Obama: I'd Hire Gore

WALLINGFORD, Pa. — Sen. Barack Obama said Wednesday he would give Al Gore, a Nobel prize winner, a major role in an Obama administration to address the problem of global warming.

At a town-hall meeting, Obama was asked if he would tap the former vice president for his Cabinet to handle global warming.

"I would," Obama said. "Not only will I, but I will make a commitment that Al Gore will be at the table and play a central part in us figuring out how we solve this problem. He's somebody I talk to on a regular basis. I'm already consulting with him in terms of these issues, but climate change is real. It is something we have to deal with now, not 10 years from now, not 20 years from now."

Since leaving the White House, Gore has gone on to become one of the world's leading voices for combating the greenhouse gases blamed for global warming. His work earned him a share of the Nobel last year.

Popular among Democrats, Gore is perhaps the single most coveted endorsement up for grabs in the long-running competition between Obama and rival Hillary Rodham Clinton.

The relationship between Gore and the Clintons became strained after Gore limited Bill Clinton's campaigning on his behalf in the 2000 presidential race which elected George W. Bush.

Obama said he would use Gore to help forge a cap-and-trade system for carbon emissions designed to lower pollution.

The Illinois senator cautioned that such a system could mean an increase in electricity bills from power companies that rely on coal-burning, and that some of the money generated from a cap-and-trade system may be used in the beginning to help lower income or fixed income customers with those bills.

He also called on individuals to do their part to lower energy consumption.

"All of us are going to have to change our habits. We are a wasteful culture," he said.

Using compact fluorescent light bulbs, energy efficient appliances, and unplugging power chargers when they're not in use are relatively simple solutions, he said.

"Those kinds of simple steps, if everybody takes them, can drastically reduce our energy consumption."

(This version CORRECTS Corrects thruout to DELETE reference to questioner asking about position higher than Cabinet.)

Comments

[dezzertguy]

I wonder if Gore would make Obama keep the solar panels on the White House that Bush installed? Not sure if Obama cares about solar energy or would want to be an active participant.

[cowman]

Why not?

[GarsLuber]

I guess that makes bush an environmentalist.

I have a neighbor that claims bush boy is an environmentalist because he had native plants planted on his 'ranch' when he was setting the stage to run for president.

[oscarp]

Does Obama know about solar energy? Wow!

[zippywpinhead]

what do you expect from someone who can't spell dessert right?

[GoodGuysandBadGuys]

huh, bush installed solar panels on the whitehouse? I think you're thinking of carter - and it was reagan that removed them, great citizen that he was.

[dezzertguy]

Reagan was the best president in recent history. But, he did remove Carter's panels.

[instagladiator]

But then, are those solar panels even hooked up to anything if they are there?

[Bulbul]

Is it over already ? Obama won the election, skipping primaries and all ?

[Ohg]

MSNBC has a good discussing on Al Gore in the Obama Administration - this is an example of how Obama will bring this country back together......
http://thefiresidepost.com/2008/04/03/al-gore-in-obama-administration/

[oscarp]

Is he going to bring Iraq back together? because as far as I am concerned, he has divided this country as I have never seen before in election time.

[DesertLight]

It is absolutely amazing to me how many people have signed on to the Al Gore mantra.

[FrankBlackFrancis]

Like all those climate scientists who've an unprecedented concenses? It's amazing to me that people refuse to acknowledge global warming and the lenghths they'll go to ignore it.

[humuhumunukunukuapuaa]

If I recall correctly, a majority of Americans did on November 2000.

[GarsLuber]

yes... there still are a few ludites that think jeebus will save them.

sound familiar?

[marijam]

Whoa...would Gore consider it?

[jahzilla]

In a heartbeat!!
In case you have been asleep for a while, Gore has eschewed politics in favor of the much bigger issues that affect even those who will never see the trees for the forest . . . as long as there are any forests left.

[McSurgent]

Al Gore is truly one of America's National Treasures. His wisdom and insight would greatly enhance the already incredible skills of a President Obama. Not only America but the entire Earth would find leadership in such an Administration. This is one more reason to struggle against the onslaught of supporters of Hillary who one day will thank supporters of Obama for their foresight and commonsense. Please the Planet is patiently waiting and listening for the glorious Inauguration of Barack Obama.

