Al Gore Rolling Stone Interview: A Global Leader With a Vision of the Future

[kpete]

Al Gore Rolling Stone Interview: A Global Leader With a Vision of the Future
by cosmicdavej
Sat Nov 03, 2007

The November 15, 2007 40th Anniversary issue of Rolling Stone Magazine (pg 54)contains an interview of Al Gore on serious questions of where we are going as a country and a planet. The interview took place at Gore's Nashville home two days after the October 12 Nobel Peace Prize announcement. While he seems to be more clear than before that he is not running, his answers leave a glimmer of hope for 2008... I think the chances are low, and I may be going crazy, but I still think something does not quite add up.

Gore begins stating the climate crisis is:

"It's the issue. Everything else has to be viewed through that lens."
Many Gore hopefuls have asked that since the climate crisis is so urgent and crucial for us to act immediately, then how can Al not run? Well, Gore does understand what is at stake, and argues passionately,

"The climate crisis must be seen as pre-eminent, because it is necessary for us to safeguard the ecological basis for human civilization. The newest evidence shows that unless we act boldly and urgently, the entire north polar ice cap could be completely gone in one generation - less than 22 years.... Everytime you immerse yourself in the core research data, you come back with the conclusion 'Oh my god, it's even worse than I thought."

Asked directly about what he says to those for whom he remains a vessel for their hopes? And let me add, he is a vessel for our hopes right now, in the 2008 election, not in 2012 or 2016. So the question is what does he say to us who are hoping he runs this election? He answers:

"Well, thank you for feeling that way about me. Please trust me to make good decisions about where I can do the most good, and don't automatically assume that running for President again is the right thing for me to do. If you feel that way and I decide for sure not to be a candidate again - well, sorry. If I do get back involved in the political system at some point in the future - well, keep that energy stored up and let's have a go at it then."

He answers to trust him, that he will make good decisions about how to be most effective, and to not assume that it is necessarily to run for President. But that does not mean the best use is not to run for president. And when he says some point in the future, is he ruling out 2008? Is he referring to the distant future, or is the door open for this cycle? Can the shift in consciousness that is required for him to consider a run possible, occur so quickly, so unexpectedly?

He then says how he would run, if he were to run, at some point in the future, of course.

"I would try to use the internet to mobilize millions of people at the grassroots level, and I think that's coming. As i said earlier, we have the wind at our backs. This is going to be the American century, we're going to come back strong."

much more at:
http://www.dailykos.com/storyonly/2007/11/4/01843/2665
and of course Rolling Stone’s first-ever digital edition(page 56)
http://www.rollingstoneextras.com/rsdigitaledition/editionLg.php

[Tuesday Afternoon]

1. Thanks for the links. K&R

RUN AL RUN :patriot:

[mod mom]

2. Global Leader With a Vision of the Future-just what we need! I SUPPORT GORE!

[helderheid]

3. chills and a rec

[otohara]

4. As President

he can do more... period!

[mopinko]

5. keep hope alive

our choice is clear.

[DesertRat]

6. k&r

[ldf]

7. sigh. i am so tired.

i have given up on gore.

here is a man who has, essentially, given his life to public service. i praise him and thank him for his sacrifice.

but, he is unique in his ability to see the big picture, who knows how it all fits together.

he is also a man who has been wronged to the nth degree, politically.

as a result of that wrong, he is a changed man, one who refuses to play the game.

THAT is the kind of man we need.

i seriously doubt ANY of the other candidates can truly take this country in a new direction. their political stances, as we have seen by the triangulations and compromises, and the total unwillingness of the "so-called" party leadership to take a stand on absolutely anything of major importance, means it will be nothing but more of the same old, same old.

i feel that, unfortunately, the global warming issue, however great, will be solved for many, probably thousands of, years, if, due to total political breakdown, with economic chaos following, the huge majority of the population of the planet starves to death.

presto, global warming will, truly, be a backburner issue.

and, sadly, gore has made his choice.

i will go through the motions. but that is all i have the energy to do.

thank you, al.

yes, that IS placing a huge responsibilty, even burden, at his feet.

but this election means everything. literally.

opting out, when there is no one else capable, is really not an option.

we can address it this election, or we can try again the next election, IF we haven't tipped over into the abyss. because the abyss IS what is waiting, if something isn't done.

halfsteps aren't going to prevent falling into the abyss, just delay it.

and i am so tired.

halfsteps and committee/focus group alternatives aren't going to do.

and that is all the rest is going to give us.

at this point all i can summon up is...

whatever. :shrug:

[Uncle Joe]

8. Thanks for the thread and link, kpete.

Kicked and recommended.

[disndat]

9. It's still not a Shermanesque

statement. "In the future..." Hmmm. That is key, The future could be tomorrow, no?? He's suppose to be on Jay Leno this week. However, the tv writers strike may prolong the suspense a little longer.

