I Like Al Gore
There - I've said it.
I always have. I think it demonstrates the shallow cynicism of the mainstream meadia that, despite winning more votes for president than his oponnent, he's been portrayed as some unglued stark-raving madman who lies with reckless abandon. The press lazily transmits the right-wing noise machine's assertions that Al Gore claimed to have invented the internet (he didn't) or that he's a stiff, wodden and humorless freak (he's not), or that his critique of the Iraq war aligns him more closely with Hugo Chavez than with the average American (it doesn't). The Republican character assasination squad depends on Mark Twain's axiom that a lie can travel half way round the world while the truth is putting it's shoes on, but, while it may be far too late, at least it looks like the truth about Al Gore may at least be putting on it's bunny slippers.
So, despite a campaign funded by Exxon Mobil and others to discredit it, it's nice to see that his movie, An Inconvenient Truth, is getting some genuine praise.
My feeling is, and this is not an original insight, that Al Gore's campaign in 2000 was an example of how the Washington political establishment (especially on the democratic side) has completely overtaken political campaigns and convinced candidates to steer clear of anything controversial in a calculated attempt to "appeal to the middle". Gore certainly fell victim to this (as did Kerry), but it's nice to see him speaking up about important issues now.
So, go see his movie here or here when it opens on June 2nd. Let's hope this begins the redemption of a good man who was somehow turned into a political pariah. And, if he changes his mind about his 2008 plans, Blue Language will ensure that the internet will go from being a punch line at his expense to his greatest political asset.
I always have. I think it demonstrates the shallow cynicism of the mainstream meadia that, despite winning more votes for president than his oponnent, he's been portrayed as some unglued stark-raving madman who lies with reckless abandon. The press lazily transmits the right-wing noise machine's assertions that Al Gore claimed to have invented the internet (he didn't) or that he's a stiff, wodden and humorless freak (he's not), or that his critique of the Iraq war aligns him more closely with Hugo Chavez than with the average American (it doesn't). The Republican character assasination squad depends on Mark Twain's axiom that a lie can travel half way round the world while the truth is putting it's shoes on, but, while it may be far too late, at least it looks like the truth about Al Gore may at least be putting on it's bunny slippers.
So, despite a campaign funded by Exxon Mobil and others to discredit it, it's nice to see that his movie, An Inconvenient Truth, is getting some genuine praise.
My feeling is, and this is not an original insight, that Al Gore's campaign in 2000 was an example of how the Washington political establishment (especially on the democratic side) has completely overtaken political campaigns and convinced candidates to steer clear of anything controversial in a calculated attempt to "appeal to the middle". Gore certainly fell victim to this (as did Kerry), but it's nice to see him speaking up about important issues now.
So, go see his movie here or here when it opens on June 2nd. Let's hope this begins the redemption of a good man who was somehow turned into a political pariah. And, if he changes his mind about his 2008 plans, Blue Language will ensure that the internet will go from being a punch line at his expense to his greatest political asset.
posted by Bleeding Heart at
8:14 AM
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