[ChiMan1]

See . . . just another example of BAD Judgement. Regards

[cowman]

How so?

[cabgx2]

For what, to reinvent the internet?

[GarsLuber]

another chicken hawk falls for a talking point....

yawn.

[sfpolarbear]

Idiot.

[eanderso]

It is better to remain silent and be thought a fool, than to open your mouth and remove all doubt...

[cowman]

He never said he invented the internet. He said he voted for a bill that helped make it's creation possible.

[eanderso]

We have this thing called the "internets" (hey, you're on it now) where we can fact check bs almost instantaneously. You might want to try it prior to posting next time:

http://www.snopes.com/quotes/internet.asp

[NeuvoLiberal]

And this.

Al Gore and the Internet
By Robert Kahn and Vinton Cerf
http://tinyurl.com/2hb6xk

Excerpts:

... we would like to acknowledge VP Gore's contributions as a Congressman, Senator and as Vice President. No other elected official, to our knowledge, has made a greater contribution over a longer period of time..
There are many factors that have contributed to the Internet's rapid growth since the later 1980s, not the least of which has been political support for its privatization and continued support for research in advanced networking technology. No one in public life has been more intellectually engaged in helping to create the climate for a thriving Internet than the Vice President. Gore has been a clear champion of this effort, both in the councils of government and with the public at large.

The Vice President deserves credit for his early recognition of the value of high speed computing and communication and for his long-term and consistent articulation of the potential value of the Internet to American citizens and industry and, indeed, to the rest of the world.

[HumeSkeptic]

Those still sitting on the fence, come join the excitement. Why stay with the old and tired political machinery of the Clintons? Why stay with the group more interested in destroying guys like Richardson than addressing major issues of the day? Why not look forward, rather than look backward?

This is a chance of a lifetime to join Obama and change a few things. C'mon, join us. Can you imagine, our own Al Gore on our team? Can you imagine tackling and solving modern day problems with new ideas,new technology? And no more war and no more NeoCon policies of fear and intimidation?

It is an exciting time and there are great possibilities. Leave Clintons behind. They'll do just fine. They had their days. It's time to do new things and bigger things.

Come join us Clinton supporters. Let's do it together. Let's get it done.

[uc2it]

This offer at garnering more votes by invoking Al Gore for a possible cabinet position, is so transparent. This is obviously condescending cheap politics. Like polls showing HRC crashing. BHO is only ahead in the actual votes, by what he carried in his home district. If Florida and Michigan were allowed into the process, this would be a different story. The thought of 4 more years of the GOP and another incompetent nincompoop makes me cringe. The story about Bosnia had more legs then Reverend Wright, and they're not in the same league. Sitting thru 20 years of attacking my heritage is a personal insult to me, as is, giving Louis Farrakhan, the head of the Nation of Islam any award by his church. I suppose, he didn't know that either? We'll see if the White middle class blue collar workers and the Jewish vote is less important, then the 92% plus Black vote he's carrying. That segment probably comprises 2% of the actual votes, in the blue states. Which he hasn't won. I never thought I'd get less biased news on Fox noise channel, versus CNN and MSNBC. Especially, Chris Matthews and Keith Olbermann! I think Andrea Mitchell is unhappy at home from her hubby Alan Greenspan, because she's as crazy over BHO as Barbara Walters is. Well, I guess BHO will get two Jewish votes afterall. He only has a limited amount of crony cabinet seats he can promise to get Super Delegate votes?

[oscarp]

uc2it, watch it, they can accuse you, Obamamites are around looking for sinners!!!!(for them a sinner is whoever is against his almighty leader)

[YellerDawg]

Right. We must not offend their Dear Leader.

[TheresNoCryingInPolitics]

Don't be mad at Barack because Real people Recognize REAL truth when they here it....it has been said for years REAL Recognize REAL (hence Keith Olbermann's recognition of Barack Obama)

Just like REAL people Recognize REAL LIES when they here it, Hillary.

[marijam]

Cheap politics work.

