BREAKING NEWS: Al and Tipper Gore decide to separate after 40 years of marriage

[spanone]

breaking www.msnbc.com


Former Vice President Al Gore and his wife Tipper are separating after 40 years of marriage, NBC confirmed Tuesday.

The Gores said it was "a mutual and mutually supportive decision that we have made together following a process of long and careful consideration."

A source close to the couple also said it was a mutual decision to get separated.

http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/37450410/ns/politics-more_politics/

[Arugula Latte]

1. Wow. That is depressing.

[spanone]

5. yes it is, i thought i was a long timer at 34 years....damn

[JackRiddler]

29. Why? For all you know they're both happy about it.

There is no basis for projecting assumed feelings on to distant strangers.

[Kalyke]

47. Because it's always sad to see couples breaking up.

And you should take your own advice. The poster to whom you responded is a distant stranger and you don't know why he or she would think that the Gore's separation is depressing, so you shouldn't project YOUR feelings.

[JackRiddler]

56. Thank you for revealing the underlying assumption of what is "always sad." It is untrue.

It is not always sad to see couples breaking up.

Many of them should, because it's destructive to both of them. Others, they may decide it's best for them on their own. Sometimes it's good for one and not the other. For most people we don't know, we shouldn't assume.

In this case, maybe they're both thrilled at a job well done (in their view) and looking forward to new vistas. Or not. I don't know.

To assume it's "always sad" is to support a particular, very narrow view of what relationships should be:

Plenty of people feel trapped with someone who isn't right for them, and often it's because they believe that breaking up is "always sad."

At the extreme, many battered spouses should get away from their abuser, but don't, in part because of this ideology.

It's frequently a conservative view (TO THE DEATH OR YOU'LL GO TO HELL!!!) but not necessarily.

It's also a common piece of wishful thinking, a Hollywood view: protagonists marry, happy ending, and nothing else ever happened after that.

Many happy couples bring up a family and then decide, after a million years of seeing the same face every day, that they'd like to do something else in their twilight.

I don't care much what either of them does, but if I did, I'd say: Job well done with your children and good luck to the both of you as you go forward.

[uponit7771]

66. Don't know if too many people going to a divorce cermony and seperation reception...

...but what do I know?

[JackRiddler]

68. Which means what? Circular argument.

People think relationships ending (as they all must) is always bad, so they don't celebrate it, which you seem to think shows that it's always bad.

Assuming the divorce is amicable, or close enough that they can get their shit together to appear together, it would be a very good thing if people who have brought up families and then want to split were to hold a divorce ceremony and reception, celebrate their time together, and show everyone else in their lives that they are still included, and embark upon a new phase positively.

Our culture lacks for such a thing, but that's not evidence against anything I've said, but for it.

[roguevalley]

81. the sadness was in the responder, that forty years of partnership

should end. It feels like my parents are divorcing. that is sad.

[JackRiddler]

84. Nothing lasts forever.

Again, without us knowing the people in question: how do we know it's bad. Forty years of partnership brought up a family and they each supported each other in their activities. Maybe they're happy to do something else, too.

[Dorian Gray]

92. They didn't say

it's bad. They said it made them sad. Their feelings about the end of a relationship of people they admire are perfectly valid.

I found it shocking that they were separating, myself.

[FarCenter]

2. Al's not as wooden as he used to be?

[NobleCynic]

82. Yowch! Low blow...

And quite worthy of prime stand up comedy. I won't be surprised if some writer steals this.

[catbyte]

3. Color me stunned

I really didn't see this coming. Sad for them both.

:cry:

Diane

Anishnabe in MI

Married for 25 years to my best friend...

[LakeSamish706]

4. WTF! This is very disturbing news.... The world has gone nuts indeed. n/t

[HiFructosePronSyrup]

6. Good for him.

He can do better.

[mod mom]

15. Only you would say this

disgusting!

[CTD]

25. Some folks never forgave her for her PMRC bullshit.

I'm not one of them, but I can understand it.

[JackRiddler]

30. Yeah, but that was his too. It's not like he divorced her THEN, is it?

[NotThisTime]

43. 40 years, grown children, very sad to see it lost

[JackRiddler]

62. How is it lost?

Is human sacrifice of the grown children part of the divorce ritual?

Will their memories be wiped blank?

