Okay, That’s Random
Posted on April 26, 2009 at 5:34 pmFrom the Tennessee Democratic Party’s Twitter feed:
Say what you’d like about Al Gore. But Bill Hobbs will not EVER win a Nobel Peace Prize, esp. not for his cartoons.
Rep. Blackburn Queries Al Gore On His Personal Stake In Cap And Trade Legislation
Posted on April 24, 2009 at 1:19 pmMarsha Blackburn questions Al Gore’s motivations behind supporting cap and trade legislation because of his investments in “green startups” and his position as a partner at Kleiner Perkins:
Rep. Blackburn: …You talked a little about [that] people have to have trust in what you’re doing and I think you know that this bill is going to fundamentally change the way America works and it’s going to effect families. We’ve all talked about how it affects individuals and what it’s going to do to their budgets and… ah… what it’s going to do to jobs in this country. And given the magnitude of those changes, I think it’s really important that no suspicion or shadow fall on the foremost advocates of climate change legislation. So I wanted to give you the opportunity to kind of clear the air about your motives and to set the record straight about your motives for some of your former constituents. And I’ve got an article from [the] October 8 [2008] New York Times Magazine about a firm called Kleiner Perkins… a capital firm called Kleiner Perkins. Are you aware of that company?
Al Gore: Well, yes. I’m a partner at Kleiner Perkins.
Rep. Blackburn: So you’re a partner in Kleiner Perkins. OK. Now they have invested about a billion dollars in 40 companies that are going to benefit from cap-and-trade legislation. So is the legislation that we are discussing here today, is that something that you are going to personally benefit from?
Al Gore: [Sigh]… I believe that the transition to a green economy is good for our economy and good for all of us. And I have invested in it. But every penny that I have made, I have put right into a nonprofit, the Alliance for Climate Protection, to spread awareness of why we have to take on this challenge. And, Congresswoman, if you’re… if you believe that the reason I have been working on this issue for 30 years is because of greed, you don’t know me.
Rep. Blackburn: No, sir, I’m not making accusations. I’m asking questions that have been asked of me. And individuals… constituents… that were seeking a point of clarity. So I am asking…
Al Gore: I understand exactly what you’re doing Congresswoman. Everybody here does.
Rep. Blackburn: Well, are you willing to divest yourself of any profit. Does all of it go to a not-for-profit. Is it an education not-for-profit?
Al Gore: Every penny that I have made has gone to it. Every penny from the movie, the book… uh… from any investments from renewable energy. I’ve been willing to put my money where my mouth is. Do you think there is something wrong with being active in business in this country?
Rep. Blackburn: I am simply asking for clarification on the relationship.
Al Gore: I’m proud of it. I’m proud of it.
SEE ALSO:
TNGOP
Politico
Tennessee Guerilla Women
Remembering Al Gore’s Uncle
Posted on March 31, 2009 at 11:32 pmTom Humphrey recalls his encounters with Whit LaFon:
I called Judge LaFon back when he was accused of drug trafficking and various other misdeeds by World Net Daily as part of a curious smear campaign that, rightfully I suspect, never got any traction in mainstream media. But it was a big deal among the right-wing radio clan.
The allegations were so sensational, I gave him a call just to see if he’d say anything. (The Gore gang wasn’t.) He answered the phone, but declined any comment on the record. I left that one lay.
I saw him some time later at an event honoring veterans at the state capitol. He was a frail old gentleman wearing one of those American Legion hats and a name tag. Introduced myself, chatted a moment, and mentioned the effort to contact him earlier.
He said Al had told him to be quiet about that “pile of (animal excrement),” but that it was absurd conjecture and had made him madder than anything he had ever experienced — and he was really like to vent about it sometime. I gave him a card with my phone number. He never called.
Gore Power
Posted on at 6:09 pmIt has increased the further he has has gotten from government service:
The greatest irony of Gore’s career is that he’s arguably more influential outside of government than when he was nearly atop it. His lecture series on global warming became a blockbuster Hollywood film, then won him a Nobel Prize. Yet he’s criticized by conservatives and lampooned in the television show South Park.
