Al Gore is a Pimp.
"I'm Al Gore, the former next president."
I just returned from seeing Al Gore speak in our school's annual Thomas H. Kean (pronounced Kane. How Jersey. Aside-- the woman in Health Services today told me I had an accent.) Spring Lecture Series. He was pretty darn fantastic. First of all, he was generally hilarious and happy to be speaking to us. I must also admit that his speechwriters are actually better than our president's, and his speaking skills also put GWB to shame. I must again remark on how tragic it was that he did not win the election; perhaps if he'd been this darn cool during the campaign he would have attracted more votes.
"In sixth grade my teacher would teach geography by pulling a map down. One day, the boy who sat next to me, studying the east coast of South America and the west coast of Africa, asked 'Is there anyway those two continents could have been one?' My teacher hastily replied 'No! Of course not!' That boy grew up to be a drug user and a ne'er do well, and my teacher was hired as the Bush Administration's science adviser."
Of course the speech revolved around global warming, since that is the former VP's forte. It was full of charts and graphs, but I would hardly say it was uninteresting. He kept it lighthearted, and even showed amusing videos and quotes along the way. I think I actually came out of the speech better aware, and much more prepared for my [tentative] illustrious career as an environmental lobbyist.
"And as we were refueling, a man came running up the tarmac screaming, 'Call Washington!'. I thought to myself 'It's the middle of the night, and I'm refueling in the middle of the Atlantic Ocean; what could possibly be wrong in Washington?' Then I remembered: Lots of things."
Yet, his speech wasn't all amusing anecdotes. Gore spoke volumes about needed to protect our planet and ended with a very moving little speech about how we're merely a speck of dust in a sunbeam. Yet, he said, here wars were fought. Heroes conquered. Empires rose and fell. Famines, disease, progress; the entire scope of our history occurred here. I can't do his ending justice, but for those moments I thought that perhaps he wouldn't have done the piss poor job guiding our country after 9/11 that everyone feared. He's a good leader, and an excellent speaker.
All right, it wasn't all good. He misquoted the Federalist Papers, naming a quote he said was from Federalist 41 (it was most definitely from 10.) I don't think, however, this was a grave error; the quote was correct and it was during the question portion so that alone impressed me. Sometimes he dragged a bit, but global warming is only so interesting, and he did try to liven it up the best he could.
I feel it's probably easier for him to be open, because he doesn't have to fear reelection. Yet, I found him honest and refreshing, smart and capable. He didn't insult the Bush Administration, even when a question was specifically asked that would have allowed him to. Instead he simply reminded us that many people just don't care about facts, and many politicians find it easier to appeal to hearts rather than minds. He said we need a change; that people need to stop bashing characters and start passing laws, and with that I agree wholeheartedly. He hoped the change came from what he called the "cowardly" Democratic Party; but he also admitted what we need now is a real partisan team effort.
We actually have the technology to fight global warming, and it really won't hurt the economy. So why is Al Gore the only one doing anything about it?
I have years of facts I could spit out, but I'll save those for the suits in DC.
Speaking of suits, Mr. Gore's cost more than my life. And it was excellent.
Ta,
Jessica
I just returned from seeing Al Gore speak in our school's annual Thomas H. Kean (pronounced Kane. How Jersey. Aside-- the woman in Health Services today told me I had an accent.) Spring Lecture Series. He was pretty darn fantastic. First of all, he was generally hilarious and happy to be speaking to us. I must also admit that his speechwriters are actually better than our president's, and his speaking skills also put GWB to shame. I must again remark on how tragic it was that he did not win the election; perhaps if he'd been this darn cool during the campaign he would have attracted more votes.
"In sixth grade my teacher would teach geography by pulling a map down. One day, the boy who sat next to me, studying the east coast of South America and the west coast of Africa, asked 'Is there anyway those two continents could have been one?' My teacher hastily replied 'No! Of course not!' That boy grew up to be a drug user and a ne'er do well, and my teacher was hired as the Bush Administration's science adviser."
Of course the speech revolved around global warming, since that is the former VP's forte. It was full of charts and graphs, but I would hardly say it was uninteresting. He kept it lighthearted, and even showed amusing videos and quotes along the way. I think I actually came out of the speech better aware, and much more prepared for my [tentative] illustrious career as an environmental lobbyist.
"And as we were refueling, a man came running up the tarmac screaming, 'Call Washington!'. I thought to myself 'It's the middle of the night, and I'm refueling in the middle of the Atlantic Ocean; what could possibly be wrong in Washington?' Then I remembered: Lots of things."
Yet, his speech wasn't all amusing anecdotes. Gore spoke volumes about needed to protect our planet and ended with a very moving little speech about how we're merely a speck of dust in a sunbeam. Yet, he said, here wars were fought. Heroes conquered. Empires rose and fell. Famines, disease, progress; the entire scope of our history occurred here. I can't do his ending justice, but for those moments I thought that perhaps he wouldn't have done the piss poor job guiding our country after 9/11 that everyone feared. He's a good leader, and an excellent speaker.
All right, it wasn't all good. He misquoted the Federalist Papers, naming a quote he said was from Federalist 41 (it was most definitely from 10.) I don't think, however, this was a grave error; the quote was correct and it was during the question portion so that alone impressed me. Sometimes he dragged a bit, but global warming is only so interesting, and he did try to liven it up the best he could.
I feel it's probably easier for him to be open, because he doesn't have to fear reelection. Yet, I found him honest and refreshing, smart and capable. He didn't insult the Bush Administration, even when a question was specifically asked that would have allowed him to. Instead he simply reminded us that many people just don't care about facts, and many politicians find it easier to appeal to hearts rather than minds. He said we need a change; that people need to stop bashing characters and start passing laws, and with that I agree wholeheartedly. He hoped the change came from what he called the "cowardly" Democratic Party; but he also admitted what we need now is a real partisan team effort.
We actually have the technology to fight global warming, and it really won't hurt the economy. So why is Al Gore the only one doing anything about it?
I have years of facts I could spit out, but I'll save those for the suits in DC.
Speaking of suits, Mr. Gore's cost more than my life. And it was excellent.
Ta,
Jessica