Bill Clinton

Clinton Says GOP Climate Deniers Making The U.S. 'Look Like A Joke'

David Taintor | September 20, 2011, 2:59PM

Former President Bill Clinton

Former President Bill Clinton has some tough words for Republican climate-change deniers: quit making the U.S. "look like a joke."

Kicking off his Clinton Global Initiative in New York, the former president said Americans should make it "politically unacceptable" for people to engage in climate change denial, according to Politico.

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Al Gore

Al Gore: Climate Change Is A 'Human' -- Not 'Political' -- Issue

David Taintor | September 16, 2011, 6:15AM

Former Vice President Al Gore

Climate change is a "human" -- not "political" -- issue, former Vice President Al Gore said Thursday at an event concluding his 24-hour Climate Reality Project intended to convert skeptics of global warming.

In order to have an intelligent conversation about climate change, Gore said, we need to "to start with an acceptance of what the reality is that we are actually facing." Gore compared the controversy and skepticism over global warming to tobacco companies that would manufacture public doubt about the harm of their product.

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Al Gore

Al Gore Slams Obama On Emissions Standards

Eric Kleefeld | September 7, 2011, 5:00PM

Former Vice President Al Gore, President Barack Obama

President Obama is now facing liberal criticism from a major name: Former Vice President Al Gore, the man who won the national popular vote in the disputed 2000 presidential election, and has since relaunched himself as a major environmental activist on the issue of global warming.

It is in some ways ironic to see Gore disparage a Democratic president from the left -- it was, after all, the left-wing spoiler campaign of Ralph Nader that cost him the electoral votes of Florida, thus handing the White House to George W. Bush.

Gore published a blog post on Wednesday, titled "Confronting Disappointment", criticizing the Obama administration for backing away from proposed smog regulations:

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2012

Rick Perry's Lousy Grades On Par With Past Nominees

Benjy Sarlin | August 5, 2011, 1:49PM

Gov. Rick Perry (R-TX)

Rick Perry's newly released college transcript may not look like much, but graded on a curve he's not doing so bad.

Per the Huffington Post, which obtained Perry's college records, he scored mediocre to lousy marks in a broad array of subjects:

While he later became a student leader, he had to get out of academic probation to do so. He rarely earned anything above a C in his courses -- earning a C in U.S. History, a D in Shakespeare, and a D in the principles of economics. Perry got a C in gym.

Perry also did poorly on classes within his animal science major. In fall semester 1970, he received a D in veterinary anatomy, a F in a second course on organic chemistry and a C in animal breeding. He did get an A in world military systems and "Improv. of Learning" -- his only two As while at A&M.

Taken in the broader context of presidential nominees, however, Perry looks much better. President Bush, Perry's predecessor in the Texas governors' mansion, was a famously "meh" student at Yale University and graduated with a 77 average. His highest grade was an 88 which he received in three classes. He only had one "D" however.

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Climate Change

Al Gore: President Obama Has Failed To Lead On Climate Change

Benjy Sarlin | June 22, 2011, 10:43AM

Al Gore is calling out President Obama for his lack of leadership on the environment, saying the White House has failed to "make the case for bold action on climate change."

The ex-Veep's criticism is part of a lengthy Rolling Stone essay out Wednesday that recounts how the climate change movement faltered after coming so close to achieving its legislative goals in 2009.

"[Obama's] election was accompanied by intense hope that many things in need of change would change," Gore says. "Some things have, but others have not. Climate policy, unfortunately, is in the second category. Why?"

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Mark Kirk

Kirk Cites Al Gore's Personal Life As Impetus For Climate Flip-Flop

Brian Beutler | February 2, 2011, 12:04PM

Sen. Mark Kirk (R-IL)

Back when he was a member of the House, Sen. Mark Kirk (R-IL) was one of a few Republicans who voted for a far-reaching climate change bill. That legislation quickly fueled Tea Party rage, and conservatives went on the attack against the plan's backers. So Kirk did an about face on the issue, and now blames... Al Gore's personal life for the whole sorry episode.

"The consensus behind the climate change bill collapsed and then further deteriorated with the personal and political collapse of Vice President [Al] Gore," Kirk told Greenwire.

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Al Gore

Poll: Cheney's Stock Is On The Rise -- And Gore's Is Down

Thomas Rhiel | July 14, 2010, 10:41AM

Former Vice Presidents Al Gore and Dick Cheney

Salacious tabloid press may have taken a toll on Al Gore's favor with the public, a new poll shows. At the same time, no longer being in the White House seems to have raised Dick Cheney's standing, if only from really bad to plain old bad.

