Al Gore Defends Joe Lieberman: "Right And Forceful On Many Of The Issues" (VIDEO)

Al Gore sat down for an interview with MSNBC's Rachel Maddow, and the first segments aired on her eponymous show last night. One interesting exchange was about whether Gore, a progressive icon, had had any changes of heart regarding his friend Joe Lieberman, who is loathed by progressives.

Maddow noted that his former running mate has changed his politics pretty significantly since the race in 2000 - "He's an independent now. He is now personally threatening to be the guy who kills health care reform." In hindsight, does Gore regret choosing Lieberman as his running mate and in the process dramatically raising his political profile?

Gore: The short answer is no. We were very close friends in the Senate. We're still friends. He was right and forceful on many of the issues I felt were central, including global warming. He's been of the leaders on that issue. On women's right. On a whole range of issues. I disagree with him on a lot of the issues that have become more prominent since then, but I would urge people to wait until the denouement of this health care debate to see where it falls out because I do believe that Harry Reid is going to be successful in passing it very soon.

Gore is also confident that despite the odds the Senate will pass climate and energy legislation before the world-wide climate change meeting in Copenhagen.

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Comments

[Justtellthetruth]

But folks, Joe Lieberman has got a plan for America.

He is going to help get us into another war, like the first one he helped start in Iraq, in Iran. There will be SO many casualties from that one, that it will take a LOT of pressure off the over burdened healthcare system, lowering prices. Even better, that war will spark an oil based depression (much more like the 30s in comparison) and a lot of dead weight (like you,me , and our families and everyone we know) will be removed from the system because it will be FAR too expensive for most people when there is 30 or 40% unemployment and massive economic devastation.

But we will all be keeping fit anyway, by either fighting in the decades long wars in the middle east, or trying new fun, healthy recipes, like figuring out a way to make bread from grass clippings.

[tompoe]

Gore needs to rethink his standards for what a friend is.

[HenryGuo]

In this fast changing world everything is changing fast, so is Lieberman.
(henryguo2­[e-mail]­t)

[Black Knight]

Al Gore you are a saint, if I were in your shoes, I would bitter and never forgive how Lieberman for how he stabbed you in the back as VP.

[majesty]

Did I hear it right that Gore didn't say: "I do believe that Harry Reid is going to be successful in passing it very soon. " but: "I do believe that Harry Reid is going to be successful in passing it *fairly* soon."

If so, then it's one of the examples why HuffPost still can't call itself a serious medium. Because they hardly ever seem to check and double check.

[mmgbizgirl]

Al, Joe's a snake. He doesn't treat you like sh - it. He treats the rest of the country like it.

[Ventura Co California]

People want to go overboard on saving the planet? Try not to breath at all of maybe just off yourself. You've just cut your carbon footprint to the best it could ever be then. Or don't have children, That's a huge one for saving the planet.

[Catfish1968]

Is that the best you can do?

[D0gb3rt]

He's right about the kid thing. Where he's going with it, I can't really say.

[spiralskydancer]

greetings...never could figure our why Gore picked Lieberman...now I know...he liked him!.....scarey to think Lieberman came so close to being a heartbeat away from the nuclear button....and he is still hanging around....almost got to be McCain's running mate....and may yet end up having a hand in a nuclear catastrophe in the middle east.....yikes!

[yellowdogminnesotan]

Oh what a better position we would be in if ALL the votes in Florida had been counted!

[Ventura Co California]

I that like saying it would of been better if ACORN didn't exist for the last election? I think it is.

[Catfish1968]

and you'd be wrong.

Get new talking points, these'ns are tired.

[swift goat pet for truth]

So true.
America would be so much better if we just let the really rich vote.

In fact, we should give Corporations their own Congressmen and Sentators.

Oh, wait. We do that already. We call them GOPers.

[Tanyars5]

Refresh my memory, why did he win a Nobel Peace Prize?????

[MakeAWish]

Because he invented the internet.

[yellowdogminnesotan]

Because he didn't start to wars, one based on lies and treason, that cost the American Tax Payer over a trillion dollars, and tens of thousands of lives.

[Ventura Co California]

To? Try the number Einstein.

[oceanofconsciousness]

Can we just call Lieberman for what he is? He's not Democrat. He's not an Independent. He's a Republican. But as an "Independent" who some fools still think of as a Democrat, he knows how to play both sides of the fence to get what he wants. He wants to be the spoiler and kingmaker all at the same time.

[ampersand59]

You all fail to recognize that Lieberman is neither an Independent, Democrat or Republican: Lieberman is a Leiberman. An attention seeker. He seeks attention by making threats and off the wall statements to get both parties attention and being "in essence" no place in the Senate he has to show that he is still relevant. His chairmanship is at the behest of the Democrat so when he barks you have to ask the question; what he wants now? He knows that once he is thrown from his chairmanship he becomes backbencher and the senate Republican will never accept him the way the Dems does only to use him occassionally, so don't worry let's see howJoe fairs out with this one.

[jche]

I'm for curbing CO2 emissions - I'm just not sure that Al is the guy to be the front man. It makes the whole cause seem sleazy. He's making way too much money championing the cause and is working full tilt in the background to set up companies that handle the carbon brokering.

[Ramsis]

once again my post are not printed. you have a post Limbaugh for this article.ok i get it why even try.

[MakeAWish]

Carbon credits? Right! Bogus!

[swift goat pet for truth]

because... Faux Noose told you that?

[MakeAWish]

I guess there are winners and losers. We know Lieberman is one for sure.