Donald Trump meets with Al Gore, who says they sought ‘common ground’ on climate change

Washington Times ^ | 12/05/2016 | S.A. Miller

[GIdget2004]

President-elect Donald Trump met Monday with former Vice President Al Gore and discussed climate change, as the two men with opposing views of the issue sought common ground.

After the meeting at Trump Tower in Manhattan, Mr. Gore gave an upbeat assessment of the powwow. "I had a lengthy and very productive session with the president-elect. It was a sincere search for areas of common ground," he told reporters in the lobby.

The high-profile meeting raised eyebrows because President-elect Donald Trump has been an outspoken skeptic of climate change and Mr. Gore is one of the world's most prominent advocates for battling climate change, receiving a Nobel Prize in 2007 for the effort.

During the campaign, Mr. Trump raised doubts about the climate change issue and once mused that it was a hoax by China to encourage the U.S. to adopt energy restrictions that would harm the economy.

Mr. Trump also has said he will consider pulling the U.S. out of the international agreement on climate change that was struck in Paris in 2015.

Earlier in the day, transition team officials said Mr. Gore would be meeting with Mr. Trump's daughter Ivanka Trump. But Mr. Gore said that after a brief meeting with Ms. Trump, he spent the bulk of his time with the president-elect.

"I found it an extremely interesting conversation, and to be continued, and I'm just going to leave it at that," said Mr. Gore, who was the 2000 Democratic presidential nominee.

[RightInTheMain]

Nothing tells democrats “I’m the president elect” more than meeting with people that are considered leaders in their world, as illogical as Gore’s perspective may be to us. But this is politically smart, especially with the recount scams going on right now.

He should meet with Sharpton and Jackson too to show solidarity with their causes too. It’s all window dressing, I know Trump can hustle with the best of them so I’m ok with it.

Al Gore would be a great turncoat on the dems to denounce the recount scams going on right now since he is considered their poster boy for recounts and election fairness. Gore can be bought off easily too - three 1-hour massage gift certificates and $1000 in tip money and he’s a happy camper.

[DeathBeforeDishonor1]

You nailed it , CW.

[Mr. Douglas]

Unless Trump asked Gore to stop with the BS, what could they have to talk about?

---

Who gets the best gas mileage in their private jet?

[AFreeBird]

I would imagine that Algore and Donald’s definition of “productive”, differ considerably.

[lacrew]

Gore was in Manhattan?

Get ready for a blizzard.

[Ahithophel]

The first mistake is regarding Gore as an authority on, or someone with whom on which to consult about, global warming. Have his earlier predictions on climate change proven correct? Cue the Inconvenient Truth sound track. His expertise on gas bags however is unrivaled.

[AmusedBystander]

Mr. Gore to Mr. Trump:

Congratulations on beating Hillary. You know that China is by far the world's biggest polluter and they have the biggest carbon footprint due to their huge manufacturing base. Obviously this needs to be reduced.

Mr. Trump to Mr. Gore:

I'm on it. When I'm done the Chinese will only be producing for their domestic consumption.

[bray]

You cannot have Global Warming and coal jobs at the same time. It was invented to eliminate coal.

Pray America woke

[duckworth]

True. That’s the common ground. Trump tells Gore to admit that the global warming hoax is just a way to tax anything related to carbon. Gore says OK, you’re right, Donnie. Ain’t gonna happen. There is no common ground.

[ml/nj]

Al Gore is a charlatan. He has no standing. He has no scientific background. Spending any time with him is a disgrace.

ML/NJ

[tumblindice]

There is no `common ground’ with the left and their insane global warming fantasies.
Nuke them from space.

[enduserindy]

I can only hope trump is in go along get along until Inauguration Day. I think he is just trying to not stir the pot until he’s in office.

[A Navy Vet]

" I had a lengthy and very productive session with the president-elect. It was a sincere search for areas of common ground," he [Gore] told reporters in the lobby."

Mr. Trump also has said he will consider pulling the U.S. out of the international agreement on climate change that was struck in Paris in 2015.

"I found it an extremely interesting conversation, and to be continued, and I'm just going to leave it at that," said Mr. Gore, who was the 2000 Democratic presidential nominee."

Trump being a thoughtful person and always doing his homework, has never been a YES man and wants all discussion/input of a given issue. Pretty sure he was mentally grilling the leader of the Global Warming/Climate Change lobby.

Trump is going way up in my book as a thoughtful, insightful, determined man who knows who to talk to, not to mention who to appoint. I was not Trump's biggest fan but did vote for him, hoping he would do what he's doing. Watching him as President-Elect has made me a fan.

He is breaking down the walls of DC. Like the best leaders, he wants all info from his best advisors and opponents before making a decision. I now have hope for our Nation, providing Stein/Hillary don't steal his presidency.

[Duchess47]

I am so loving this. :)

[ClearCase_guy]

Sometimes I wonder if these people have to sign agreement prior to meetings:

“You don’t have to say you support Mr. Trump’s positions. You don’t have to say you agree with anything Mr. Trump said. You can say ‘It was interesting’ and just leave it at that. But ... if you exit the interview and make negative comments, you will have absolutely no access to the Executive Branch for the next 4 years. Those are the ground rules — are you willing to meet on Dec 5?”

[ilovesarah2012]

Exactly. We can turn in a heartbeat.

[A Navy Vet]

"He is showing everyone — I can talk with anyone, I am civil, I am reasonable, I explore all options, I make careful and deliberative decisions, I listen to all sides, I have no enemies, I want what is best for the country. After 3 months of that message being hammered home, President Trump will be difficult to portray as a crazy monster.

Yup, as a leader in the Navy and owning 3 small businesses, I see the same. While I was always dismayed that he is so inarticulate and would not succeed against Hillary's political acumen in debates, I should have remembered that he is a naturally born leader.

[ilovesarah2012]

You don’t think Ivanka could convince daddy that global warming is real? And what would her husband get out of it?

http://www.politico.com/story/2016/11/ivanka-trump-climate-czar-232031

[duckman]

I think Trump is just toying with the rats so their collective heads can explode. IMO

[onyx]

Al Gore, the former vice president, arrived at Trump Tower in Manhattan on Monday.
(Credit Hilary Swift for The New York Times)

Al Gore thought he would be bending the ear of the adviser Mr. Trump trusts most, his daughter Ivanka.

Instead, the man bearing “The Inconvenient Truth” went straight to the source: the president-elect himself.

“I had a lengthy and very productive session with the president-elect,” Mr. Gore, the former vice president, told reporters at Trump Tower. “It was a sincere search for areas of common ground. I had a meeting beforehand with Ivanka Trump. The bulk of the time was with the president-elect, Donald Trump. I found it an extremely interesting conversation, and to be continued.”