Obama, Gore To Meet Privately In Chicago Tuesday

WASHINGTON — President-elect Barack Obama and Vice President-elect Joe Biden planned to meet privately with former Vice President Al Gore in Chicago Tuesday, Obama's transition office said.

In a statement, Obama spokesman Nick Shapiro said the three men would "discuss energy and climate change and how policies in this area can stimulate the economy and create jobs."

Democrats familiar with the meeting said it was not intended to be a discussion of whether Gore might take a position in the Obama administration.

Gore served two terms under President Clinton and ran for president in 2000. He lost to Republican George W. Bush in a disputed election that was settled by the U.S. Supreme Court.

Since then, Gore become a leader in the movement to draw attention to the issue of climate change and global warming. He won the Nobel Peace Prize for his work in 2007. His documentary film on climate change, "An Inconvenient Truth," won an academy award the same year.

Gore has also become very wealthy thanks to lucrative partnerships with Google and Apple.

The former vice president endorsed Obama in June, shortly after he clinched the nomination after a long primary battle with Hillary Rodham Clinton.

Obama has counted Gore as an adviser on climate change and has pledged to use part of his proposed economic stimulus package to develop alternative energies and "green" technologies aimed at creating jobs making the U.S. more energy efficient.

Comments

[bioluminescence]

Al Gore is way beyond being an administrator. He's achieved the rockstar, celebrity, icon status of a Jacques Cousteau. Now is not the time to bring him to earth to shuffle papers.

I would urge Obama to create a new Commission under Gore's leadership to involve the best minds from worldwide academia to create on paper a model city of, say 500,000 that is self sufficient, self sustaining, environmentally sound, and that can work in the real world if it is based on the impetus of free government land and private ownership.

Then he, along with the army corps of engineers, using equipment built by re-converted assembly lines in Detroit can build the city somehwere in the underpopulated, underdeveloped areas of mid-America.

That would be a way forward for Gore, America and the planet.

[leevntheus]

Gore EPA Gore Energy I can't wait to watch neoconchur­chfasciste­arthatingb­igotwifebe­aters squirm whine and complain for at least the next eight years

ya know ifn their prez W had been just a wee bit easier to work with the last eight years, maybe the end wouldn't be so near for them....

but alas...now that we and the rest of the world knows the MO of the big GOP...weee­llllll....­..

go ahead take your trillions and crawl in your hole in DUBAI and live in your fantasy world....w­e're movin on...see ya on Mars...

[LeftLeanWing]

Obama: " Hello Al"
Gore....: " Hello President Elect Obama..

Obama:" So Al, give me all the dirt on the Clintons "
Gore..... " You got on your boots ? "

[cornagainstsorcery]

This comment is fired.

[StopGlobalWarmingBeVegan]

I hope they discuss about becoming vegetarians. If those two become vegetarians, the world will be saved by their examples.

[weatherwaxx]

No. Sadly, at this point, they would be discredited for being unmanly. Look at Dennis Kuchinich.

I've ben vegetarian for about 25 years, but the general American public is still addicted to dead animals and is as defensive as an addicted smoker to criticism of a really bad, dangerous habit.

On the good side, vegetable protein is a lot cheaper and the economy will create more semi-vegetarians.

[DaveC19]

But I love eating dead animal muscle. It is so delicious. I can't help it, it is just the way evolution made me.

[Fongenie]

You're cute.

[SydneyS]

(Part Two)

For Carter, not getting the hostages killed his chance for being reelected. For Regan, not allowing Carter to get the hostages insured his election victory.

Carter, I could imagine, saw the blood of the tortured and killed Iranian military officers dripping from the new President’s hand, as it was put on the bible.

Reagan, I could imagine, could not believe that the GOP won back the White House so soon after Nixon’s disastrous fall.

And the hostages, or the pawns, of this shameless game; they are barred, or blocked repeatedly, from suing Iran. Their latest attempt, and perhaps last, was killed by GW Bush.

