Al Gore: Energy Crisis Can Be Fixed

Says Situation Is Dire, But Not Irreversible If Americans Start Rigorous Green Plan Now

(CBS)  Couric: We'll leave him out on the cutting room floor, but no. I was just curious. I thought it was such an interesting thing, to not kind of take that opportunity, when he's having a news conference, to say, you know, we all need to, you know, call sort of for the national consciousness … to get it together and to be aware of this, and mindful … of their consumption.

Gore: I think that the American people are willing to take a clear view of what our future requires. And now with these gasoline prices continuing to go up, electricity rates climbing rapidly, they know that the oil and coal are not gonna come back down in price. They're gonna continue to get more expensive.

And the new efficiency and improvements … that have been made in solar and wind are making them much more attractive. It is time now to make a national commitment, to switch over to these renewable systems, and then we can break free of the rising prices … from carbon fuels, oil and coal, and we can break free from our dependence on foreign sources like the Persian Gulf.

Couric: It really is multi-tiered, isn't it? It's a national security issue. It's an environmental issue.

Gore: Yeah.

Couric: I mean, it really covers the gamut.

Gore: One of the reasons why our country's had such a hard time dealing with this, is it does involve national security, energy, the economy and the environment. But there's a common thread that runs through all of them. The key is ending our dependence on carbon-based fuel. And if we grab hold of that thread and pull it, the other problems begin to unravel, and we got the answer right in our hands. It's the switch over from carbon-based fuel to renewable energy.

Couric: Let me ask you about, a couple quick political questions, 'cause I know you're on a tight schedule. John McCain is much more moderate on climate change than President Bush. He talks about limiting emission. He does talk about clean coal. He accepts global warming, says it exists. If elected, do you think he would keep his clean stripes?

Gore: I don't know. I've talked to him, and …

Couric: Let me just ask you it this way. Are you impressed, Vice President Gore, by Sen. McCain's commitment to the environment?

Gore: I think he deserves credit for having taken leadership position in years past, at a time when it was hard for people in his party to do that. I have to balance that with the expression of a little concern that in, during this recent campaign … he has seemed to move a little bit toward President Bush. But I give him credit.

Having made those early statements and having come up with the policies he used to advocate, he's got to have something in there that tells him what the right thing to do is there. I try to work with him. Also Sen. Obama, who … says the right things and has put out a really forward-looking plan on this. So … both of them are way ahead of the current administration.

Couric: John McCain supports lifting the ban on offshore oil drilling. Why, what's wrong with that? Why are you opposed to offshore oil drilling, if … it can be done in a safe, efficient way?

Gore: Well, that's a big "if." There are areas off California, just to take that example, where there are huge amounts of money at stake … with the use of the coastline. And they've had disasters out there with … offshore oil drilling.

Couric: In 1969 there was a big one.

Gore: Yeah, yeah.

Couric: But that was quite a long time ago. Hasn't the technology improved?

Gore: Maybe it has, but I think the state of California has the right to protect its coastline. But there's another issue involved. They've already got all these leases with … that they're not producing now. And the ones they're debating today would never be produced until 10 years from now.

So to say that is a solution to gasoline prices … is very misleading. And remember this. It's very easy to take that oil and just send it west over to China. The value of the dollar has been going down. The Chinese have been bidding up the price of oil, and they've been buying supplies that we used to get.

So if the oil companies 10 years from now, produce a little bit of extra oil out there, at the risk to the … coastlines, and then sell it to China, are we any better off? I don't think so. And that costs money. I believe that we ought to invest, instead, in renewable sources of energy, and abandon the pretense that just trying to get a little more oil is going to solve the problem of our dependence on oil.

Couric: Literally, a drop in the bucket and…

Gore: Absolutely.

Couric: … several years away, even if …

Gore: Many years away.

Couric: …even if oil … is found. Why do you believe Barack Obama is better than John McCain on climate change?

Gore: Well, his proposals … are clearly different. And much more far-reaching. You just line up the proposals side by side. It's really a stark contrast. And he's proposing to do much more, much more rapidly. Now of course, I would like to see more still. And I do give credit to Sen. McCain for having taken the positions he's taken. But if you're asking the question, which one is better on this issue? Clearly Sen. Obama is.

Couric: Sen. Obama said during the primaries season, there would be a place at the table for Al Gore, in an Obama administration.

Gore: Well, that's a very nice thing for anybody to say … and I appreciate it. I would not take a formal position in any administration. My, I see my role as trying to change the public opinion, out here in, with the American people, to create a basis of support that will sustain whoever is president, in making bold, taking bold steps to solve the climate crisis.