Does it end with an RPG duel at 10 paces?

Is this just not the end you wanted for the movie? Well the movie never ends, and we all die alone (even when we die in bunches), and that's well and good since it's the definition of life.

[MyNameGoesHere]

78. Ahh i get it you're a tragic comedy. n/t

[Wednesdays]

22. Um...

:wtf:

[hlthe2b]

23. re

Do you really want to come off as such a cretin by saying this? :shrug:

[HiFructosePronSyrup]

31. Would you prefer I pretend to be sorry for two people I never met?

:nopity:

[hlthe2b]

36. that isn't the point

you stated that "good.. he can do better." Your subsequent response is a non sequitur.

[HiFructosePronSyrup]

37. You implied my response was more cretinous than this "oh, I'm so sad, I'm going to cry" response.

It ain't.

[hlthe2b]

39. a kneejerk sexist comment like that?

only in your mind, HFPS....

[HiFructosePronSyrup]

40. Sexist?

LOL

[hlthe2b]

44. without explanation...

that would be a reasonable assumption. Perhaps you'd like to expand on your reasoning?

[HiFructosePronSyrup]

46. You know what they say....

when you assume you make an ass out of u.

[hlthe2b]

51. Since you prefer to let us all hold that assumption...

I will consider it concluded.

[LanternWaste]

87. And I imagine many people listen to "them"

And I imagine many people listen to "them" :eyes:

[Kalyke]

48. Well, I HAVE met them and I think your kneejerk comment

was horseshit.

[Name removed]

57. Deleted message

Message removed by moderator. Click here to review the message board rules.

[LanternWaste]

63. I imagine if one doesn't know the two people in question...

I imagine if one doesn't know the two people in question, it would also be just as petulantly disingenuous to pretend to feel sorrow as it would to pretend to know if one of the partners "can do better..."

Six of one, half a dozen of the other...

[Contrary1]

64. If you never met them...

how can you know that "he could do better"?

:eyes:

[seabeyond]

60. he really does. every chance he gets, lol. nt

[mkultra]

33. maybe it finally sank in that Al isnt going to run for office again.

:evilgrin:

[HiFructosePronSyrup]

34. lol

[Captain Hilts]

7. WTF???

[Born_A_Truman]

8. Very sad, but I hope their privacy will be maintained ...

[UTUSN]

9. Holy Zeus, incredible. Shrub & Pickles are yukking it up now. More vengeance

for Shrub off of his and Poppy's enemies lists.

[nashville_brook]

69. Pickles is green with envy.

[BuelahWitch]

90. Pickles would leave, but Big Bar would hunt her down & kill her

Didn't Neal's ex have a hard time of it with the Bushes after she left?

[Brickbat]

10. How sad.

[Solly Mack]

11. I'm not surprised. I honestly don't know why...nothing I can point to and say "This is why."

I'm just not surprised.

[Captain Hilts]

13. Political marriages are very, very tough to keep going. nt

[Solly Mack]

17. That is true...the spotlight, the constant pulling from external forces.

[Captain Hilts]

27. At least one spouse surrounded by folks that tell them what they want to hear, etc.

Eleanor Roosevelt took to her bed for 3 days after Harry Hopkins abandoned her to become FDR's toadie.

[Catherina]

12. Best of everything to both of them n/t

[bdamomma]

83. friends lovers no more

I wish the best for them, sad though

[TwilightGardener]

14. Whoa.

[hlthe2b]

16. damn...

really sorry to hear this.

[dipsydoodle]

18. Maybe she wasn't getting enough

global warming. :shrug:

[sinkingfeeling]

19. Didn't expect that! Note: It's a Politico story.

[kpete]

20. oh my

no, no, no
kp

[Dappleganger]

21. Wow.

That's a long time to be married!

[kpete]

35. 1970

that was when i met mr. pete, 40 years ago,
so sorry for the Gores, it is not easy to stay with one person,
it must hurt,
lots,
kp

[Dappleganger]

61. congratulations!

Dh and I have been married 22 years.

[Lugnut]

89. Hubby and I are heading for the 44 year mark.

We met in 1964 and married in 1966. I honestly don't know where the years have gone.

It has to be tough to end a 40 year marriage. I wish Al and Tipper well.

[latebloomer]

93. I just checked your profile

and saw that you were a woman- I always thought you were a guy! The power of stereotyping.

