Gore on Fire - Dave Johnson, Huffington Post

[IndyOp]

Gore on Fire (05.24.2007)

I saw Al Gore talk at a book signing for his book, The Assault On Reason, in Marin County (north of San Francisco) this evening. He was supposed to talk for a short time, take questions and sign books, but he just got going and gave one of the most inspired, intelligent and I think historically important articulations of the current threat to the American experiment and our democracy that I have heard. He was just on fire.

Gore says our country's problems go beyond the manipulations and corruptions of Bush and Cheney. He talks about what has happened to this country that we could have ever allow a Bush and Cheney and their lies and evasions and incuriosity to take the reigns of our government - and allowed them to stay there after it became clear what they are about. And he has some very insightful things to say about the historical forces that brought us where we are, and how they might guide us through this.

At times he sounded like a guru, talking about "truthforce," about how honesty enables us to see clearly without the distortions and distractions that come from constant TV exposure to trivial gossip about Paris Hilton and Britney and work to push deadly situations like the Iraq war and global warming from our discourse. This is a man who has thought about what is happening to us, and who has the vision and experience to come up with some answers.

He asked how could not just the president, but the Congress, the media and the rest of our system of checks and balances and watchdogs have let Iraq - which he called the worst strategic blunder in our history - happen? How could the public have been fooled into thinking that Iraq had anything to do with 9/11? It's not just Bush who did that - it's all of us. Bush is just a symptom. We are ALL responsible for the decisions our country makes. So we all have to get involved and start fixing this broken system. Democracy is not a spectator sport.

I have only had time to read excerpts from Gore's book, The Assault On Reason, but I predict that the conversation it fuels will be fundamentally and historically important. Buy this book! And listen for news of Gore coming to your area, or appearing on TV, to talk about this subject. The guy is just on fire and I think that fire could catch and spread and help bring about the changes we need.

It's late or I would write more. I am inspired. (Does it show?) I hope that a video of this evening's talk surfaces soon. I'll post about it if and when I learn of one.

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/dave-johnson/gore-on-fire_b_49203.html

[IndyOp]

1. Kick. GD moving FAST tonight...

[IndyOp]

3. Kick...

[IndyOp]

4. Kick...

[helderheid]

2. Bookmarking - k/r

[Blue Belle]

5. I'd really like to see that speech...

I love seeing Al talk when he's fired up. :)

[G_Leo_Criley]

6. k & r !!!

Thank you!

:kick:

glc

[RockLacrosse20]

7. Albert Arnold Gore, Jr. POTUS from 2009-2017

I can see the footnote in the textbooks already...

[malaise]

8. Can't wait for my copy to arrive

Run Al run!!

[IndyOp]

9. Mine just arrived today!! And if you haven't seen it yet -

check out this thread about Al dedicating "Assault on Reason" to his father. :D

http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=view_all&address=389x957725

[malaise]

10. I saw that - even gave it a kick

:D.

[earth mom]

11. K & R!

:kick:

[Cha]

12. Thank you, IndyOP for bringing

this over from Huffington by Dave Johnson(lucky him).~

We need an inspiration to help our country get back on the right track without all the political manuevering from our politicians.

[IndyOp]

13. As long as Gore keeps putting the focus right back on us, I'll keep believing in him.

From Gore's statement on Amazon.com -

Although the challenges we face are great, I am more confident than ever before that democracy will prevail and that the American people are rising to the challenge of reinvigorating self-government. It is my great hope that those who read my book will choose to become part of a new movement to rekindle the true spirit of America.

http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=view_all&address=389x957725

:loveya:

[Cha]

29. Darn Straight!~

That's why I like Dean so much, too..it's all about us!!~

[welshTerrier2]

14. "worst strategic blunder"

i keep seeing all these posts about Al Gore's position on Iraq. I never see much analysis on what Gore says we should do about Iraq given where we are today.

most of the interviews and speeches I've seen Gore give seem to be very different than his strong pre-invasion opposition. he seems opposed to immediate withdrawal; he seems opposed to deadlines; he even seems opposed to having Congress take a strong role to force bush's hand because the Congress only has "blunt instruments" at its disposal.

there are many things to admire about Gore; his current position on Iraq does not seem to be among them ... or have I missed something?

[IndyOp]

15. I'd like to hear more from Al about exactly what he would do with Iraq, too...

Gore sounds like Wes Clark in that Clark doesn't advocate immediate pull-out either, but a near-total focus on a political solution. If that included pulling the troops back to the borders of the country and allowing UN blue helmets in to help with policing (and or troops from the Arab League) then that would be a solution I could stomach. I am, however, with Noam Chomsky on this -- war criminals don't get to decide what happens next. They get to get the hell out of the country and that is all.

I don't know why he is giving cover to Pelosi and Reid about their having only "blunt tools" to use -- maybe he believes that his criticism of them in public would only weaken them further. :(

Al Gore: A drive for global domination has put us in greater danger
http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=view_all&address=103x283188

[IndyOp]

16. Kick...

[welshTerrier2]

18. "blunt tools"

Gore used that expression to describe Congress when he appeared on the Stephanopoulos show last June BEFORE the Dems came to power. He wasn't providing cover for Reid and Pelosi.

The ultimate injustice from the Democrats is that they should have no say about whether the US stays or goes until they call for a vote by the Iraqi Parliament on the issue. A recent non-binding vote of the Iraqi Parliament showed that a majority want the US to leave. Democrats should be calling for a binding vote before giving bush more funding for the madness. Whose country is it anyway?