Gore took no post in the Obama administration, though he almost surely would have had one if he’d asked. Yet in many ways, he has more freedom to advance his agenda unencumbered by government obligations.
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Al Gore’s Uncle Dies
Posted on March 30, 2009 at 6:10 pmFrom the Jackson Sun:
Former Judge Whit Simpson LaFon has died at age 91 of declining health following a stroke. His nephew, Tom LaFon, of Park City, Utah, said that visitation will be from 10:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. April 4 at the George A. Smith’s Funeral Home North Chapel. Graveside services will be held at 1:30 p.m. April 4 at Hollywood Cemetery.
(FT: Mr. Turnbow)
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GQ Drew Stands By His Story That Gore’s House Was Lit During Earth Hour
Posted on at 10:44 am
From the President of the Tennessee Center of Policy Research in response to Al Gore’s spokeswoman’s assertion that the Gore’s did observe Earth Hour to the letter:
I have time-stamped pictures of the floodlights illuminating Al Gore’s driveway entrance and several trees between 8:40-9:00pm during “Earth Hour,” which is certainly an inconvenient truth for Mr. Gore.
As I said to my friends on my Facebook page (how amusing is it that a Note on my Facebook page is making national news?), the floodlights that usually light up the outside of Mr. Gore’s mansion were dark and most of his inside lights appeared off. But many of his windows were lit with a blue-ish glow that is usually the result of a TV screen or computer monitor.
I understand that when you consume nearly 20 times more electricity than the average American, you can spend all day turning off your lights and still miss a few. I’m sure this was the case for Mr. Gore.
Since this was a Note of my Facebook page and not an official press release, I encourage Mr. Gore to take up any complaints or disputes on the Wall of my Facebook page where it can be appropriately discussed.
Al Gore Responds To Earth Hour Accusations
Posted on at 8:54 amKalee Kreider, a spokeswoman for Al Gore, issued this statement in response to accusations that the Gore’s did not observe Earth Hour:
The Gores honored Earth Hour by shutting off the lights at their residence. The heating and air conditioning were turned off as well. But more importantly, the Gores live in a Gold LEED certified home, powered by geothermal power. They have undergone renovations to put solar panels on the roof and participate in all of the renewable power programs offered by their local utility. They aren’t perfect, no family is, but they do their best, year-round to try to make a difference at home and across the country to make a difference on the climate crisis.
Asked if this meant that the Gore’s were asserting that Drew Johnson was mistaken about seeing lights on at the residence, Kreider responded, “Correct.”
UPDATE: Drew Johnson stands by his story.
Al Gore Leaves The Light On For Ya
Posted on March 29, 2009 at 12:00 pmEven during Earth Hour. President of the Tennessee Center For Policy Research Drew Johnson takes a Saturday drive by Al Gore’s during the time most environmentalists went dark:
I pulled up to Al’s house, located in the posh Belle Meade section of Nashville, at 8:48pm – right in the middle of Earth Hour. I found that the main spotlights that usually illuminate his 9,000 square foot mansion were dark, but several of the lights inside the house were on.
In fact, most of the windows were lit by the familiar blue-ish hue indicating that floor lamps and ceiling fixtures were off, but TV screens and computer monitors were hard at work. (In other words, his house looked the way most houses look about 1:45am when their inhabitants are distractedly watching “Cheaters” or “Chelsea Lately” reruns.)
The kicker, though, were the dozen or so floodlights grandly highlighting several trees and illuminating the driveway entrance of Gore’s mansion.
I [kid] you not, my friends, the savior of the environment couldn’t be bothered to turn off the gaudy lights that show off his goofy trees.
This, of course, would be the same Drew Johnson who exposed Gore’s excessive energy use at his home back in 2007.
UPDATE: Gore responds to accusations.
UPDATE II: Drew Johnson stands by his story.
