Gore: Bush Leads "Assault On Reason"

Takes On Administration On Numerous Fronts In New Book

(CBS)  Former Vice President Al Gore asserts it's time to act, to save American democracy as we know it.

In his new book, "The Assault on Reason," he argues that the foundations of the republic are threatened by today's politics of fear, as practiced by the Bush administration.

The former — and some contend future — presidential candidate laid out some of his arguments Wednesday to The Early Show co-anchor Harry Smith.

The book's subtitle sheds more light on its contents: "How the Politics of Fear, Secrecy, and Blind Faith Subvert Wise Decision Making, Degrade Our Democracy, and Put Our Country and Our World in Peril."

The interview touched on whether Gore, who's also an environmentalist and Oscar-winner might, indeed, seek the Oval Office again.

Gore laughed and pulled away, saying, "No, no!" when Smith asked him to put on a "Gore '08" campaign-style button that Smith had picked up at a Gore lecture Tuesday night at George Washington University.

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Photos: The Greening Of Hollywood

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"I don't want to invite that kind of speculation, but thank you," Gore said.

Finally, Smith held the button up to Gore's lapel, saying he wanted to see what it looked like and a seemingly reluctant Gore held still, saying with a chuckle, "Yeah, OK. OK."

But Gore was very serious when taking the administration to task for its refusal to go along with proposed European Union targets to reduce greenhouse gases.

"That's an abdication of U.S. leadership in the world," Gore said. "We are the largest source of global warming pollution. We are the natural leader of the world. All of the other countries in the G-8 are unified and support taking action to save the planet's environment for us as human beings. And President Bush is opposed to it and is blocking any progress.

"We are putting 70 million tons of global warming pollution into the atmosphere today and every day. This is a moral issue, and the fact that our country is not providing leadership and, worse, is blocking progress, should be an issue that brings protesters out, that brings people to speak their minds, loudly and clearly and forcefully on this."

Gore added he would certainly sign on to the EU goals if he were president.

In a portion of the book quoted by Smith, Gore writes: "We are less safe because of (President Bush's) policy. He has created more anger and righteous indignation against us than any leader of our country in all the years of our existence as a nation. He has exposed Americans abroad and Americans in every U.S. town and city to a greater danger of attack because of his arrogance and willfulness."

Those words, Gore told Smith, are "accurate. And I think that the deeper problem is how we have, as Americans, allowed the implementation of policies that have led to 150,000 troops being trapped in a civil war (in Iraq), just to pick one example. There are many."

In that regard, Gore points fingers at Democrats as well as Republicans.

"I criticize both parties and the system as a whole," he told Smith. "I say in the book, very clearly, that it's too simple and too partisan to simply place the blame on President Bush, because we have a Congress and free speech and independent courts and checks and balances, a free press. We are all responsible for the decisions we make.

"And if this administration persuades the Congress to vote in favor of invading a country that didn't attack us, it is important for us to look at the reasons why that was acceptable to the Congress.

"At the time of that vote, more than two-thirds of the American people had been given the impression — and believed it — that Saddam Hussein was the man who attacked us on 9/11. That wasn't true. And the fact that that case was made is bad, but what's much worse is that the immune system of democracy, our natural defenses against such gross errors, failed to work, and we have to address these underlying problems. Because whether it's the invasion of Iraq or the climate crisis or other crisis, there's lots of evidence available ahead of time that should be used to show that we should make a different decision."

Gore speaks in the book of an electorate he sees as disengaged.

"I think," he told Smith, "that's related to the fact that the American people don't feel as if they have a way to make their voices heard, to make their votes count. And for all the work on campaign finance reform — and I've always supported it — I do think it sometimes misses the elephant in the middle of the room, which is, as long as politicians in both parties have to rely on huge sums of money to buy 30-second television commercials, which is the principle means of communication in our democracy between candidates and voters now, then they're going to go to the people who reliably have that money year in and year out, and the special interests (and the lobbyists who represent them) dominate that group."

In the book, he advocates federal funding for elections.


To read an excerpt of "The Assault on Reason," click here.

To watch the Smith interview, click here.

To see Bob Schieffer speculating on whether Gore will run for president again, click here.

To see Gore interviewed by Smith on Mr. Bush's environmental stands, click here.

[jjp735i]

If Gore really thinks "it's time to act" then why is he not running? Either step up and take the lead or continue to sulk over the Rebulican theft.

[beanerman4]

"He has created more anger and righteous indignation against us than any leader of our country in all the years of our existence as a nation."