[johnaries]

19. I could be wrong, but I could swear I saw a recent interview

with Al where he said that there were no good choices but that because our presence was increasing terrorist recruiting we need to withdraw immediately.
I'm lookng to see if I can find a link. I may be thinking of someone else, but it sure seems like it was Gore.

edit: I was thinking of the Larry King interview. He didn't say immediate withdrawal, but he did say as quickly as possible:

GORE: ... here are the two objectives that we have to pursue simultaneously. Number one, get our troops out of there and home as quickly as possible.

Secondly, do it in a way that honors our nation's moral obligation, which all of us have, regardless of whether we opposed or supported the invasion. We have a moral obligation not to make an already terrible situation even worse in the manner of our leaving.

But there is evidence that in some areas, indeed, the violence could get worse if we precipitously pulled out in the wrong way. But there's evidence in much of the country that the continued presence of the troops is a magnet for violence aimed at them. And the overall continued deterioration of Iraq and the -- what appears to be the real failures of the government in place there create a set of options that are really awful. So...

KING: So what's the less -- what's the -- all right. You're president. How do you get...

GORE: We need to get our troops home as quickly as possible.

http://transcripts.cnn.com/TRANSCRIPTS/0705/22/lkl.01.html

[welshTerrier2]

21. sounds like what he said on Stephanopoulos last June

frankly, "as quickly as possible" could just as easily have come from bush or cheney ... it really doesn't mean anything at all ... they all say things like "we know this has required a huge sacrifice blah, blah blah so, of course, we want to bring the troops home as quickly as possible."

what that really means is not clear. does it mean: "we just can't leave"? does it mean: "it may take a month or two to safely withdraw"? or does it mean that "we're stuck there for as long as bush wants to be but of course we'll say all the right things about caring about the troops"?

for me, the bottom line is that Gore has continually refused to take a position on exactly what US policy should NOW BE regarding Iraq. His opposition to the war before it began was great. Calling it a strategic blunder is great. Recognizing the damage the war has done is great. But, when lives are being lost on a daily basis, I'm afraid we're stuck with a "what have you done for us lately". There are many things to admire about Gore; still, I don't think he's been willing to play any kind of leadership role on what we need to do to end the war. Truly, I wish that were not the case.

BTW, it seems Stewart failed to ask him that specific question or ask him anything about today's Iraq supplemental funding bill. It was really a lost opportunity. I was very surprised Stewart didn't "go there" ...

[Guaranteed]

23. He wants them out but is very worried about making things much

worse for everyone.

[welshTerrier2]

24. sounds like a non-position to me

i want to see immediate withdrawal. that doesn't mean i'm not concerned about "making things much worse for everyone." i'm plenty concerned.

it's hard to avoid drawing the conclusion that, for whatever issue, Gore is ducking this question. he's spoken articulately about the damage we've caused in Iraq but he never seems to want to define a "what do we do now?".

[blm]

17. Gore is seeing the newsmedia for what it is now - PR dept for the White House.

and the fascist agenda.

[pingzing58]

20. The "pharisees" came into power and we let them

hijack our greater sense of right and wrong.  Scott McKnight
on Jesuscreed.org blogs the following: "Here’s my big
point: Some evangelicals have been tossing sharp barbs for a
long time at “liberals” or “mainliners” for disregarding the
Bible. (It would not be hard to give good examples.) Most
evangelicals criticize liberals on the basis of a robust
commitment to the Bible — and in so criticizing they believe
it is they who are being faithful to the Bible."  And,
"...Jesus accuses the Pharisees for “hypocrisy” because
they had abused their teaching authority by teaching false
things, not living according to what they taught, and for the
desire for power. In addition, their teaching was a focus on
minor issues to the neglect of major issues."  That's
what we are waking up to...THE MORAL MAJORITY WAS NEITHER
MORAL NOR A MAJORITY...and the Repugs who worshiped at the
altar of right wing evangelicals have been shown to teach
false things, certainly not live according to their teaching
(Newt Gingrich/adulterer, Rush Limbaugh/Drug Abuser, Mark
Foley/pedophile, etc.), their desire for power (G.W. Bush and
cohorts), and neglect of major issues (lets talk about gays
instead of the war and how he, The Decider, has placed our
service men and women in harms way).  Gore is correct in his
analysis and criticism of our lack of participation in our
democracy. 

[newyawker99]

25. Hi pingzing58!!

Welcome to DU!! :toast:

[Guaranteed]

22. I was there- it's true. It was all off-the-cuff, and he just laid it all out.

The current political environment of our country is not allowing its citizenry to carry out their civic responsibility of participating in the decision making process.

[blm]

26. EXACTLY - and why I fiercely defend my Open Government priorities.

Gore has come a long way - and I cannot be happier that he is articulating these positions PUBLICALLY, at long last.

[Bassic]

27. Should he ever decide to run

even though he keeps saying it's highly unlikely, when would be the final date on which he could enter the race?

[IndyOp]

30. I've been told he can wait as late as November and still get on the tickets

in all 50 states...

The next question is what the best time would be -- I'd like to see October early enough before Thanksgiving for the campaign that is building already in the hearts of 100,000's of people -- to explode into the American consciousness.

The earliest primaries are in January.

:hi:

[Uncle Joe]

28. I'm will be purchasing "The Assault on Reason" in about 45 minutes.

The American People have been dumbed down, hoodwinked, brain washed to the point of not knowing what's real anymore, and this is an extremely dangerous situation.

Thanks for the thread IndyOp

Kicked and recommended