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Did Al Gore's Success Kill His Marriage? [Psychologists Say Couple's Break-up Defied Odds.....]
ABC News ^

Posted on 06/03/2010 7:44:39 AM PDT by Sub-Driver

Did Al Gore's Success Kill His Marriage? Psychologists Say Couple's Break-up Defied Odds By KIMBERLY BROWN

June 3, 2010 —

News of the breakup of the 40-year marriage of former Vice President Al Gore and his wife, Tipper, has left many speculating about what caused the split, and still more wondering whether any marriage is safe.

"Suddenly our image of marriages that can work has crashed," said Marion Solomon, a psychologist in Los Angeles. "We have an idea that there are some people that are happy. That it is possible to be happily married in the public eye. ... If they're getting a divorce, can any marriage work?"

The odds are actually pretty good for a couple who tied the knot around 1970, when the Gores were married. Only about 15 percent of marriages dating to that time had broken up after 15 years, said Bradford Wilcox, director of the National Marriage Project at the University of Virginia. And with every anniversary, the risk of divorce declines.

The Gores' marriage spanned four decades, in which they raised four children and weathered crises that included a 1989 car accident that nearly killed their son, Albert Gore III, an event that reportedly brought on Tipper Gore's bout with major depression. And they not only survived decades lived on the political stage, but they seemed to thrive there. Their passionate kiss at the 2000 Democratic Convention left a lasting and much-discussed impression.

While campaigning for president, Al Gore said in an interview that his wife was "someone I've loved with my whole heart since the night of my high school senior prom."

(Excerpt) Read more at abcnews.go.com ...


TOPICS: Culture/Society; News/Current Events
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To: Sub-Driver

The liberal template, especially the women’s rights movement template, is that marriage is inherently oppressive and bad. There is always an implication that most if not all marriages are shams, entered into and maintained solely for money, popularity, or some other ulterior motive. So noting this breakup looked so normal just validates their template and allows them to denigrate marriage in general.

By the way, next week hubby and I celebrate 25 years of happiness and my folks celebrate their 61st on the same day.


21 posted on 06/03/2010 8:03:16 AM PDT by caseinpoint (Don't get thickly involved in thin things)
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To: cranked

That, plus now there is plenty of money to split. I suspect the current financial statements have something to do with it.


22 posted on 06/03/2010 8:03:47 AM PDT by JudyinCanada
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To: SnakeDoctor
My marriage is certainly shaken by this turn of events. We modeled our marriage on the Gores. We often share awkward public extra-long rape-like kisses, and preach frugality and sustainability while consuming like an Arabic Sultan. I just don’t know if we’ll make it. These are indeed tough times for those of us that looked to the Gores for marital guidance.

Tell me about it. Our marriage went through a similar crisis when Roseanne Barr and Tom Arnold split up. It was like simultaneously having a rug pulled out from under me and being kicked in the chest. I was shaken to my very core, and forced to question everything I'd always believed. I still wonder how a loving God could allow such a thing to happen. I'll never forget where I was when I heard about it, just like 9/11 or the Challenger explosion... the tears, the anger, the denial, stumbling through the rest of the day in my shellshocked condition. Somehow we managed to pick up the pieces and go on, but it'll never be the same.

23 posted on 06/03/2010 8:04:31 AM PDT by Sloth (Civil disobedience? I'm afraid only the uncivil kind is going to cut it this time.)
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To: umgud

Plus the money is much better to split now. I don’t think “poor Tipper” is exactly in the shallow end anyway.


24 posted on 06/03/2010 8:04:49 AM PDT by JudyinCanada
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To: Sub-Driver
"Suddenly our image of marriages that can work has crashed... If they're getting a divorce, can any marriage work?"

Too bad about Al & Tipper's marriage, but oh, please... only an idiot liberal would promote the idea that the rest of us depended on this ego-driven couple to define a happy marriage.

25 posted on 06/03/2010 8:09:26 AM PDT by PacesPaines
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To: Sub-Driver

“If they’re getting a divorce, can any marriage work?”

Yes, ones not comprised of a pair of entitled, blow-hardy, perpetually absent, failed politicians.


