Gore Urges Action After Nobel Prize Win

Former VP Says Now Is Time To "Elevate Global Consciousness" On Climate Change

(CBS/AP)  Former Vice President Al Gore, newly named co-winner of the Nobel Peace Prize, said Friday he hopes the honor will "elevate global consciousness" about the challenges of global warming.

Gore, whose documentary "An Inconvenient Truth," won an Academy Award earlier this year, was awarded the prize earlier in the day along with the U.N.'s Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change, an international network of scientists, for spreading awareness of man-made climate change and laying the foundations for counteracting it.

Shortly after the announcement, he pledged to donate his share of the $1.5 million prize money to the Alliance for Climate Protection, a bipartisan nonprofit organization that is devoted to changing public opinion worldwide about the urgency of solving the climate crisis.

"This is just the beginning," Gore told reporters at a meeting of the group. "Now is the time to elevate global consciousness about the challenges that we face."

Gore had been widely tipped to win Friday's prize, which expanded the Norwegian committee's interpretation of peacemaking and disarmament efforts that have traditionally been the award's foundations.

"We face a true planetary emergency," Gore said. "The climate crisis is not a political issue, it is a moral and spiritual challenge to all of humanity."

The Nobel committee chairman, Ole Danbolt Mjoes, asserted that the prize was not aimed at the Bush administration, which rejected Kyoto and was widely criticized outside the U.S. for not taking global warming seriously enough.

"We would encourage all countries, including the big countries, to challenge, all of them, to think again and to say what can they do to conquer global warming," Mjoes said. "The bigger the powers, the better that they come in front of this."

The Norwegian Nobel Committee said global warming, "may induce large-scale migration and lead to greater competition for the earth's resources. Such changes will place particularly heavy burdens on the world's most vulnerable countries. There may be increased danger of violent conflicts and wars, within and between states."

"His strong commitment, reflected in political activity, lectures, films and books, has strengthened the struggle against climate change," the Nobel citation said. "He is probably the single individual who has done most to create greater worldwide understanding of the measures that need to be adopted."

Even before Gore's Nobel prize was announced, speculation began over whether a Nobel medal might cause Gore to consider becoming a candidate for president.

CBS News chief Washington correspondent Bob Schieffer said entering the race now would require Gore to overcome some substantial political obstacles.

“The core of his support would have to come from that part of the Democratic Party that Hillary Clinton seems to have sewed up so far,” he told CBS Evening News anchor Katie Couric. “The other part of his support would have to come from kind of the idealistic wing, that would be those voters that are for Barack Obama. I simply don't see him peeling off very much support from either of those two candidates and that would make it very, very difficult for him, it seems to me, to raise the money.”

Two Gore advisers, speaking on condition of anonymity because they are not authorized to share his thinking, said the award will not make it any more likely that he will seek the presidency in 2008.

If anything, the Peace Prize makes the rough-and-tumble of a presidential race less appealing to Gore, they said, because now he has a huge, international platform to fight global warming and may not want to do anything to diminish it.

One of the advisers said that while Gore is unlikely to rule out a bid in the coming days, the prospects of the former vice president entering the fray in 2008 are "extremely remote."

As he left the room after making his statement, Gore ignored reporters asking if he planned to get into the presidential race.

"Winning a Nobel Peace Prize is a life changing event," Dylan Malone, who runs a Web site called AlGore.org, which advocates a Gore presidential run, told CBSNews.com's Brian Monotopoli. "He's done the slideshow, made the movie, won every accolade that our society has to give. There's nowhere else to go to take it to the next level in my mind."

According to recent CBS News polls, Gore remains popular among Democratic primary voters. In a poll conducted this summer, 55 percent of likely Democratic primary voters said they viewed the former vice president favorably, while only 20 percent had an unfavorable view. In April, a CBS News poll found that 35 percent of Americans believe Gore's positions go too far in protecting the environment at the expense of economic concerns, while 48 percent believe he strikes the right balance. (Read more CBS News poll analysis on Gore.)

Gore supporters have been raising hundreds of thousands of dollars for petition drives and advertising in an effort to lure him into the Democratic presidential primaries. One group, Draftgore.com, ran a full-page open letter to Gore in Wednesday's New York Times, imploring him to get into the race.

"I think the inconvenient truth for Al Gore president dreamers is he doesn't really want to run and a lot of Democrats think that's a wise decision," said Jim VandeHei, executive editor of Politico.com, on CBS News' The Early Show. "Al Gore does not have that fire in the belly that you need to mount a national campaign... But more importantly, Democrats seem satisfied with the candidates that they have right now."