Couric: So you can't see yourself being, say, an environmental czar, helping to shape environmental policy or energy policy in a new administration?

Gore: Well, it's a really nice idea. I don't think that's the best way for me to serve my country. I think the real solutions to this climate crisis must involve a sea change in public opinion. So that when the American people demand solutions, the elected officials and politicians in all parties will then respond. That's what I'm trying to do.

Couric: What about the VP slot?

Gore: No, I …

Couric: Come on, help me make some news here.

Gore: I have many times said, you know, I have a personal term limit. Only two terms as VP.

Couric: So if he called you and said, "Al, buddy, listen. I really, really, really need you."

Gore: Well, I repeat. I've imposed a personal term limit of two terms as VP.

Couric: So absolutely nothing could get you to jump on board.

Gore: I … Katie …

Couric: This interview will come back to haunt you if you say it without …

Gore: This interview will not come back to haunt me. You can believe me. (laughter)

Couric: Really? No way.

Gore: This part of it won't. (laughter)

Couric: No, okay. Really quickly about the election, do you think that we're in a position to not have a repeat of Florida, in the 2008 presidential election?

Gore: (laughter) I certainly hope so.

Couric: But do you think … that things are in place? That the balloting has been improved?

Gore: I don't know. I don't know. I don't consider myself an expert on what changes have been made there in state law. I read articles from time to time. But I really don't know … what's been done there.

Couric: You don't think we're gonna see the guy with the bulging eyes, staring at the hanging chad again?

Gore: (laughter) I hope not.

Couric: Sen.Obama is about to embark on a trip to the Middle East. If you could give him any advice, what would it be?

Gore: Well, I would advise him to do what he's doing, to go and listen and learn and find out what the latest facts are. I'm impressed with his command … of these issues, and I'm impressed that he has taken the initiative to go and see for himself and learn more.

[actornaught]

No species survives that destroys it''s own habitat.

Ever.

There''s every reason for the US to be able to create a vibrant economy based at least in part on our generating our own power sources all the way down to the consumer level. We''re more than capable of it. Our only weakness is the 9% to 30% (depending on how you want to look at rushbots & cons) that is ignorant and ugly about letting the free market move in that direction.

[libsluv2spit]

the question is:

"how green is al gore?"

lets check his wallet..

[soloman6]

People are so angry, did anyone realize we virtually destroy our own place that we all call home- the earth? It doesn''t matter your skin color, race, or political agenda, disasters have no sense of discrimination. We have to stop fighting with each other and agree that at least on one thing that we have in common is to make this planet a better home.

[chplraj]

Let''s see Al, have you given up on the limos and gas guzzling SUV''s yet? LOL

[libsluv2spi1]

RowdyWicca2 - gop crack ***!!

[libsluv2spi1]

al gore you''re the best!!

[ssashworth]

I live in the solar house (active and passive systems) I designed and built myself, twenty-five years ago, from reclaimed building materials (embodied energy). My electric bill a couple of months ago was $58.72 for 3000-ish square feet of living space, including all major appliances. I''ll be adding photovoltaics next to get rid of that last little bit and start sending electricity back to the service provider.

IT''S NOT HARD! The solution doesn''t have to be massive arrays of anything. YOU DON''T HAVE TO WAIT for the government to come and save you. Work with the water heater already in your home. Work with the BTU''s already being delivered FREE OF CHARGE to the roof of your house, the concrete of your patio, the grass in your yard!

Stephanie Scarborough Ashworth
Design&Environmental Analysis, llc
ssashworthatmsndotcom

PS: I''ll be installing the device, next, that lets me run my car on water. IT''S NOT HARD!

~SA

[noprejudice]

so angry. doubtful that the liberal stance in this country is the source of the anger.... ignorance, maybe, as that''s a tough one to handle.

[mtracy9]

We''''re closing in on one trillion dollars spent on the Bush/Cheney Haliburton oil wars. Imagine if that money had been spent on renewable energy, we could be be well on our way toward enery independence. Of course the fat pig *** Cheney/s oil stock would not have appreciated as much, but even he shouldn''''t whine. With Cheney''''s heart in the condition it''''s in this maggot will be dead in a couple years anyway, so all those millions he made off the oil wars will be for naught.

[rowdywicca2]

republicans destroying the earth! make more money!
gOp forever!!