(Fist Tap: Matthew Hurtt)
Distractions
Posted on March 27, 2009 at 5:16 pmLean Left on how the people are kept from concentrating on the real issues:
But at the same time I have a sense that we are inundated, not so much with “whining” as just stupid distractions and idiotic disputes over things that don’t matter, or shouldn’t be controversial. In part this is politically strategic. The right wing is constantly and calculatedly ginning up “wedge issues” deliberately designed to prevent critical attention to their own failures and extremism: consciously empty scandals like Al Gore’s suits or John Edwards’ hair, and fraudulent or just insane controversies manipulated to divide the electorate, like gay marriage or the Terri Schiavo travesty. But to a large degree it’s just sheer stupidity run amok. The general public, liberals and conservatives, are just so thoughtless, so myopic, and so easily agitated, that the smallest, dumbest things can turn into social controversies.
Alternative History
Posted on January 14, 2009 at 12:27 pmTA Frank reflects on eight years of the fictional Al Gore presidency:
I think I started to dislike Gore when he stirred up a media storm after the Feds broke up the terrorist ring conspiring to fly airplanes into buildings back in 2001. He could have let it pass quietly, as Bill Clinton did with the millennium plot arrests in 2000. Instead, Gore held a press conference to milk it for political gain and scare us into a 15 cent per gallon gas tax. But who can afford to pay over a dollar and a half per gallon? No wonder we’re resorting to electric cars these days.
And why did he pressure the universally admired Fed chairman Alan Greenspan to step down early in 2002? Replacing him with that old warhorse Paul Volcker was a nasty surprise, especially when Volcker choked off a promising housing boom in 2002 and imposed old, outdated regulations on lenders. Some properties lost as much as 8% of their value that year. Now housing prices are rising really slowly, and GDP barely grew by 3% this year.
To be sure, Gore did accomplish some good things in foreign policy. The Middle East is definitely better off now that Israel and Palestine are separate states. It was clever to transfer the most diehard West Bank settlers to the Gore Biosphere in North Dakota. But in Iraq, even after the demise of Saddam from virulent salmonella, Qusay has proved to be no more agreeable than his father, and Uday is simply out of control. (Grinding up the players of the national football team and roasting the remains on a stadium-sized spit was the nadir of his coaching.) When a group of foreign-policy luminaries - from Bill Kristol to Paul Wolfowitz and Kenneth Pollack - urged Gore to invade Iraq and remake the entire Middle East, the president didn’t even listen. That’s rude.
The Green Dream
Posted on December 17, 2008 at 7:51 amBarack Obama is rolling Gore-like on environmental policy:
Barack Obama has made his most decisive break so far with the past eight years of George Bush by appointing a Nobel laureate in science and a supporter of Al Gore to head his energy and environment team.
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Al Gore Returns To The Scene Of The Crime
Posted on October 30, 2008 at 7:51 amThe former Veep will return to Florida to stump for Obama in the state where many believe the election of 2000 was stolen from him:
Former Vice President Al Gore, the Democratic presidential contender in 2000, will be joined by his wife, Tipper, at a rally for Barack Obama on Friday afternoon in West Palm Beach.
Palm Beach County Convention Center officials announced the event Wednesday. The rally will be in the center’s Grand Ballroom and is expected to be limited to about 2,000 attendees.
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Gore To Host Fundraiser For Tuke
Posted on September 18, 2008 at 8:13 amFrom Eric Schelzig:
The Oct. 10 fundraiser at Gore’s home in the upscale Belle Meade neighborhood will cost $1,000 per person. A special reception before will be held for those who give $2,300 and groups can be named host committees by giving at least $5,000.
Gore lauded Tuke’s military service as a Marine in Vietnam when he endorsed him last month.
Al Gore On Elections That Matter
Posted on August 28, 2008 at 10:11 pmAl Gore from Invesco Field:
Eight years ago, some said there was not much difference between the nominees of the two major parties and it didn’t really matter who became president. Our nation was enjoying peace and prosperity, and some assumed we would continue both, no matter the outcome.
But here we all are in 2008, and I doubt anyone would argue now that election didn’t matter.
Take it from me, if it had ended differently, we would not be bogged down in Iraq; we would have pursued bin Laden until we captured him.