[Axlotl]

PleaseGoreheadEPA, PleaseGoreheadEPA, PleaseGore­headEPA...­. He might *almost* undo the damage the braindead rightwing rapists have done for the last 8 years.

[hypnotoad72]

http://img.timeinc.net/time/photoessays/2007/gore_life/20.jpg

http://www.time.com/time/photogallery/0,29307,1622338_1363003,00.html

Look at the man and all the electronic items in use. Does it look like he's conserving, what with THREE large computer monitors for which he is looking at but one, not to mention the bigger TV turned on in the background he cannot possibly be paying attention to.

Forgive me. I still have some doubts. (since then he's probably removed 2 monitors and turned the TV off, and I myself once had a dual monitor system but didn't care for the waste of desktop space... and electricity as it costs a lot these days. Leaning how to use my computer efficiently, such as hitting the "minimize" button to the taskbar helped. Do Macs have taskbars and minimize buttons?

[Axlotl]

Man, are you willfully ignorant, or what? Yes: a 120lb goatherd in South Africa has a MUCH smaller carbon footprint than Al Gore, however NO ONE PAYS ATTENTION TO THE GOATHERD.

[Hawka]

How exactly do you expect him to accomplish anything then? Send telegraphs?

[Rosanneofpgh]

carrier pigeons, maybe.....­.

[weatherwaxx]

Are you for real?

[rebelzz]

President-elect seems to be everywhere! He's so hardworking. Jan 20 can't come soon enough. :D

[SCG]

They need to discuss this technology, which removes CO2 and heavy metals from fossil fuel emissions.

"The Baking Soda Carbon Fix " - by Nichole Wong Mother Jones magazine Nov/Dec 2008 Issue

"If the Austin-based company Skyonic has its way, we will one day have tons more baking soda on hand that could fill cakes or fight fridge odors. CEO Joe David Jones, a carbon capture and sequestration (CCS) pioneer, discovered a simple process to turn power plant carbon dioxide emissions into the ubiquitous household powder. His "SkyMine" technology combines a plant's emissions with lye—created on-site with little more than salt, water, electricity, and waste heat from the plant—to produce food-grade baking soda.

The byproducts are hydrogen and chlorine from lye, which plants can sell for a profit along with the baking soda. The process removes 97 percent of the heavy metals that power plants belch, and 99 percent of acid-rain gases, meaning companies can offset costs by bypassing expensive scrubber systems and avoiding carbon emissions taxes."

Continues: http://www.motherjones.com/news/featurex/2008/11/bright-idea-baking-soda.html

[HerbTee]

I said it many months ago on HuffPost that if he were to win, perhaps Obama should strongly consider Al Gore as an "Energy Czar" who works directly within the Cabinet. I got some laughs and some "no way" comments from my fellow HPers about it...LOL. But I am glad to see something brewing between Obama and Gore for the possibility.

[Pat15]

I hope Obama does not bring Gore in his administartion ..Gore is a big hyperbole ...How he manged to lose the 2000 election when economy was so good ...& chose Liberman as his running mate ...Gore just go away ...

[Hawka]

Oh c'mon, it was stolen and you know it. I'm sure you must have enjoyed that last 8 years of a Gore less presidency then...

[NC1432]

Yes.......­..I have......­Pat was right.....­...Gore should have won by a landslide.­......and if Gore is so much more of an intellect than Bush......­.why didn't he clean his clock in the debates...­....Obama will be a much better prez than Gore ever would.....­...

[mec57]

Gore lost because the Repubs cheated...­HELLO!

[hypnotoad72]

You mean Nader had nothing to do with it or the Supreme Court?

How many more excuses can be made? Gore ran a pathetic and unenthusia­stic-appea­ring campaign in 2000; only Nader's was less animated - to the point I thought Nader was a robot posing as a human.

Once he lost, that's when he decided to become... enthusiastic. Pity he didn't BEFORE voting day.

He also had to deal with the repercussions of slick Willy; now we know how he got that nickname..­.