[libh8er]

''Al Gore: Energy Crisis Can Be Fixed''

Too bad ALGore can''t be ''FIXED''

[lorinkundert]

Al Gore can help fix it by going away and thus reducing his carbon footprint by 245 households.

[fixhist]

"Al Gore left his fleet of gas guzzling moster vehicles idling outside while he preached to the nation about conserving. "

Why he should shut CO2 emissions?

What is your qualification?
What you will feed as food to green pastures in America?
CO2 down in America will turn all green to rubish,for now enough Bush beating has been done on Oil & Gas already.

[fixhist]

"Al Gore left his fleet of gas guzzling moster vehicles idling outside while he preached to the nation about conserving. "

Why he should shut CO2 emissions?

What is your qualification?
What you will feed as food to green pastures in America?
CO2 down in America will turn all green to rubis,for now enough Bush beeting has been done on Oil & Gas already.

[rowdywicca2]

there''s no such thing as global warming, what it''s snowing in los angeles? and the ice is melting in the north pole, thats nothing!!! you think the mental recession will help?

[kerrjac]

The reason why oil demand is up in developing nations is because they''re becoming more industrial. When the US economy started becoming industrial, we had the necessary oil to fuel the economy. It''s unfair to turn our back and now deny this resource to developing nations who need it to thrive - it''s not an abstract argument, their lives are at stake. Furthermore, global warming is an abstract theory with more holes than most people realize. Historically, pollution emited from cities in developing nations tends to increase as their economies are being kick-started, and then decrease and plateau when they hit a certain level of wealth.

[kerrjac]

The reason why oil demand is up in developing nations is because they''re becoming more industrial. When the US economy started becoming industrial, we had the necessary oil to fuel the economy. It''s unfair to turn our back and now deny this resource to developing nations who need it to thrive - it''s not an abstract argument, their lives are at stake. Furthermore, global warming is an abstract theory with more holes than most people realize. Historically, pollution emited from cities in developing nations tends to increase as their economies are being kick-started, and then decrease and plateau when they hit a certain level of wealth.

[BBernsten]

Al Gore is ahead of the curve!!!

Solar energy, wind power and electric vehicles are no longer an option, but a requirement for the American consumer.

A fundamental change in our driving habits is now required.

The Automobile Industry is going to be in the same position as the Airline Industry in the next few months. Unless we get away from gas combustion vehicles, including Hybrids, the automobile industry (as we know it) will die.We need to make drastic moves. America needs to move to ELECTRIC. The vehicles are not as fast, not always as fun to drive, but the move will save Americans money (Billions) and help bring change to our automotive companies. Let''s "Be Green"!!!!!!!!!!!! BG Automotive Group Ltd. has a car that will travel 80-100 miles per charge for $15,995. Finally a car that most Americans can afford. Did you know that 80% of all drivers, drive less than 50 miles per day? This new car will cost an equivalent of $0.20-0.25 cents/gallon (depending on electricity rates in your area). Why send $700 Billion per year to OPEC (now buying up U.S. companies) when we can use this money for our schools, health care, social security for all Americans, etc, etc, etc. We can make the difference if WE change.

[jongood65]

Al Gore left his fleet of gas guzzling moster vehicles idling outside while he preached to the nation about conserving. Bad Al Gore you might say, but I''m beginning to think he actually has it right. Given this, in concert with his 28,000 sq. ft. home with a carbon footprint the size of 100 average American homes gobbling fossil fuel.
Posted by JonGood65 at 12:09 PM : Jul 18, 2008

You can''t attack his ideas so you attack him. ...
Posted by jon2012 at 01:12 PM : Jul 18, 2008

Jon, had you not pulled the classic, left wing pinko, hyphenated-American Democrat job of selectively editing my post, it revealed how I was in fact agreeing with AlGore''s plan.

Grow up. Get a life.

[jongood65]

Al Gore left his fleet of gas guzzling moster vehicles idling outside while he preached to the nation about conserving. Bad Al Gore you might say, but I''m beginning to think he actually has it right. Given this, in concert with his 28,000 sq. ft. home with a carbon footprint the size of 100 average American homes gobbling fossil fuel.
Posted by JonGood65 at 12:09 PM : Jul 18, 2008

You can''t attack his ideas so you attack him. ...
Posted by jon2012 at 01:12 PM : Jul 18, 2008

Jon, had you not pulled the classic, left wing pinko, hyphenated-American Democrat job of selectively editing my post, it revealed how I was in fact agreeing with AlGore''s plan.

Grow up. Get a life.