We would not be facing a self-inflicted economic crisis; we would be fighting for middle income families.
We would not be showing contempt for the Constitution; we’d be protecting the rights of every American regardless of race, religion, disability, gender or sexual orientation.
And we would not be denying the climate crisis; we’d be solving it.
Today, we face essentially the same choice we faced in 2000, though it may be even more obvious now, because John McCain, a man who has earned our respect on many levels, is now openly endorsing the policies of the Bush-Cheney White House and promising to actually continue them, the same policies all over again.
Hey, I believe in recycling, but that’s ridiculous.
SEE ALSO:
Wall Street Journal
NY Times
Enclave
Dallas News
LA Times
Associated Press
Washington Post
Tapper
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Gore Wants You To Open Up Your Wallets For Tuke
Posted on August 18, 2008 at 4:11 pmOn Bob Tuke’s diary page at Daily Kos, Al Gore takes his endorsement of U.S. Senate candidate Bob Tuke a step farther:
Today, I announced my endorsement of Bob Tuke to be the next U.S. Senator from my home state of Tennessee. I have known Bob for a long time, and I am glad to call him a close friend. Bob Tuke is hard-working, hard-nosed, and practical, which has served him well as a Marine combat veteran, an accomplished and respected attorney, and as former Chairman of the Tennessee Democratic Party. Bob faces a challenging general election, but he has the grit and determination to get things done in November and increase the Democratic majority in the U.S. Senate. I encourage all of you to contribute to his campaign today and help elect Bob Tuke as the next Senator from the great state of Tennessee.
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Al Gore Endorses Bob Tuke
Posted on at 11:28 amFrom the press release:
“I am pleased to endorse my friend, Bob Tuke, to be the next U.S. Senator from my home state of Tennessee. Bob’s plans to immediately and aggressively produce alternative energy in Tennessee will help solve the climate crisis, clean our air, create new jobs, and relieve the heavy burden of energy prices across America. But Bob is more than a candidate with timely solutions to pressing problems facing our nation and our planet. He is also a man of great honor and integrity. Bob has the life experience that we need to turn our country around. As a Marine combat veteran in Vietnam, Bob led troops in battle. The U.S. Senate would be well served to have his perspective as we finally bring an end to the mismanaged war in Iraq. These are just a few of the reasons that I am proud to give him my full support and endorsement.”
Old Vandy Law chums, Tuke campaigned with the “Gore Corps” in New Hampshire in 1988 as well as the Former Vice President Gore’s 2000 presidential bid .
All In The Family: Gore Banquet Gets A Name Change
Posted on August 11, 2008 at 12:04 pmAs Dru Fuller reports, this year’s Davidson County Democratic Party’s fundraiser will not be called the “Gore Family Dinner” as it has the past three years. Adora Bruce, DCDP’s new Executive Director, explains:
The name Gore Family Dinner wasn’t used for the fund-raiser only because it was felt that it might be misleading if the Gore’s could not attend — and the event is planned too far in advance to predict their availability.
As the new DCDP Executive Director, I’m very excited about this year’s banquet and the theme: Extraordinary Women, Extraordinary Lives. Keynote speaker Hazel O’Leary served under President Clinton as the Secretary of Energy from 1993 to 1997 — certainly a timely topic.
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There Once Was A Gore In Nantucket
Posted on August 8, 2008 at 7:32 amAl Gore and John Kerry team up to raise funds for Democratic nominee, Barack Obama:
Former vice president Al Gore and U.S. Sen. John Kerry held court on Washing Pond Road Tuesday before a rapt audience as they stumped for presumptive Democratic presidential nominee Barack Obama, railed against his Republican opponent John McCain, and warned of the dangers of global warming.
Sen. John Kerry, right, speaks with former vice president Al Gore at an Obama fundraiser Tuesday.
The fundraiser for the Obama Victory Fund cost attendees between $2,300 and $4,600, and was held at the Nantucket home of Chicago investment banker Lou Susman, an Obama adviser who was also active in Kerry’s 2004 presidential campaign.
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