Gore, 59, has been coy, saying repeatedly he's not running for the Democratic presidential nomination in 2008, without ever closing that door completely.

He was the Democratic nominee in 2000 and won the general election popular vote. However, Gore lost the electoral vote to George W. Bush after a legal challenge to the Florida result that was decided by the Supreme Court.

"Eight years of the Clinton presidency - and one bitter campaign in 2000 - have left the two power couples estranged and, perhaps, resentful," writes CBSNews.com senior political editor Vaughn Ververs. "Another eight years later, Hillary Clinton is riding high in her bid to win the Democratic nomination and Al Gore is an international superstar."

Both Clintons, as well as several other presidential candidates and former president Jimmy Carter, made statements after Gore won the prize.

"Al Gore has been warning and educating us about the dangers of climate change for decades. He saw this coming before others in public life and never stopped pushing for action to save our planet, even in the face of public indifference and attacks from those determined to defend the indefensible," former president Bill Clinton said.

"Now the question is, will Al run?" added Ververs. "The answer is most likely no, but that doesn't mean Gore still can’t cause plenty of trouble for Clinton in the nomination fight." (Read "The Revenge Of Al Gore?")

[einsteinian-2009]

CONGRATS! WELL-DESERVED MR.GORE!!

[crater7]

WELL DONE AL!

IT''S NICE TO SEE A FORMER POLITICIAN WORKING FOR THE GOOD OF THE PEOPLE, AND THE WORLD.

AL GORE, IS WORKING TO SAVE THE PLANET, JIMMY CARTER IS WORKING TO HELP POOR AND STARVING PEOPLE AND CHILDREN, WITH HOUSING AND FOOD NEEDS. THESE ARE REALLY NOBEL DEEDS.

I WONDER WHAT DUBYA, WILL BE DOING FOR THE AMERICAN PEOPLE FIVE YEARS FROM NOW? WHAT KIND OF PRIZE DO YOU THINK HE WILL BE AWARDED?

WAY TO GO AL!

[j_flood]

He has made an impact on the environmental movement and public action by raising awareness. Does this deserve the Nobel Peace Prize? No. The Nobel Committee would be well served to honor ''activists'' or environment concerns with a separate award. However, I can see where the committee might have had trouble singling out someone for a ''peace'' award. No single person comes to mind to me. Perhaps a few groups might be put forward. Mr. Gore accept your prize with humility and skip any political gain. Stay a ''statesman'' and avoid the temptation to return to politics.

[katia327]

What an amazing honor, due to amazing achievements, for an amazing man. Now do the right thing, and bring this country back to what it was. You can do SO much more. WE NEED YOU.

PLEASE, run for President, Mr. Gore.

[nunesbras]

AL GORE may deserve a lot of prizes such as hypocrisy prize, climate activist prize, alarmist movie maker prize, but i cant see any link between climate change and peace. What he really wants is the domination as democrats candidate for 2008.

[watcher269-2009]

Hmmm, Democrats win awards and Republicans win convictions for lewd behavior - kind of speaks about the state of the nation and this administration - doesn''t it!

[baghdadshere]

Mohamed El-Baradei won the same prize in 2005, now hes helping Iranians to hide their nuclear weapons program.........
George W. Bush, the greatest terrorist hunter in history should win the peace prize not Al Gore.

[crater7]

George W Bush should win the peace prize, not Al Gore:baghdadsHere;

GEORGE W BUSH THE WORLDS GREATEST TERRORIST HUNTER IN HISTORY.

HMMMMMM, I GUESS THERE COULD BE SOME TRUTH TO YOUR DECLARATION, G W IS STILL HUNTING OSAMA, (YOU KNOW, THE MAN RESPONSEABLE FOR KILLING OVER 3,000 AMERICANS) SIX YEARS AFTER 9-11.

MAYBE NEXT YEAR THERE WILL BE A PRIZE FOR THE WORLDS GREATEST MILITARY BLUNDER. YOUR WORLDS GREATEST TERRORIST HUNTER, MIGHT HAVE A SHOT AT THAT PRIZE.

PS; G W, CAN''T WIN THE NOBEL PRIZE, "AL GORE" HAS ALREADY WON IT.

STAY THE COURSE.........

[neoconrcrazy]

George W. Bush, the greatest terrorist hunter in history should win the peace prize not Al Gore.