ANGER? WHAT **#$*&*$ *^*&#% *#(*#& ^#&# ^%#%# $%#$# $$%** #***&^$ *#(*$&^*** ANGER?!!!!

Great article, interview and book. Too bad our beloved King and Decider doesn't (or is it can't) read.

[mudrose-2009]

And this from a big fat cat who preaches to us "do as I say, not as I do". Good thing he lost the election. But I fear it has only postponed the inevitable. The attempt by the left wing nuts to enforce environmental controls on us the likes we have never seen before. Like Chavez, they will control private enterprise, oil distribution and your property. Look at what the left is offering us - Billary a committed socialist; RamaLamaObama, the rock star who expects businesses and individuals to contribute to universal socialized medicine, knowing full well that once government controls medicine the quality of care will diminish and the bumper sticker candidate Edwards with his head up his azz. Leading contenders out to take away your freedoms. Lovely bunch. Good luck America. When they're done with us, we're done.

[bareemperor]

Yes, indeed - that huge sucking sound in Washingtoon is the vacuum that is Bu$h leadership and heroism. Our once-great nation could be leading the world in innovation, not beating small countries for their assets.
The Ashcroft fear-color program leading up to the re-selection of Bu$h was sickening and as in-your-face as Dubya sitting through 9/11 while Cheney ordered no interception of aircraft as commander of NORAD.
There is a great sickness in America.
Gore is right to stand aside and offer suggestions - to oppose the greed and cowardice that is US politics is futile at this time...

[mudrose-2009]

Gore is right to stand aside and offer suggestions - to oppose the greed and cowardice that is US politics is futile at this time...
Posted by BareEmperor

Yup, he sure is right to offer his interpretation of the greed and cowardice that he and his boss offered us which lead to 9/11. I say he shouldn't just stand aside. I think he should just fall off the face of the earth and take the Clintoids with him.

[perception5]

Isn't it interesting how all the Dems candidates for President like to attack Bush.

Is Bush running in 2008?

And who thinks they are going to get elected by Americans when they are too busy dividing the country?? like the Dem candidates?

[cozzicon]

Partisan politics is killing us.

[gunownerdan]

The democrats and the republicans are leading the "assault on reason" everytine the lying, warmongering corporate wh0res open their rotten mouths.
Sometimes the truth hurts!

[sparks224]

Let's pretend Bush is a legitimate president, so we can all feel united.

[pared1]

GORE 2008!!!!!!!!!

Bush IMPEACH!!!!!!!!

[rushlimpdrug]

does anyone know what today's terror color is?

[mudrose-2009]

Let's pretend Bush is a legitimate president, so we can all feel united.
Posted by sparks224

You can pretend all you want. The fact remains that he "IS" the President. You, like the rest of the spoiled electorate who cannot tolerate the slightest sign of dissent are the ones that do not feel united. Its a shame that the Supreme Court had to tell Al Gore to stop counting in the Flordia districts of his choice. Otherwise he would have overthrown a legitimately elected President, of, by and for the People. Sorry, your bitterness is showing over the fact that this slime bag didn't get his way, but the left wing nuts haven't stopped in their attempts to remove him. As if they care about elections. Hahahahaha

[klifton2-2009]

Thank God the Constitution does not allow a third term, otherwise we will have an idiot forever supported by corporate interest groups and the idiocy would go on forever. Bush and gang have precipitated such a crisis of confidence in politicians that it could take a generation to remedy. Impeach the bums!

[mudrose-2009]

does anyone know what today's terror color is?
Posted by rushlimpdrug

Yup. It's the color of John Edwards telling the world the war on terror is a bumper sticker. It's the Al Gore's of the world who have tried to usurp a legitimately elected President. It's the Clintoids of the world telling us that she is going to take your money. It's the RamaLamaObamas of the world telling us we'll give you healthcare - just don't ask about the quality and we won't tell you that either. That's the color of terror. I strongly suggest the whole lot of you read Pearl Harbor.

[DaveGress]

mudrose - you make no sense. go to Dennis Miller's 'RANT' page. They'll love you there.

[sparks224]

Re-elect Gore in 08!

[micma-2009]

Bush is the absolute worst President in U.S. history.

[cadmantwo]

Mudrose! Wake up you're dreaming! This president is beyond a doubt the worst we have ever had. He is the champion of ignorance, self-deception and arrogance. And, for the most part, our special interest driven congress and profit driven press have let him get away with it. The futures of our country, our world and and of your children and grandchildren are at stake. Come on, shake off that Faux News induced stupor and wake up! We need you here in reality with the rest of us.