26 posted on 06/03/2010 8:10:15 AM PDT by Tublecane
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To: SnakeDoctor

Your reply in Post #10 made me LOL. I was laughing at that line in the article, too. I’ve always thought those overly-dramatic public displays of affection are for public consumption and not necessarily a reflection of a truly happy couple.

I’m sure this “L.A. psychologist” felt the same way when the Edwards broke up....


27 posted on 06/03/2010 8:11:00 AM PDT by KEmom (Proud to be a Mama Grizzly!!!)
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To: caseinpoint

Happy Anniversary!!!!


28 posted on 06/03/2010 8:13:05 AM PDT by KEmom (Proud to be a Mama Grizzly!!!)
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To: Sub-Driver

Tipper: “oh al, you care about global warming more than you care about me! Boo hoo”


29 posted on 06/03/2010 8:14:41 AM PDT by plain talk
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To: Sub-Driver

Al Gore got caught. There are plenty of groupies out there. Get ready for a Tiger Woods type of thing. These wives, like Mrs Edwards and Mrs. Spitzer, hang in there until publicity is about to break.


30 posted on 06/03/2010 8:18:50 AM PDT by HospiceNurse
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To: JudyinCanada

Poor Tipper indeed.
Al’s hot air business made a lot of money, but is about to crash and burn. He just bought a $8 million or so mansion out in California. His political carreer is dead. Have no way of knowing, but it’s a thought.


31 posted on 06/03/2010 8:22:55 AM PDT by Texas resident (Outlaw fisherman)
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To: Sub-Driver

I think he sees Obama crashing and burning and senses an opportunity to set Florida 2K “right”, but Tipper wanted absolutely no part of that. Ambition generally wins over love with these folks.


32 posted on 06/03/2010 8:27:02 AM PDT by Buckeye McFrog
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To: ontap

I recall that Tipper gave Al an ultimatum after the 2000 election. Get out of politics, or else. She didn’t want him to run in 2000. I think she was just sick of it all and wanted a life.


33 posted on 06/03/2010 8:28:53 AM PDT by Eva (Aand)
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To: Sub-Driver

note there is no mention of love just “loved”

These are political marriages where there is no need for love. they obviously have seperate lives and seperate purposes.


34 posted on 06/03/2010 8:31:42 AM PDT by longtermmemmory (VOTE! http://www.senate.gov and http://www.house.gov)
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To: KEmom

Thanks. Getting away for the week and looking forward to it. No one pretends marriage is easy or not complicated with occasional rough patches, but sticking it out is definitely worth it. We have reared two kids, buried one kid, gone through thick and thin, financially and physically, and we still are each other’s best friends. Couldn’t imagine life without the guy. (Incidentally, I’m married to an engineer whose highest praise for me is I’m low-maintenance. LOL).


35 posted on 06/03/2010 8:36:49 AM PDT by caseinpoint (Don't get thickly involved in thin things)
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To: cranked
...perhaps Tipper has come to realize that Gore is simply a crock and she does not want to be married to a crock anymore?

That would be my guess. Tipper got sick of the manbearpig's BS....

36 posted on 06/03/2010 8:43:55 AM PDT by Thermalseeker (Stop the insanity - Flush Congress!)
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To: Sub-Driver

What’s interesting is seeing the libs go into meltdown over this like they care about anyone’s marriage.


37 posted on 06/03/2010 8:49:22 AM PDT by freekitty (Give me back my conservative vote; then find me a real conservative to vote for)
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To: Mobties
The model characters (or so claims Algore) for Oliver Barrett IV and Jennifer Cavalleri are splitsville. It just makes me want to cry .... not.

Being divorced means you never have to say you're sorry. (sniff sniff)

38 posted on 06/03/2010 8:52:41 AM PDT by Ditto
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To: Sub-Driver

Tipper is looking at Al’s millions which may soon go away when he is brought up on fraud charges for his global warming scams. She wants her share before it’s gone.


39 posted on 06/03/2010 8:59:37 AM PDT by The Great RJ ("The trouble with socialism is that eventually you run out of other people's money'" M. Thatcher)
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To: Sloth

ROTFL!!!


40 posted on 06/03/2010 9:03:38 AM PDT by 444Flyer (One country, one constitution, one destiny--Daniel Webster)
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