Posted by BaghdadsHere


bush''s prize as "terrorist hunter" ?
invading iraq where there were no terrorists?
boy oh boy the kool-aid has had its effect !

[bigsk8fan]

boy neocon republican heads are exploding today. maybe instead of coming up with bogus science they should wake up to what the world is seeing. this is good for america. we are not the stone age neocon republican monolith incapable of modern scientific thinking. no, it is just being repressed by gwb and neocon republicans. thank god for 2006 elections and thank god for the 2008 elections to come.

[liberalme]

I''m proud of Al.

Eat your heart out Bushmeister-you couldn''t win a second grade spelling bee!!!!

[goldesprit]

I would vote for Al Gore, or Hillary Clinton.

Or Al Gore AND Hillary Clinton.

Edwards is a good Presidential Candidate as well.

Gee, what have the Republicans got?

Another Ronald Reagan???

HAR DE HAR HAR!

[baghdadshere]

Mohamed El-Baradei won the same prize in 2005, now hes helping Iranians to hide their nuclear weapons program.........
George W. Bush, the greatest terrorist hunter in history should win the peace prize not Al Gore.

[nunesbras]

AL GORE may deserve a lot of prizes such as hypocrisy prize, climate activist prize, alarmist movie maker prize, but i see no link between climate change and peace. What he really wants is the domination as democrats candidate for 2008.

[iceman_1960]

Al Gore makes history:

As only the second person ever to receive both an Academy Award and a Nobel Prize.

The other one was George Bernard Shaw.

[iceman_1960]

"but i see no link between climate change and peace."
- Posted by nunesbras at 07:08 AM : Oct 12, 2007

Whenever the temperature goes up, violence, rape, crime spiral out of control. It''s called "the long hot summer."

Ask any big city cop.

[iceman_1960]

"George W. Bush, the greatest terrorist hunter in history..."

The greatest terrorist recruiter in history, you mean.

Bush''s own CIA stated that the war in Iraq has led to a big surge in al Qaeda recruitment. They''re gaining more than are being killed.

[iceman_1960]

"The Peace Prize is presented in Oslo"

That means George W*anker Bush was an Oslo-ran in the competition.

[iceman_1960]

Lets not have any sour grapes from the Right Wing about this.

You had your Henry "Peace is at hand" Kissinger being honored with a Nobel Peace Prize. So what if George "Mission Accomplished" Bush missed out.

He''s still the worst president in U.S. history. Nobody will ever deprive him of that honor.

[iceman_1960]

American Heritage Dictionary:

sour grapes

pl.n. Denial of the desirability of something after one has found out that it cannot be reached or acquired: "The losers'' scorn for the award is pure sour grapes."

[iceman_1960]

Another lie from the Bush Administration !!!!

"In Washington, Deputy Press Secretary Tony Fratto offered the first White House reaction to news that Gore has won the Nobel Peace Prize. Fratto told CBS News: "Of course we''re happy for Vice President Gore and the IPCC for receiving this recognition."

[toldyouso21]

Congratulations to Al Gore--one of the few who refused to simply fiddle while the world''s climate burned. Now to another issue that also merits attention and no one can deny: how to begin to combat and address the problems of obesity. Start with a run, Al.

[rwassel]

BaghdadsHere - Prove it. All you right-wing neocon idiots do is spout off your opinion as fact, without a single shred of evidence to support it.

[neoconrcrazy]

Just finished reading Gore''s "Assault on Reason" -
on the basis of that book, I''d vote for him. The guy definitely could be President, if he wants it.

[iceman_1960]

One of the terrible effects of Global Warming is that, according to reports, a lot of grapes have gone sour in right wing neighborhoods this morning.

[toldyouso21]

He has made an impact on the environmental movement and public action by raising awareness. Does this deserve the Nobel Peace Prize? No. The Nobel Committee would be well served to honor ''''activists'''' or environment concerns with a separate award.
Posted by j_flood at 06:07 AM : Oct 12, 2007

Actually the idea of the Nobel Peace Prize is not simply to stop wars. It is to engender an promote the sustainment and dynamic of growth and awareness for how we live and operate on this earth. Period.

The very fact that Gore is focused on climate change and the ramifications of it is extremely appropos especially when one realizes that many of the reasons wars are raging, especially between the West and the ME is due to the continued dependence on fossil fuels and the drive by America and other countries to control and dominate to assure they have access even if the resource really belongs to the country it is under.