[postman606]

He also lost because Clinton got caught cheating.

[hypnotoad72]

More like "hypocrite". Snopes.com pointed out GWB's ranch is far greener than Gore's energy thirsty home, and this:

The company he's been on the board of directors for all these days and despite his presence, that company had been getting flak over environmen­t-unfriend­ly products; with the input of GREENPEACE finally drawing the straw that got that company to turn around. Even DELL got into the green routine long before Apple. That's a yellow flag, if not a red one. Didn't Mr Gore have any clout that Steve Jobs cared about since 2003? Why did it take consumers and environmental organizations to get Apple to turn around (2007)?

www.computertakeback.org has a page devoted for Apple under 'corporate responsibility' - assuming it's still there, a timeline of events (that were also delayed). http://www.computertakeback.com/corporate_accountability/ if I recall rightly...

True, Mr Gore's talk of the problem is in all legitimate. People have fathomed such theories since the 1950s.

True, I've woken up in that Mr Gore's idea of carbon credits isn't as bad as I once thought it was.

But despite being on the board of directors, all those (in)actions on Apple's board or the disbelief of his fellow board members to have Apple clean up their act before consumers and environmental groups, again including even the over-the-top fringe sort like Greenpeace­... The President-Elect has made some shrewd decisions, but this is the first time I must disagree.

[canucklivinginUSA]

Disagree on what? No where did he indicated that he would Al Gore for any positions. Those who say so are simply getting their panties wet and speculating

[weatherwaxx]

Right... he won the Nobel Prize because he's so ineffective.

Do you know what "hyperbole" is?

Pat15, just go away...

[MCpiano]

This is scary. Obama meets with Al gore, whose global warming nonsense has pretty much been discredited from climate scientists around the world.

The war against global warming is definitely and unnecessary war that we do not need.

[DontJustFollow]

hold on there a second Mcpiano or what ever your real name is - Al Gore won an OSCAR for his role in Global Warming. You can run all your scientists out there all you want. AL has a friggin' OSCAR -

Done and done...

[ricitizen]

Well that Nobel Prize pretty much out does the OSCAR.

Gore is the recipient of a number of awards including the Nobel Peace Prize (together with the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change) in 2007, a Primetime Emmy Award for Current TV in 2007, a Webby Award in 2005 and the Prince of Asturias Award in 2007 for International Cooperation. He also starred in the 2006 documentary An Inconvenient Truth, which won an Academy Award in 2007.

[Hawka]

Nobel peace prize man, and to the poster above, I could give you a dozen or so climate scientist who says Global Warming is happening around the world.

[Hawka]

A dozen for every scientist you name I mean.

[SydneyS]

I let "your own man" answer the question!

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2008/12/08/epa-chief-on-religion-and_n_149433.html

I really think, If idiots could fly, WARshington, under W, would be the biggest airport!

[canucklivinginUSA]

Its funny, that is not what all the other scientists are saying

[HomeoftheFree]

Let's say the war on global warming is unnecessar­y....but what about the environment? Did you know that young girls are developing sooner because of all of the hormones in milk? Our water supply is full of drugs even after it has been through the treatment plants. You are probably full of anti-depressants and don't even need them. Nothing has been done! Our children are paying the price because of the neglect of our government.

[Kula]

For goodness sake. Stop being scared all of the time. We live longer, we have more to do about the environment, but are far ahead of where we were 25 years ago. If you want to dictate to your family what they can and cannot eat (milk, water), where they can play, go right ahead. While you're doing it keep your hands out of my pocket and you can pray to your climate god whenever and wherever you want.

[Axlotl]

Discredited? By what, a good 1 out of 1000 "scientists?" Seriously, "Cite, or shut up." And I don't mean Freepers.comm" either.

