems to be enjoying it.

For those who remember his ponderous, consultant-driven bid for president, the idea of Gore enjoying anything about campaigning may seem far-fetched. But this time, the campaign's not about him; it's about the issue that has been his consuming intellectual passion for nearly a quarter century: what he calls the "climate crisis." It's a perfect union of dedicated wonk and intractable problem.

In the years since his dramatic "loss" in 2000, he has, largely under the media radar, been practicing a form of retail politics: traveling the globe with a computer slideshow on global warming, educating small crowds, trying to boost the public profile of the problem through sheer force of door-to-door persistence.

At one of those presentations, Hollywood producer Laurie David was in the audience. Galvanized, she recruited a team of producers, filmmakers, and philanthropists, and together they persuaded Gore to star in a documentary based on his climate slideshow. Deadwood producer Davis Guggenheim was brought on to direct, and the movie was done in little over a year.

more:
http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/12743273/

[NYCGirl]

1. I LOVE the fact that they put the word "loss" in quotes referring to 2000.

I had to click the link to make sure it was MSNBC that did it, and not the OP!

:thumbsup:
for MSNBC!

[Cha]

5. I've noticed that a lot lately..

I was going to comment on it..too. It's like he didn't really "lose" technically but he sure as hell didn't get to be our Prez!

[HiFructosePronSyrup]

2. Does Al Gore actually appear in the film?

i.e., does he walk around and talk to people, or is he simply the narrator?

[choie]

3. Yep, he's all over the place in the film! n/t

[choie]

4. Thanks for posting! Loving that "loss" comment too...

And just reading this part ...

-----------------------------
Grist: How about the other big, new contender, ethanol?

Gore: Cellulosic ethanol. Different from corn-based ethanol. I think it is going to be a huge new source of energy, particularly for the transportation sector. You're going to see it all over the place. You're going to see a lot more flex-fuel vehicles. You're going to see new processes that utilize waste as the source of energy, so there's no petroleum consumed in the process -- that makes the energy balance uniformly positive, so you can regrow it and it does become, in a real sense, renewable. You may also begin to see a new generation of fuel cells that run on cellulosic ethanol, where you can grow your own electricity. I think it's going to play a huge role.
-----------------------------

... makes me yearn for having such an articulate man as our country's leader. Can you even comprehend Chipmy giving such a response? Hell, he'd never be able to get the word "cellulosic" out in the first place, much less the rest of the paragraph.

I cannot WAIT to see this movie.

[Lisa]

6. you're right! Bush had the perfect chance to say "cellulosic"

-- when he was touring the National Renewable Energy Lab earlier this year -- and he didn't. Even after the people there pronounced it for him! Twice!

http://www.whitehouse.gov/news/releases/2006/02/20060221.html


What did happen is -- he knocked over a jar of samples. I don't know whether this was before or after he picked up a container of ethanol and stuck his nose into it.




http://abcnews.go.com/Politics/wireStory?id=1644581

[SquireJons]

7. I saw the trailer for the movie on Crooksandliars

...and it looked really good. I remember thinking how much more relaxed and self confident Gore seemed. Granted, I only saw about 5 minutes of a film that has nothing to do with Gore himself, but add that to his appearance on SNL and I'd have to say that his anti-anxiety medicine must be working. Crazy as it sounds, Gore might be the most popular Democrat nationally right now.

Will he run again in 2008? If you had asked me even six months ago, I would have screamed in disbelief. But time changes many things, even my convictions. It really bothered me that Gore went out of his way to distance himself from Bill Clinton, the most successful Democratic president since FDR (and most successful American president period, since Eisenhower). His choice of Lieberman as a running mate was a very poor one and his campaign sucked. (I blame that on the centrist leaning DLC. They may know how to govern, but they don't know how to win elections) So, who are his rivals for the Democratic nomination in 2008? Hillary? Please... she couldn't beat Alan Keys in Illinois. And the way she's sucking up to republicans these days has me disliking her more than ever. What about Mark Warner, former governor of Virginia? He's pretty good actually, but is probably too unknown to win (at least at this point). But he does have potential if the mood of the country is against Washington insiders - which it seems to be right now. But everyone knows who Al Gore is, and while you may not want him batting cleanup for your office softball team, he certainly seems to be the opposite of gwb and his band of crooks (and liars).

Maybe the country is ready to admit a colossal mistake, and give him the chance he deserved back in 2000. Not that I believe that bush actually beat him in the election, but Gores own lack of charisma allowed the race to be close enough to be stolen by just a handful of hacks in the right places. I'm pretty sure that McCain will be the republican nomination, and he is formidable, regardless of our own take on him here at DU. Gore can beat McCain, in my opinion. So can Warner. But if Gore does run, he's got to get better advisor's and just be himself (or his own man.. or something like that). He is smart, and he's usually right. How refreshing that would be in national leadership. One note of caution: who was the last U.S. Senator to be elected president? JFK... a long time ago. I'm not sure if members of congress make for good presidential candidates. They cast too many votes in congress that are easily critisized, which makes them sitting ducks. Fortunately, McCain is also a Senator, so the pugs lose that advantage.

If you had to make a choice right now, who would you like more as the democratic nominee; Gore or Warner?

[DemCam]

8. So six months can change us....

Of course it can...so who knows how we'll feel about anyone in six months. Perhaps even "ol' suck-up" Hillary.