See? Not only are we all interconnected--so are our issues. We invade and kill for oil, then lie to ourselves and the world and try to lipstick the pig by saying our cause is noble--but then, why is a part of the Iraqi political mandate a contract to assure exploration and oil rights to Western oil companies for the next 30 years? Nuff said.

[konabike]

Congratulations to Gore! If he wants to run for President of United States, I vote for him.

[iceman_1960]

In the greatest injustice in Nobel history, Mahatma Gandhi never won the Nobel Peace Prize although he was nominated five times between 1937 and 1948.

Research indicates that it was likely the Authority would have given him the Prize in 1948, the year in which he was assassinated. The committee apparently considered a posthumous award but ultimately decided against it, instead choosing not to award the Nobel Peace Prize for that year.

Source:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nobel_prize#Overlooked_achievements

[mrmazerati]

Way to go, Al.

[toldyouso21]

HMMMMMM, I GUESS THERE COULD BE SOME TRUTH TO YOUR DECLARATION, G W IS STILL HUNTING OSAMA, (YOU KNOW, THE MAN RESPONSEABLE FOR KILLING OVER 3,000 AMERICANS) SIX YEARS AFTER 9-11.

STAY THE COURSE.........Posted by crater7 at 06:38 AM : Oct 12, 2007

I don''t think so...after stating that America would not give up on finding Bin Laden, Bush turned around 2 weeks later and proclaimed that "Honestly Bin Laden is just not a priority in the war on terror" Do you really think Bush is inclined to hunt down and murder the child of some of his most loyal and profitable business colleagues? Bush probably knows exactly where Bin Laden is (like he did when he had the FBI stand down and not pursue because Bin Laden was in a hunting party with royalty from Dubai) After over 6 years it is clear--Iraq was the goal--and getting in there--bin Laden was the tool. Republicans who still support Bush or even believe there is a true war on terror need to look at our wars on Drugs, poverty and illiteracy in this country. Idealistic wars are not won, they are endured until the actions become sooo common place that people just accept the fallout and don''t speak about the "wars" anymore.

[iceman_1960]

Al Gore should have been honored with a Nobel Prize a long time ago, when he invented the Internet.



[Just kidding]

[toldyouso21]

I''''m proud of Al.

Eat your heart out Bushmeister-you couldn''''t win a second grade spelling bee!!!!


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Posted by liberalme at 06:57 AM : Oct 12, 2007


Bush response to liberalme: "I isn''t even goin'' to corespond to that remark, childrens is lurning and they can spel 2 and so is me." C average student indeed. (that is what is good enough for neocons--someone they could look up to--a C student who can''t speak English, who makes huge blunders and apeaks with his mouth full of food.)

[iceman_1960]

RE: Post by stonebog at 07:47 AM : Oct 12, 2007

How are the sales of nooses in your town these days, stonebog ?

It would have to be a Southern White Male who would be calling a Black Man "Lawnjockey."

Southern Whites arre the only demographic to vote Republican in 2006. It wasn''t enough then. It won''t be enough in 2008.

[toldyouso21]

CORRECTION:

. (that is what is good enough for neocons--someone they could look up to--a C student who can''''t speak English, who makes huge blunders and SPEAKS with his mouth full of food.)

[iceman_1960]

"a C student who can''t speak English, who makes huge blunders and apeaks with his mouth full of food."
- Posted by toldyouso21 at 07:50 AM : Oct 12, 2007

He "apeaks" ?

That always happens to me too. Instant Karma strikes me whenever I make fun of others'' command of English.

[gkc99]

A lot of the polar ice caps in neoconscum''s hearts may be melting from rage this morning!

Eat it up, Repugs! Not just a majority of Americans, but most of the rest of the world think you suck.

[crater7]

I don''t think so, toldyouso21;

THE REMARK, I USED IN MY COMMENT THAT THERE IS SOME TRUTH TO BUSH BEING THE WORLDS GREATEST TERRORIST HUNTER, WAS A PUN AT THE PREVIOUS POST I WAS COMMENTING ON. REFER TO BUSH IS STILL "HUNTING" OSAMA, NOT FINDING HIM. THEREFORE, BUSH, IS ONLY A HUNTER, NOT A FINDER. SO, LET THE TRUTH BE TOLD.

STAYYYYYYY THE COURSE......

[toldyouso21]

He "apeaks" ?

That always happens to me too. Instant Karma strikes me whenever I make fun of others'''' command of English.
Posted by Iceman_1960 at 07:55 AM : Oct 12, 2007

CORRECTION:

. (that is what is good enough for neocons--someone they could look up to--a C student who can''''''''t speak English, who makes huge blunders and SPEAKS with his mouth full of food.)