[MCpiano]

The internet is full of articles and information about reputable scientist who dispel the myth of global warming. If you are truly interested you can Google it, or start here:

http://www.globalwarminghoax.com/news.php

[cheforacle]

No you are scary. Your ignorance is scary. Like the papacy who excommunicated Galileo. The proof has been and is overwhelming. Everyone who listens to scientists including the power companies knows its real. In 1990 dozens of countries signed a treaty to address the matter. The science was clear then as it is even moreso now. Why would these countries (many of these signatories have more to pay economically than to gain in the short term) have signed this treaty and why does every country, other than N. Korea, recognize its a threat? The issue has been decided. Whether your skepticism just has to do with your hatred of Gore or your reluctance to discard the GOP myth that the phenomenon does not exists no longer matters. You are telling a huge whopper. You should be ashamed of yourself.

[DontJustFollow]

One thing for sure, it will be cold and it will snow in Chicago on Tuesday. Also, Gore will limo in from his private jet -

The Gore Effect strikes again - - -

[cheforacle]

Where do you get your info about his travel methods? If you made this up in your imagination, why kind of a person does that make you?

[KatDawgATL]

I really don't get all the Jimmy Carter Hate. We've had a lot worse presidents.

[SydneyS]

There is an active and covert campaign going on against President Carter to tarnish his image and thus diminish his message of peace in retaliation for what he called “the apartheid” committed by Israelis against the Palestinian.

[DontJustFollow]

I think more people are still ticked about the way he let Iran hold our people hostage, run-a-way inflation, the oil embargo, 20% interest rates, billy beer, and near record unemployment.

Habitat for Humanity is a fantastic rebound, but those of us that witnessed his 4 years first hand are still amazed at how bad a job he did while in office.

[SydneyS]

Offer him the 'Secretary of Energy' post, PLEASE PLEASE PLEASE PLEASE.
FOR GOD SAKE, PLEASE DO IT.

[kevenseven]

Oh, for God's sake.

Al won't take a regular job. He got burned bad and wants no more part of this mess.

[SydneyS]

I think, for an issue as important as this, he will do it!
I said 'please' as many times as my keyboard allowed!

[SantaFeConservative]

Plus he's making a fortune from his phony carbon credits.

[DontJustFollow]

Also he has earned over $200M since leaving office and becoming the CEO of the Global Warming scheme. Now he is just getting teh new Climate Change corp. going - -Obama has something like $30M left from his campaign and Al is not going to bite for less than $100M is my guess -

[hypnotoad72]

He did - he later went on Apple's board and ensured customers and fringe environmental outfits had to whine and complain to get the company to finally join the green bandwagon.­.. pity Mr Gore had been on the board for 4 YEARS before anything started to change. Indolence, greed, or apathy, which? "Think globally, act locally", right? He didn't. How can I believe his claims? What piece(s) of information am I missing?

[SydneyS]

...and, Mr. President-elect, while you are at it, PLEASE offer the ‘Secretary of Agriculture’ post to Michael Pollan (who was the Executive Editor at Harpers for many years and currently writes for New York Times Magazine, and is a Knight Professor of Journalism at UC Berkeley).

PS:
Bloggers: Check out his books... (My favorite: In Defense of Food).

AGAIN, FOR GOD’S SAKE, MR. PRESIDENT ELECT, PLEASE DO IT!

[Z2221344]

No. Dr. Chu is a better pick. He understands the science at the most detailed of levels. Give Gore a position (if he wants one) such as a Climate Change Czar... but put someone with the scientific creditials in char

[canucklivinginUSA]

YES, YES, YES

[SydneyS]

You got a point there. A very good point in fact.

But I really think, aside from the knowledge about the energy crisis and the global warming, Gore’s experiences as a former Congressman, then as a former Senator, and later as our 45th VP, not to mention his “winning” of the 2000 “stolen Presidential election”, will help him with the needed maneuvering one needs to get things done in Washington.

Dr. Chu, as a nice and a calm scientist, will be eaten alive! Don’t you know that Washington is packed with man-eating wolves and “con”-artists?!

Speaking of “con”, since the opposite of “con” is “pro”, than to opposite of “pro”gress, sadly enough’ is “con”gress!