By the way, I am not a Democrat, I am not bitter about the election(s). I'm just a realist who's finding it increasingly more difficult to even grasp the scope of the problems that we are all facing.

[irishmail42]

%u201CThe foundations of the republic are threatened by today's politics of fear, as practiced by the Bush administration.%u201D So what%u2019s new? This pathetic excuse for a President and his NeoCon friends have been at it for six and a half years. Want recent proof. Just look at Alioto%u2019s latest Supreme Court decision on equal pay for women.

[prolegomena]

Think, then vote, then hold yourselves accountable to the direction of the nation. We did this to ourselves.

Think, vote, then be accountable.

[marcodele]

The color of terror is George W. Bush and the idiot lemmings who follow the Rush Limbaugh, Anne Coulter, Bill O'Reilly mentality of American democracy.

If you think America is now less hated and more safe, if you think sacrificing over three thousand American troops is sweet revenge for three thousand American lives lost on 9/11; if you think that a staggering deficit spending president should be allowed to hand you and your children decades of debts to pay off; if you think the "global war on terror" means the U.S. can arrest and detain anyone with a cell phone anywhere in the world; if you think being the only industrialized country without universal health care is fine; well congratulations! You're another idiot neocon Limbaugh lemming!

[aaabee-2009]

All of America bow before the God Mudrose, who knows all, sees all, and tells all how to live.

Mudrose, don't you ever tire of trying to be right at all costs? Isn't there a bit of compassion or open-mindedness left? Bush has destroyed you as much as he has anything else and it is plain sad.

You and I once had a civil dialogue where we both allowed that neither party was perfect but that it was somewhere within the compromising of each that led to the best of both.

The GOP, Bush, Cheney- none of them touch compromise, or peace, or true diplomacy. And in their blind loyal followers the same traits.

And we somehow expect good to come out of war made by these people?

[irishmail42]

As for 'mudrose's' comment about healthcare, what's the best healthcare worth if you can't affor it? And for most of us in the USA it isn't that good to begin with.

[bigsk8fan]

I think the rest of the world agrees with Al Gore. George W Bush is the world's biggest terrorist. How many countries do we need to be at war with?

[hypnotoad72]

I've not read the book and some of the snippets suggest Gore has a point... but given known hypocrisy over global warming and energy, why should I bother with him? He's just saying whatever he wants because

1. His name sell$
2. Topical issues sell$

It's a money run.

[aaabee-2009]

Al Gore continues to be a cool head when Washington runs around like chickens with their heads cut off.

It will take EVERY. SINGLE. VOTER to ensure we do not get another GOP-programmed president in '08.

[pepperp1]

The foundations of the republic are threatened by today's politics of fear, as practiced by the Bush administration.%u201D So what%u2019s new? This pathetic excuse for a President and his NeoCon friends have been at it for six and a half years. Want recent proof. Just look at Alioto%u2019s latest Supreme Court decision on equal pay for women.
Posted by irishmail42 at 10:26 AM : May 30, 20
DITTO the only disagreement I would put forth from VP Gores view is that of a disengaged electorate, I believe politicians and the parties that continue to believe this historic truth and the Rove Math are mistaken. The electorate is alive and well and engaged and will vote to rip the power from the hands of the minority fringe conservatives and their neo conservative media and the puppet presidents party and return the balance of power to the peoples. And Congress needs to look inwards and clean out the corruption in their house, the judiciary and the DOJ to make this sweep complete.

[Syndicate]

I have serious doubts about the intelligence of anyone who beleives anything Gore says. Gores arguments have been extremely simple and based on lies. They are not for the thinking man. I'm tired of being lied to. The republicans lie the democrats lie. Gore pushes global warming because he can make billions off it. If he really cared it would show. The devils in the details.

[mudrose-2009]

Mudrose, don't you ever tire of trying to be right at all costs? Isn't there a bit of compassion or open-mindedness left? Bush has destroyed you as much as he has anything else and it is plain sad.
Posted by AaaBee

I have a great deal of compassion and I do not feel destroyed by my President. If anything it is the rantings of a spoiled electorate. Like I said yesterday, you people scream and throw tantrums and hurl blame. My side is better than your and all that b.s. I'm not espousing right or wrong. I am tired of people assuming that the only obstacle to their happiness is Bush. Get a life AaaBee.

