Posted on 06/03/2006 7:23:15 PM PDT by LdSentinal
In an exclusive appearance on "This Week with George Stephanopoulos" airing in full on ABC Sunday, former Vice President Al Gore said, "I can't imagine any circumstances in which case I would become a candidate again," declaring, "I've found other ways to serve [and] I'm enjoying them."
So far, the long-time politician -- whose crusade to educate Americans on the effects of global warming is the subject of the documentary "An Inconvenient Truth," released worldwide this weekend -- is content to spread his message at the theater and not on the campaign trail.
"I have no plans plans to be a candidate for president again," Gore told ABC News' chief Washington correspondent George Stephanopoulos. "I don't expect to ever be a candidate for president again. I haven't made a so-called Sherman statement, because it just seems unnecessary."
Then he joked, "I'm 58 years old; that's the new 57 now."
Giving his first Sunday morning interview in more than three years, Gore deflected assertions that some Democrats feel he has a "duty" to run in 2008, defended his efforts to combat global warming, and told ABC News, "I don't feel like I have to apologize for focusing my energies on creating a sufficient awareness and sense of urgency on the single biggest issue that humankind has ever faced.
"George, we have a planetary emergency," Gore told Stephanopoulos. "That phrase may sound shrill or alarmist but it's not. … We may have less than 10 years before we cross the point of no return."
An environmental activist since his days in the Senate, Gore wrote "Earth in the Balance" 14 years ago, shortly before joining then-Arkansas Gov. Bill Clinton in their successful run for the White House in 1992. Gore's documentary is an expanded version of the global warming presentation he's been delivering and updating throughout his career.
Gore, narrowly defeated by then-Gov. George W. Bush in a heated presidential election ultimately concluded by a Supreme Court ruling, criticized the Bush administration for failing to sign on to the Kyoto Protocol, a worldwide effort led by the United Nations to commit signatory nations to reduce carbon dioxide and greenhouse gas emissions.
But the former vice president contended it's about more than the White House.
"The country is not yet at a point where [combating global warming] is seen as a politically credible thing to do, that's what I want to change," Gore said.
Out of the political arena for nearly six years, Gore recently appeared the NBC program "Saturday Night Live" to kick off the press tour to accompany the release of "An Inconvenient Truth."
Gore, who twice tried and failed to get elected president over a 25-year political career, was frequently criticized for his seemingly stiff demeanor in the 2000 campaign.
"There's a lot about the political process I really don't like," he told Stephanopoulos. "It's a toxic process. [But] there are things I miss."
During the interview to air Sunday on "This Week," Stephanopolous also presses Gore for his views on the developments in Iraq, responsibility for the alleged massacre in Haditha, the NSA wiretapping program, and whether or not the presence of Sen. Hillary Rodham Clinton in the 2008 presidential contest would make him more or less likely to run.
Why plan about it when the world is just going to end anyway?
/s
If anyone believe this man, I have a bridge in Brooklyn that you might be interested in buying.
Oh, That Sucks !!!!! or maybe Gore is Full Of Hot Air ???
According to Algore aren't we supposed to be under water or something like that in two years anyway?
May I remind doofus that when he was President of the Senate he oversaw the damn thing get defeated 99-0?
How much you want fer it?
"Vice President Al Gore said, "I can't imagine any circumstances in which case I would become a candidate again, ... " "
Hillary must have had a good yearly checkup
(wincing at image)
Just damn - too late to get a better family, I guess? Hate it for you....
Gee, if Al (BPM) won't run, maybe they could draft Hillary!
What a nauseating man, and a perfect example of the liberal mindset. Making a living for himself--flying around in private jets, raking in $$$ making speeches--is "serving".
He still hasn't lost his famous ability to deliver knee-slappingly funny one-liners!
"We may have less than 10 years before we cross the point of no return."
Weren't his fellow greenies saying that since the 60's? And what, exactly, have humans done that can be "reversed" in ten years? I thought we'd created this massive century-long problem.
criticized the Bush administration for failing to sign on to the Kyoto Protocol
The height of BS considering what occurred to Kyoto when Billy Boy was in office.
Gore may be planning on becoming a power broker. There's a lot of money in that field, but without a Democrat in the White House, there isn't much business these days for his dream job.
Which means he's going to spend his time trying to build up a following in the liberal community, and then offer those votes to the Democrat candidate he prefers in the Dem primaries.
I expect he'll soon be launching an Al Gore web site for coordinating liberal grassroots campaign groups, if he hasn't already. He'll then promote the site every time he stumps and speechifies. The MSM will put him on TV to talk about the web site, and the various tools for coordinating campaign efforts. All of this will be under the guise of environmental activism, which will be his base.
Of course, he may be content collecting talking fees. He probably makes more money from that than Bush makes as President.
Any man who cannot win his home state in his first run, does not deserve a second chance.
"I've found other ways to serve"
Like many politicians, he's found another way to serve himself. Like that airheaded Carter, who runs around pontificating on his foundation's money.
"No plans", "No Controlling Legal Authority",...no brains.
Truth is not inconvenient Al. Speak some.
Actually I believe it. He's making more money lecturing and lieing his ass off on global warming.
He found 50 million from the Google IPO. I don't blame his attitude. Why pander to the noisome public square anymore? Screw them.
Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.