[Uncle Joe]

10. I've wondered about the timing

of the writer's guild strike myself, could just be coincidence but it's one of those things that me make me go hmmmm.

[SharonRB]

11. The quote about using the Internet to mobilize millions of people

at the grassroots level...that's exactly what's been happening. Please, Al, please! Don't wait too much longer.

[Pastiche423]

12. He would try to use the internet to mobolize millions of people

at the grassroot level?

That's already done!

I do not believe at this late date, that any of the announced candidates will do more than give lip service to Climate Change.

I'm not giving up until I hear a "LBJ" statement from him.

[joshcryer]

13. WHY WON'T HE ANSWER THE DAMN QUESTION

GOD

[Samantha]

15. Because historically with each Presidential election season

since 1988 (his first run, which he absolutely did not want to make but allowed his father to persuade him to do so), Al Gore has ALWAYS been ambivalent about running. Think about 1992, when he made the statement he would not run because he wanted to spend more time with his family after his son's near-death. A phone call from Bill Clinton and an offer of a co-presidency, made in secret, changed that. I do not think there will be any persuasive calls from Bill this year! and Carter has already done his best to convince Al to run. I am at a loss to discern what might persuade him to decide to jump in at this point but if IT is out there, I hope IT surfaces soon. I totally agree that is no one of his caliber that could change our destiny, and without his running, I am fatalistic about our future.

With all of the comment that has been made about what the bombing of Iraq has done to contribute to global warming, one might think that this Administration's position on Iran might be a persuasive factor on Al Gore's decision-making. Perhaps some quiet influence by a collective body of world leaders to run might influence him. These are the only things I can conjure up which might sway him.

[rosesaylavee]

14. Is it time for the Kurovski photoshop again?

[Land Shark]

16. k&P climate crisis is #1 except made scarier by no steering wheel (elections) nt

[weeve]

17. Keepin' hope alive ...

... but yes, I will be CRUSHED if Al finally decides not to run in this election. Seriously. It would kind of undercut his message about the URGENCY of the global warming problem. There's NO QUESTION that he could do more to fight this issue as Leader of the Free World, than as a private citizen. NOW is the moment to grab the bull by the horns, and not at some vague "future date". Please Al ... there is SO MUCH good will and potential energy out there ( on the Internets and elsewhere ) right now. Please don't miss your calling, or truly I fear all may be lost.

( For what it's worth, I do believe Al is going to announce soon ... very soon. )

[Apollo11]

18. Dear Al - please stop teasing us!

All this talk about "some point in the future" is kind of irrelevant right now, when we are looking ahead to November 4th 2008.

All of us here on DU hope that the Democratic ticket will win in 2008 and then get re-elected in 2012.

I don't know what "some point in the future" is supposed to mean. "Ask me again in 2016" ??? :eyes:

Sorry if it's discriminatory, but I don't think Al Gore will still have the energy to do the job thru January 2025.

Those of us clinging to the hope that Al Gore might run remind me of Jim Carrey in "Dumb & Dumber".

It's like when we listen to what Al is saying, we only hear the parts that we want to hear.

From "Dumb & Dumber" (1994)

LLOYD: I'm gonna ask you something flat out and I want you to answer me honestly: What do you think the chances are of a girl like you and a guy like me ending up together?

MARY: Lloyd, that's difficult to say. I mean we hardly --

LLOYD: --I asked you to be honest, Mary.

MARY: But Lloyd, I really can't --

LLOYD: --Come on, give it to me straight. I drove a long way to see you, the least you can do is level with me.
What are my chances?

MARY: Not good.

LLOYD: You mean not good, like one out of a hundred?

MARY: I'd say more like one out of a million.

LLOYD: So you're telling me there's a chance!

http://sfy.ru/sfy.html?script=dumb_and_dumber

[JackORoses]

19. Viva el GOREvolution!!!

The answer my friend
is blowing in the wind
the answer is blowing in the wind

[deacon]

20. I was thinking about this last nite. The awareness Gore was seeking

is a complete success. He should throw his hat in the ring and build on it. There is no better way to build on what he's done then to be president. He may hate the idea of what he would inherit from bush - but it's clearly a way to move his cause forward and appoint sane people to help him undo the travesty of the bush administration.

[thetaoofterri]

21. I'm just flat-out depressed

Of the candidates now standing, I think I could only vote for Edwards, but I don't know if he could win.

[The2ndWheel]

22. Is this a project of some kind?

A new American century? Just the American century? If he's a global leader, it can't be an American century, new or otherwise.

"The climate crisis must be seen as pre-eminent, because it is necessary for us to safeguard the ecological basis for human civilization."

Even though the concentration of power we call civilization is what is destroying the ecological basis for itself and many other things. Although, yes, there is very little we can do about that fundamental problem.