As for 'mudrose's' comment about healthcare, what's the best healthcare worth if you can't afford it? And for most of us in the USA it isn't that good to begin with.
Posted by irishmail42

And it won't get any better once government regulates it. So what's so good about everyone have healthcare and no one having any access to it? Check out socialized medicine in England and Canada.

[creeper00]

mudrose: "legitimately elected President."

Thanks for the laugh.

[Razzl]

I actually think we've turned the corner on the politics of fear that Gore discusses. Books take time to construct, and Gore's discussion deals with the situation as we were experiencing it at this time a year ago. The November '06 election was the shot in the arm for those angry at what was happening to the government under Bush/Cheney/Delay. We're past that now, as the numerous defiant postings from readers here every day show, and opinion polls seem to indicate the public is anything but cowering under Bushes' wings in the face of manufactured fear...

[rafterman1]

===My side is better than your and all that b.s.===

hahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahaha!

Oh, wait, you'e serious. Let me laugh harder.

HAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHANHBAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA!

[ezillyamused]

mudrose: "legitimately elected President."

Thanks for the laugh.
Posted by creeper00 at 10:49 AM : May 30, 2007

Here! Here!

[aaabee-2009]

Mudrose, your party is better than mine? That is the whole basis of the destruction that Bush and the GOP and the Moral Majority has accomplished.

Elitism is ugly and you are infested with it.

Exactly what I said yesterday, Mudrose look in the mirror and know why such a horror as a Holocaust could take place. Elistism and the fearful followers of it.

I have a life. It is defending my party, flawed as it is, for all the right reasons, and defending the irreplaceable lives of the Soldiers in this war of yours who are loosing their lives so you can continue to drive your car, and defending peace, which is NOT a weakness, and defending this planet which we all, including you, are polluting.

Where you and I differ, Mudrose is that I do not
defend war criminals, no matter how high their rank, nor do I support taking human life for oil, nor do I support that the GOP is ANYTHING superior to anyone else in this country.

[mudrose-2009]

mudrose: "legitimately elected President."

Thanks for the laugh.
Posted by creeper00 at 10:49 AM : May 30, 2007

Here! Here!
Posted by ezillyamused

Truth is truth. Can't get around it although Al Gore tried. Hahahahaha

[mudrose-2009]

Where you and I differ, Mudrose is that I do not
defend war criminals, no matter how high their rank, nor do I support taking human life for oil, nor do I support that the GOP is ANYTHING superior to anyone else in this country.
Posted by AaaBee

Good for you. Now since you don't read what I say, and take what I say out of context, I see no reason to respond to you further. Support your own sense of righteousness and live with it.

[infidel_us]

I care what ALGrore thinks/says only slightly less than I do the American member of al Qaeda. But I do hope he gets in the race. I'd love to see him duke it out with Hillary.

[pepperp1]

What absolute BS the President and the Congress betrayed this country and our soldiers for the special interest of a minority and a delusional belief that they, as unaccomplished as they were, knew better? This country would not have supported the invasion of Iraq had they grasped that the true intent was to clean up the neighborhood and make if safer for Israel, Saudi Arabia and the energy companies. The proof is obvious in the puppetry orchestrated on the American People by this Administration and the neo conservative media to fool people into believing that Iraq attacked us on 911 and that a mushroom cloud was a nano second possibility.

[jn122736]

%u201CThe electorate is alive and well and engaged and will vote to rip the power from the hands of the minority fringe conservatives and their neo conservative media and the puppet presidents party and return the balance of power to the peoples.%u201D
Posted by pepperp1 at 10:44 AM : May 30, 2007
------------------------

I agree with this statement with one caveat;
Under normal conditions (prior to electronic voting machines) this would be, to borrow a phrase from George tenet, a slam-dunk.

My concern/fear is that not enough action is being taken to ensure that voting machines are open to inspection prior to and during primary AND general elections plus a mandatory paper trail for recount, when necessary.

We (voters) don%u2019t hesitate to buy virus/hacker-preventive software for our computers, as a matter of fact most of us would be afraid not to.

Even the best hacker-resistant software must be continually upgraded as new viruses are written to over ride the last upgrade.
WHY are we not reading more about this BEFORE it gets too close to 2008 elections to install these safeguards? It%u2019s more than a little scary.

[ezillyamused]

I think the rest of the world agrees with Al Gore. George W Bush is the world's biggest terrorist. How many countries do we need to be at war with?
Posted by bigsk8fan at 10:39 AM : May 30, 2007

Oh just wait sk8, Bush will have us in Iran before long!