Love your contributions to this community.

[faceit]

24. Oh man. That is sooooooo sad.

[Lance_Boyle]

26. Next we'll find out Tipper's been having an affair with Luther Campbell

since the early 1990s...

[flvegan]

72. Okay, that made me laugh out loud.

[Froward69]

28. Will it have a "parental warning sticker"

sorry I still remember Tippers attempted censorship of Hard Rock music.

[mzmolly]

32. Sad if true.

:(

[Renew Deal]

38. Sad

[The Straight Story]

41. Did she cheat on him with Edwards?

:rofl:

[madinmaryland]

75. Thwack!

I'll pm'ed skittles for your ass kicking!

:D

[Tailormyst]

42. Its sad to see any marriage of that many years split

I wish them both the best and hope it is not to painful.

[Uncle Joe]

45. I wish both of them the best.

Thanks for the thread, spanone.

[JCMach1]

49. :(

[JCMach1]

50. :(

[ecstatic]

52. I guess she wasn't green enough for him :(

just kidding! I wish them well. I'm sure they'll get back together and write a book about it. How do you move on from someone after 40 years???

[volvoblue]

53. so very, very sad.

[supernova]

54. I wish them both

a brighter future.

[madamesilverspurs]

55. Barbara Walters

interviewed Hume Cronyn and Jessica Tandy a few years ago. They'd been married for several decades, and BW looked like she was going to cry when they told her of their decision to divorce. Turns out they were playing a joke on her. Can't help but hope that Al and Tipper are yanking someone's chain...


-

[Uncle Joe]

58. Here's a nice pic, I borrowed from Clio's thread.

[bullwinkle428]

59. How many THOUSANDS of tabloid headlines have we seen over

the years, discussing the crumbling marriages of Bill & Hillary, as well as Shrub & Pickles? I don't recall seeing one discussing any problems between Al & Tipper! I'm in total shock.

[DeschutesRiver]

85. Chris Matthews just said that with one exception, no pres or VP has ever gotten divorced after

leaving office. First exception was Aaron Burr, and now Al Gore.

And that surprises me, because like you pointed out, some of these marriages seemed pretty troubled to me and I figured some surely had split up after they left office. This one seems very sad to me, because after 40 years, I figured they might have found the key to staying together.

[goforit]

65. Sad

[City Lights]

67. Reallly a shame.

:-(

[CTyankee]

70. Might she not just want to carve out her own niche in life?

Maybe she felt there was "more" than just an all emcompassing focus on the environment. It is his life's passion, but suppose she wants to do some travelling and see places and experience life in other cultures, other continents, like many retired couples do, before she gets too old to travel? Maybe she wants to paint or sculpt or write poetry. Or maybe she has another "cause". She might just want to be herself, not Mrs. Al Gore.

I can understand that...

[snooper2]

73. Maybe he is tired of her leaving toothpaste all over the bathroom sink

and she is tired of him knocking her off the bed at night


Nobody knows so speculuation is an exercise in futility don't you think :P

[CTyankee]

77. You gave me a good laugh...I think the toothpaste thing would do it for me.

So let's just give them space...

[4_TN_TITANS]

71. Al just doesn't get it...

the wild sex fling is supposed to happen BEFORE you get a divorce!

[Echo In Light]

74. "It's hard to make that change, when life & love turn strange, and cold"

Neil Young

http://www.dailymotion.com/video/x825x_neil-young-a-man-needs-a-maid_music

[malaise]

76. Damn 40 years is a long time to love and leave

but I wish them all that is good.

[OmmmSweetOmmm]

79. I am so saddened by this & wish them both the best. On the other hand,does anyone have Al's phone #?

Sorry, couldn't resist. I find him so damned attractive. :rofl:

[earth mom]

80. Wow, this is just sadder than sad.

I've always looked up to those who kept their marriages together for decades.

None of us know what really happened, but it sounds like Al was just on the road too much trying to solve the global warming crisis while Tipper was alone too much of the time.

:cry:

[tabasco]

86. So what?

None of my fuckin' business.

[Uncle Joe]

88. Then why would you open this thread and post on it?

:shrug:

[tabasco]

94. Because I wanted to state my opinion.

Got a problem with that?

[bobburgster]

91. Oh well!