[BitJam]

Read the article. It says:

~~~~~~~~~~­~~~~~~~~~~
At a town-hall meeting, Obama was asked if he would tap the former vice president for his Cabinet to handle global warming.
~~~~~~~~~~­~~~~~~~~~~

Obama was answering a direct question.

[DarwinsGod]

Not necessarily. Obama did help introduce the biofuel act, in addition to promoting hybrid vehicles, so it can't be said his record is void of environmental concerns.

As to your comments about Wright: You obviously have no understanding of black culture in the U.S. In all liklihood you only see what most average white people see in black culture. News Flash: "Black liberation theory" is a HUGE part of black culture in the U.S. That is why young black men will respect musical artists from the past like the Temptations, while young white kids laugh at, say, Roy Orbison. Like it or not, groups that feel opressed ALWAYS band together in a "we've got to stick together" fashion. This happened with blacks, it happened with Jews (see Zionism), it happened with women (see feminism), it happened with Hispanics (see Mexican flag bumberstickers), etc ad nauseum. To chide Obama for not leaving that church is to chide him for being a black American (of course, if you are completely ignorant of black culture in the U.S. you will not see this).


Further, accusing the government of walking all over minorities is NOT attacking white heritage. It is attacking the government. And additionally, saying that "white people hold the black man down" is true in some specific circumstances, and it CERTAINLY was true more or less in general a generation ago.

Do you think parents suddenly FORGOT what happened in the 60s when they raised their kids?

Would you?

[robertell]

Al'd make a great gardener for the new pesticide free White House lawn.

[JohnhusseinCT]

Gore is a conspiracy theorist, claimed to invent internet.

[GarsLuber]

ah, yet another chicken hawk falling for a talking point.

makes you a suuuuucker!

[Outrageous]

Except, he didn't actually make that claim. But I suppose you have spent too much of the last seven years loving the monkey to have actually learned a fact.

[sfpolarbear]

Gore never said any such thing. That lie has been debunked and thrown in the garbage where it belongs.

[GoodGuysandBadGuys]

ZZZZZZzzzz­zzzzzzzzzz

[eanderso]

http://www.snopes.com/quotes/internet.asp

[The5thW]

Excellent post,

[markkraft]

Frankly, if Gore would be willing to be VP again, he would be an excellent choice for Obama.

That said, Richardson is probably the best, demographically.

[cowman]

Or Edwards.

[bish66]

Great idea, two saints with halos would make additional lighting useless...

Richardson would be a losing ticket, only topped by Obama/Kennedy. Even Reagan and Thurmond would rise from their graves to vote against them.

[The5thW]

Jim Webb is looking better to take McCain to school militarily by orders of magnitude.

[JohnhusseinCT]

Obama is a Muslim and Gore is a conspiracy theorist who claimed to INVENT the internet. What leadership!

[gotalife]

That is funny but Gore is sick of politics.

[psfurlong356]

you're confused, he's a radical Christian. I think you're looking at old emails from the RNC ;)

[knosiswar]

JohnhusseinCT is an idiot who has inappropriate thoughts about his mother.

[john85msy]

And you drink right-wing talk radio kool-aid!

[DesertLight]

Do NOT put this empty headed imbecile in the right wing camp. He would not even make a good neo-con.

[GarsLuber]

so little.

[john85msy]

Re: Obama & Clinton

No matter who wins we support each other. The way we tell is simple. If 100% support does not come from the loser and they do not campaign for him or her then we will have a problem. Until then this is good for the Party! Nothing wrong with warming up for the GOP smear machine. Clinton/Obama or Obama/Clinton. Its all good!

[oscarp]

Ask Obama about Hillary / Obama 08, will his ego allow it? Don't think so, unless he reads it on a teleprompter.

[spiritualized]

it's not about ego.
it's about vision.
hillary and barack envision different futures for this country.
it would not make sense for them to run together.
hillary wants to run washington in the ways of yesterday.
fight, fight, fight. nothing gets done. blame, blame, blame.

[eanderso]

That's dumb. It's not about ego, it's about numbers. Maybe the Patriots should "offer" the Giants a Super Bowl win. Or the Colorado Rockies can "offer" the Red Sox the World Series Championship. If you want to discuss ego, then what do you call a candidate who is trailing "offering" a position to the person who is leading?