Posted by toldyouso21 at 07:55 AM : Oct 12, 2007
***********************
THIS happens to me a lot also--the ability to assess my own work, find my own mistakes and self correct and change course if need be---before anyone else can point them out. ;)

[iceman_1960]

Alfred Nobel was the inventor of dynamite.

Shouldn''t a Peace Prize be named in honor of someone else ?

Like the guy who invented the Bong ?







[Just kidding]

[theusa1st]

somebody break out the barf bags...what a joke...many more people are much more deserving. Must have bought it with the money he''s making off the carbon credits scam....

[toldyouso21]

Does this mean Rush Limbaugh did not get the nod? guess he was just there for comic relief. rotflmao

[red1530]

I wounder why CBS News is not reporting the fact a British Judge ruled the Gore''s movie is full of scientific errors. Read about it at http://www.foxnews.com/story/0,2933,301067,00.html

[mcvet]

somebody break out the barf bags...what a joke...many more people are much more deserving. Must have bought it with the money he''''s making off the carbon credits scam....


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Posted by theUSA1st at 08:00 AM : Oct 12, 2007
+ report abuse

Guess those who REALLY mattered didn''t agree with you Swastika Breath!! ROFLMAO But when you look back at History that''s ALWAYS been the case now hasn''t it? But at least you freaks are predictable... NO ONE thought you''d have a kind word to say about someone who wasn''t a member of the party or who didn''t wear a Hood and Sheet! Sieg Heil Y''all. ROFLMAO Dumb as a box of rocks!! ROFLMAO

[mcvet]

Left out left wingers -

Consult with thunder thighs (the ****)

Advises consultation with awardee Yassar (previously deceased raghead).




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Posted by stonebog at 07:57 AM : Oct 12, 2007
+ report abuse

Now THIS is your typical Southern Fascist!! ROFLMAO Aren''t all of you PROUD to call him one of your own? ROFLMAO This losers can''t post anything even close to being intelligent and hasn''t the education to even KNOW what is being discussed... he only knows he has to HATE someone... ROFLMAO Wow! My dog is more intelligent than this wacko! Sieg Heil Y''all.

[mediapreachr]

Can someone explain please what climate documentaries-usually reserved for National Geographic-have in common with world peace?
Remember when the focus was on people-world hunger,vaccination drives etc-now it''s on the planet,how vague can you get...who cares it''s getting hotter,it didn''t seem to bother my ancestors.
More land for us to cover,to grow and to expand.
This rich group of people,are looking for excuses to give each other money,grants,and honors.
There is a global drive to tax as much as possible what''s left of the middle class,on top of that ordinary citizen''s access to virgin land is restricted and fenced up for the future use of the few-you know who-and they''re asking us to accept this?what nerve!

[iceman_1960]

"I wounder why CBS News is not reporting the fact a British Judge ruled the Gore''s movie is full of scientific errors."
- Posted by Red1530 at 08:04 AM : Oct 12, 2007

Don''t distort the facts.

Nine statements, that were not called "scientific errors" by the judge, but rather "claims not backed by sufficient evidence."

Nine, out of thousands of facts presented in the film.

Gore''s film "is substantially founded upon scientific research and fact," High Court Judge Michael Burton said.

Source:

http://www.cnn.com/2007/TECH/10/12/britain.gore.ap/index.html

[mudrose-2009]

Posted by MCVet

Well something and somebody had to make it up to him for his Chad Fiasco. All kidding aside, I suppose he did bring attention to this issue and while I don''t believe he''s totally credible, the planet is warming. Whether that''s man-made or just a planetary cycle remains to be seen. But, I suppose he should get credit for alerting the world to a universal problem. However, to award him a Noble Peace Prize is the wrong category.

[nexgen99]

Let''s see, The Nobel Peace Prize. First it went to a middle east terrorist, Then to a peanut farmer and failed president, and now! its given to a eco-terrorist. Boy that legitimizes it.

[extremophil]

He should have won the "no-balls" prize.

[theusa1st]

Dumb as a box of rocks!! ROFLMAO

Posted by MCVet at 08:05 AM : Oct 12, 2007

You are just another coward with a big mouth behind a keyboard. Always spewing hate at people you disagree with. I''d like to meet you face to face and give you a little Northern hospitallity p-e-n-i-s breath. Go have another drink and get some courage behind your keyboard.