Posted on 09/07/2005 1:26:35 PM PDT by crazyhorse691
An overflow Portland audience for the former vice president's global warming talk results in a second show
With a message about the urgent need to combat global warming, former Vice President Al Gore drew unexpected thousands of Portlanders to the Oregon Convention Center on Tuesday night.
The crowds snaked around the corridors of the convention center, and those who were denied entry chanted and pounded on the doors until Gore agreed to do a second show.
The Democratic presidential candidate in 2000, who lost one of the nation's most controversial elections, has among other pursuits been busily touring the country with a slide show heavy on charts and graphs explaining global warming and its potential consequences.
He showed photos of melting glaciers around the world. He noted how the loss of Himalayan glaciers could lead to loss of drinking water for tens of millions of people across Asia. He explained elaborately plotted scientific data of rising ocean temperatures, increasing precipitation and intensifying hurricanes. He noted that when he started doing these talks two years ago, he predicted the melting of Mount Kilimanjaro's snows within 15 years. "It's virtually all gone now," he said.
"We're entering -- have already entered -- a new phase of human history," Gore said. "The fundamental relationship between our species and our home planet has been utterly transformed."
He denounced critics who question the seriousness of the threat of global warming, comparing them to tobacco industry operatives who mustered experts to question the harmful effects of smoking.
"It delayed sensible policy for a long time," Gore said.
"There are millions of dollars spent every year by organizations that profit from not having any restraints on greenhouse gases."
And he struck a few jabs at the Bush administration for, in his opinion, not doing enough to combat the problem.
But Gore said the solutions are available, if people demand that they be put into effect.
"States like your state have taken the lead," Gore told a receptive crowd of more than 2,000. He cited Gov. Ted Kulongoski's recent overruling of the Legislature to direct the state to adopt California's tough emissions standards for cars and trucks by the end of the year.
It was a most welcome message to Oregon environmental activists, who expect a fight over the auto standards.
"If you pose a problem, it's really important to offer solutions," said Chris Hagenbaumer, with the Oregon Environmental Council. She said she hopes Gore's appearance will help raise awareness and support for local efforts to reduce greenhouse gas emissions.
Joe Rojas-Burke: 503-412-7073; joerojas@news.oregonian.com
If Bush hadn't stole the election from me, I would've stopped that hurricane!
Only because half of those seats were covered in vomit.
Does the fat discredited one still take 3-5 showers a day????
???
How true,at one time raving lunatics were committed to institutions where they could mercifully do no harm.Now we let them rant on endlessly.How sad.
It was more than rumored the he showers 3-5 times a day. Very bizarre.
We could only be so lucky!!! The ticket to disaster for the dumbocrats.
Kool-aid drinkers slake their thirst.
Gore? I hadn't heard that.
It is bizarre, but then, it might be considered a natural reaction to being covered to the bone in filth.
"It was a most welcome message to Oregon environmental activists, who expect a fight over the auto standards"
I wonder what kind of mileage his Cadilac gets when his son is driving 97 mph in a 55 mph zone?
"It was more than rumored the he showers 3-5 times a day"
Out, out, damned spot.
Quick,,Quick,...name one job that Clinton or Gore had in the private sector..just one??!1??!!????..Ah got you..Answer is of course ZERO!
"name one job that Clinton or Gore had in the private sector"
Gore is on the board at Apple. Never could figure that one out, must've had something to do with inventing the "information superhighway" or something.
If a tree falls in the woods and no one is around to hear it... does it make a sound?
It seems to me that unless the Himilayan glacier were to melt,
there would be no drinking water to come from it.
Speaking of corruption. Wasted and threw away the entire American space program. Why?
why would thousands be unexpected for a talk on gore-bal waming in THAT city...what're they smokin'....
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