[aaabee-2009]

Good for you. Now since you don't read what I say, and take what I say out of context, I see no reason to respond to you further. Support your own sense of righteousness and live with it. Posted by mudrose at 11:09 AM : May 30, 2007

Not so fast. If you don't want to respond to me don't, but I am NOT taking any more excuses for your side. Next you will be saying, "I don't recall."

I read what you say very carefully.

I do not paraphrase anything you say. You speak for yourself, I speak for myself.

If you don't like my tone, try speaking to me and others on this site with a better tone yourself.

You and I used to speak civilly, but then you just fell into the blame and rant game like others on this site.

That is okay, but you aren't going to degrade me or my party without getting called on it.

But if you don't want to respond, that is fine. It seems you only want to unload your ugliness here with no repercussion. Very Bush, I might say. He pulls the same ***, gives his State of the Union bad news addresses, then leaves the White House, leaving Condi to take the questions and the heat.

[infidel_us]

Oh just wait sk8, Bush will have us in Iran before long!
Posted by ezillyamused at 11:17 AM : May 30, 2007

I hope he does. They need a little beotch slapping. Nicknadinejahd is getting just a little too big for his turban.

[micma-2009]

mudrose and infidel are paid hacks.


They are not to be taken seriously as they wouldn't even be here if they weren't paid.

[tuckerndfw]

Apathetic American people is the primary reason the US government has been hijacked by all manner of special interest groups, most notably international corporations and financiers.

So long as Americans refuse to involve themselves directly in the political process, the situation will remain unchanged.

The US is currently on the other side of midnight in terms of global influence and power. It is only a matter of time until the US is just another third rate, has been empire.

India will be more respected and powerful than the US within the next 25 years.

[ezillyamused]

AaaBee:
You have, by far, made the best point today. don't let MuckRose get to you. She isn't worth the font of hatred and stupidity she pecks on her keyboard. Anybody here with a lick of sense or who has read her rantings before knows it isn't worth the effort. I think you are dead on in your views and applaud you for stating them so eloquently.

[beanerman4]

"Its a shame that the Supreme Court had to tell Al Gore to stop counting in the Flordia districts of his choice."
Posted by mudrose at 10:08 AM : May 30, 2007

It truly is a shame because we would definetly not be dealing with such a horrifying mess in Iraq. Over 3000 US soldiers and counting would be here today, along with hundreds of thousands of innocent civilians. Add to that a shamefully corrupt administration of dictatorship led by General George, King of the World, Decider of the Universe, Inc.

Maybe 911 would never have happened either, and if it did, we would have continued looking for Osama until he was found and buried.

[hypnotoad72]

tuckerndfw - you do know India has been a long-standing ally to Iran? Has been for centuries.

Though the Indians did annoy the Iranians by voting against them in a 2005 IAEA vote... http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Iran-India_relations

The future's going to be very interesting.

And of course the US is a dead empire. We rely on oil for transport far more than any other country does.

[mudrose-2009]

AaaBee:
You have, by far, made the best point today. don't let MuckRose get to you. She isn't worth the font of hatred and stupidity she pecks on her keyboard. Anybody here with a lick of sense or who has read her rantings before knows it isn't worth the effort. I think you are dead on in your views and applaud you for stating them so eloquently.
Posted by ezillyamused

There's nothing wrong with my views. There's something wrong with your perception. Hahahahaha. I think you are all dead fromt he neck up. And my only comment to you is: I am revolted by the chanting of the spoiled electorate clamoring for retreat and defeat. You all do it so well. YOu sit there and accuse people of attacking your point of view and then turn around and do the same. If I offend you, I willing and knowingly do it.

[pepperp1]

....104 US solider killed in April, 114-117 killed in May so far, I belive there is no confusion on who betrayed our soliders.

[huskerarmy]

"Gores arguments have been extremely simple and based on lies. They are not for the thinking man... Gore pushes global warming because he can make billions off it."
Posted by cbscrash07
First, when you accuse someone of lying, it's best to provide an example. Second, since you apparently consider yourself more of a "thinking man," think about this... How intelligent is it to believe that we can put whatever we want into the atmosphere, as long was we want, and there will never be any consequences? The vast majority of the world's scientists believe there is a problem. Is there any amount of evidence or scientific opinion that will convince those who have a vested interest, though short term, in continuing to pollute the atmosphere or their GOPer tools? As long as greed and the bottom line is paramount, I don't think so. At some point the people are going to have to tell the green eyed monster "No!" Unfortunately, many on the right view "Big Brother,inc.," supreme provider and protector, more favorably then our elected government or even the constitution...