Two Americas on Gore and Global Warming?

I found Al Gore's opening testimony--which I just watched--deeply stirring. Whenever I hear the guy talk, my feeling is always the same: He exudes intelligence.

By contrast, I found the behavior of Rep. Joe Barton--constantly raising petty parliamentary objections, quibbling over whether Gore's actual presentation did or didn't match his written testimony closely enough, and then trying to fight over the science once again--to be small indeed.

But the question is, when it comes to Gore, do other Americans share my perceptions? They may well not. Matt Nisbet suggests that reactions to the global warming issue (and, I expect, to Gore) break down along partisan lines. That's dismaying...but unfortunately, it's something to bear in mind as we watch the responses come in to Gore's testimony today.

UPDATE: Gore's powerful testimony is already up on YouTube, see below:

P.S.: DarkSyde at Kos kindly links this post...so, welcome Daily Kos readers. If you're interested in my take on one of the issues that came up at the Gore hearing where I've done the most work lately, and where I thought Gore fended off Joe Barton very nicely--namely, the relationship between hurricanes and global warming--then I'd also encourage you to check out Storm World, due out in July.

P.P.S.: Maybe I heard incorrectly, but I am pretty sure that at the end of the hearing the chair, John Dingell, referred to Gore as "Mr. President," rather than "Mr. Vice President"...

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Two Americas?

As long as we can keep Manhattan, they can have Washington, DC no problem there. Texas is a free-by (no, please, take it).

By Dark Tent (not verified) on 21 Mar 2007 #permalink

To me, Gore is clearly intelligent, especially when viewed in light (dim though it be) of the current occupant. However, to my mother (a Hillary-fearing Republican), Gore is a dummy. I asked her where she got that idea, but she couldn't tell me. I think the Republicans are constantly swift-boating anyone and everyone who might possibly consider running as a Democrat.

You're buying what the Nashville GasBag, the Tennessee Tuxedo, the Inventor of Carbon Credits is selling? You belong in the PT Barnum Suckers' Hall of Fame.

Joe Barton is polluting industries biggest friend. They don't call him "Smokey Joe" for nothing. See here and http://www.offthekuff.com/mt/archives/003187.html. The astonishing thing about this guy is that he will side with polluters over his own constituents. He is profoundly in the pocket of big polluting industries.

Therefore, his behavior at these hearings was not unexpected, and precidely what his donors paid for.

Chris, you did hear right. Chairman Dingell called Gore "Mr. President" rather then "Vice President" more then once during the hearing. It definitely caught my ear, a decent laugh, and went on listening to testimony. Highly doubt it was anything more then a slip.

If I'm not mistaken, it is appropriate to call a former
vice-president "Mr. President." Here in Mississippi, senators and representatives call the Lt. Governor "Governor."

Chris, did I see you driving up I-59 here in Mississippi a week or so ago?

"Chairman Dingell called Gore "Mr. President" rather then "Vice President" more then once during the hearing."

To sleep, perchance to dream...

On a more humorous topic:

Why is it the trolls always adopt the most perverted names, by the way? Do they think it makes them more credible -- as in Pee-Wee Herman credible?

By Dark Tent (not verified) on 21 Mar 2007 #permalink

I like Gore very much and I believe he's on the right track, but I have to say that as a non-American, hearing him go on about how "America is the greatest country in the world" and "America is the natural leader of the world" is quite irritating. I know, I know, it's a sales pitch, he's playing the game, whatever.

Still, it's annoying, because
a) Natural leader? Please. Not only does that sound insufferably arrogant, but, while 62 years ago we might have gracefully stood for it, given the state of US international affairs nowadays (not naming any currently occupied middle-eastern countries) it's positively laughable.

b) America's a continent, not a country, thank you very much (no, I'm not Canadian). Okay, so it's speech short-hand. Still annoying.

c) Much more importantly, this is a global issue, and that kind of parochial attitude is insulting and alienating to the people of... well, pretty much the rest of the world, really. Again, I know he's tailoring his words for the US Congress, so he's probably intentionally appealing to the basest navel-gazing instincts there (oooh, we're so great, we're responsible for the Entire World, gotta set an example). Sensible sentiment, but in no way sensitive to the fact that this is going to end up on the computers of pretty much everyone who gives a toss in the Entire World. Okay, so perhaps it's a case of priorities - convince the US Congress today, make it up to the international community later... Well then, he'd better bring chocolate. Lots of it.

I know you were asking for the perception of fellow US citizens, but given the international scope of this event, I'd say it's fair that we foreigners weigh in with a few perceptions of our own, no?

"America's a continent, not a country, thank you very much (no, I'm not Canadian). Okay, so it's speech short-hand. Still annoying."

A common error. America is the only country on Earth with "America" in the name. America has called itself that and been called that for almost as long as it has existed as a nation with a continuous government, which is longer than most nations. That term is used universally and exclusively for the United States and is recognized by virtually every living human being on Earth as referring to the United States of America. North America is a continent. America is a country.

"America is the natural leader of the world"

Though in many cases, this might be a presumptuous position to take, in this case, I think it is accurate, since the US does emit such a large fraction of the total CO2.

If we do not lead -- or at least take on a serious role in efforts to control emissions--, overall emissions reductions are likely to be significantly diminished.

By Dark Tent (not verified) on 21 Mar 2007 #permalink

Yes, I'm sure Gorw would do a lot of good by saying that America is not the greatest country on earth and no tmuch of a leader. He'll make many friends...

With regard to making up with the rest of the world? All he needs to do is be elected president. We'll be so grateful across the pond to not have to sleep under the table every night...

"All he needs to do is be elected president. "

Millions of us here in the US thought that was all he had to do last time. But obviously, there is more to it than just that. We also have to make sure that our good election officials are not robbing us blind.

I suspect one thing will be different next time around however. People are a little wiser and therefore will be a little less willing to take the crap lying down.

This may well be the only good thing that has come out of the past 7 years: millions of Americans are mad as hell and not going to take it any more.

By Dark Tent (not verified) on 21 Mar 2007 #permalink

In a year or two, Chris, will you be nitpicking the things Al didn't phrase exactly right?

Say, 1 to 5%? That might be helpful.

Do you EVER tire of promoting yourself ? I started reading your blog in hopes of gaining some insight into issues you have researched. Instead of insight, all I read is how wonderful you are, where your next interview is taking place, and encouraging your readers to check out your latest book. Your blog is nothing but self-advertisement.

By Liz Williams (not verified) on 21 Mar 2007 #permalink

Liz,

There is nothing wrong with self promotion. Even a lot of it, so long as there is something of substance in and around it. Chris has plenty of substance. His blog is so much more than "self advertisement."

A little less exaggeration, please.

Liz: "all I read is how wonderful you are, where your next interview is taking place"

I don't recall Chris promoting (or even listing many "interviews" he is giving, except if you consider book signings "interviews", that is. But he does tell people where he will be speaking about the topics that he has researched in detail: politicization of science and the intersection of hurricanes and politics.

If you want to learn more, perhaps you should see about attending one of these -- or reading about, listening to or viewing what he said afterward on his blog.

Sorry, now I'm promoting him (so you can direct your next comment at me, if you like).

By Dark Tent (not verified) on 22 Mar 2007 #permalink

Even people who aren't "blessed" by being in the broadcast reach of San Francisco's KSFO may know that this hate-radio station is a constant source of denial on climate change. This morning talk-show host Lee Rodgers had his panties in a twist over Gore's testimony and the supposed "stupidity" of consensus, which is apparently not supposed to exist in science. He says it's not how science is "done".

I guess he picked up this talking point last week, during a rant which I quote here.

Matt Nisbet suggests that reactions to the global warming issue (and, I expect, to Gore) break down along partisan lines. That's dismaying...

Well, Chris, as the author of The Republican War on Science, you would know 'partisan'!

iGollum: I certainly understand where you are coming from. The problem is that the USA has effective veto power on whether the world
takes substantial steps on this issue. If we don't do something substantial, then the effort to get China, and India to do so will founder.

Somerby's Slam of Chris was fair. He should mention what Chris has said since then, to make it balanced :)

By Marion Delgado (not verified) on 23 Mar 2007 #permalink

Flea said: "[Gore] Exudes intelligence"? The guy who came up with the "earth has a fever" analogy?

Not sure about your claim that Gore came up with the "earth has a fever" statement (reminds me of the myth that Gore claimed to have "invented the internet"), but NASA uses the very same Earth has a fever analogy.

Just a bunch of stupid rocket scientists, those NASA folk.

By Dark Tent (not verified) on 23 Mar 2007 #permalink

And then, of course, we all know what the NY Times thinks of Gore (and has thought of him well for over a decade), based on a recent front-page article which called him "a heartbreak loser turned Oscar boasting Nobel hopeful globe-trotting multimillionaire pop culture eminence,">

What journalism. I bet that one gets nominated for a Pulitzer for sure.

How far the Times has fallen in recent years: from the top of the Empire State building to the bottom of the sewer in lower Manhattan.

They must be looking in the pre-schools for their "journalists" these days (because no no one in kindergarten will work for them any more after the Judith Miller and Jason Blair MFU's).

By Dark Tent (not verified) on 23 Mar 2007 #permalink