A Gallup poll released today finds that Americans have a markedly less favorable view of Gore than they had three years ago. In the wake of Gore's divorce announcement and allegations that he sexually assaulted a masseuse in 2006, 49% of Americans have an unfavorable view of Gore, compared with 44% who have a favorable view.

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Al Gore

DCCC Uses Al Gore To Raise Money, Despite Assault Allegation

Brian Beutler | June 28, 2010, 10:57AM

Former Vice President Al Gore

In a bid to keep pace with House Republicans, Democrats are sending supporters a fundraising letter from former Vice President Al Gore, who's been under media scrutiny for several days after the National Enquirer brought to light an allegation, first raised last year, that Gore sexually assaulted a hotel masseuse in 2006.

"After eight years of the Bush-Cheney administration, America is now beset with major challenges: A massive oil spill in the Gulf of Mexico, an economic downturn that has put good people out of work, and a crisis that I have dedicated my life to solving -- global warming," the DCCC letter reads. "And yet, Republicans are asking for another turn at the wheel."

I've confirmed the authenticity of the letter, and am told that Gore signed off on it, making it in essence his first public statement since the allegations were disclosed. Of course, it's common for both Democrats and Republicans to use surrogates in fundraising pitches, and Gore no doubt still enjoys a great deal of support among Democratic voters. And obviously Gore hasn't been charged with, tried for, or convicted of anything. But it's hard to deny that the recent news makes him a lightning rod.

You can read the entire email below the fold.

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Al Gore

Gore Group Targets Bayh, McCaskill, Lincoln To Build Support For Climate Legislation (VIDEO)

Brian Beutler | February 10, 2010, 12:06PM

Fmr. Vice President Al Gore

Repower America, a project of Al Gore's Alliance for Climate Protection is upping the pressure on swing-vote Democrats to support legislative action on climate change.

In a spot that's set to run for at least three weeks on cable and local network affiliates in Indiana, "real Hoosiers" tell viewers to contact their senators...including Sen. Evan Bayh (D-IN)--a long-time hold out on climate legislation.

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Climate Change

Obama Meeting With Gore Today On Climate Change

Christina Bellantoni | December 7, 2009, 11:25AM

President Barack Obama and the Earth

The White House adds a new meeting to President Obama's schedule: former Vice President Al Gore.

The Oval Office huddle takes place as global climate talks begin in Copenhagen.

The White House says the private, 4:40 p.m. sit-down is "in advance of his Wednesday meeting with business and environmental leaders" about Copenhagen

Gore will attend, and Obama will go at the end of the conference.

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Copenhagen

Al Gore Also Going To Copenhagen

Christina Bellantoni | November 25, 2009, 12:48PM

Fmr. Vice President Al Gore

Vice President Al Gore will travel to Copenhagen next month for the climate change talks.

We reported earlier that President Obama will be going with the aim of giving "momentum" to the U.S. team's negotiations.

TPMDC has learned that Gore, who won a Nobel Peace Prize in 2007 for his work on global warming, also is making the trip.

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Alex Castellanos

In Quest To Reform Steele's Image, RNC Hires Republican Attack Dog Castellanos

Brian Beutler | November 24, 2009, 11:28AM

RNC Communications Director Alex Castellanos

Pretend for a moment that you're Michael Steele. You won the RNC chairmanship earlier this year, and have been at the helm of the GOP for months as it has waged a fierce internal battle over the future of the party. You also have a reputation for being a bit of a buffoon. So the off-year elections roll around, and things go OK. Dede gets Scozzafav'd, but for the most part the media trains its eyes on gubernatorial pick ups in New Jersey and Virginia and declares victory for the GOP.

You might think that's a pretty good outcome. But Steele apparently wanted more credit for the Christie and McDonnell wins. So what's a political chief to do?

According to Politico the answer he arrived at was 'fire my communications director and fill the void with CNN's celebrity GOP talking head Alex Castellanos."

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Visitors Logs

Al Gore Visited WH Four Times, But Not To See Obama

Evan McMorris-Santoro | October 30, 2009, 5:33PM

Fmr. Vice President Al Gore

Newly released White House visitors logs show Al Gore has returned to his former offices on Pennsylvania Ave. four times since President Obama moved in back in January. The meetings were not all publicly disclosed in advance.

The former vice president didn't come to see fellow his fellow Nobel laureate in the Oval Office. Gore stopped off at the White House on April 6-8 and visited climate czar John Holdren twice in April and White House staffers Kate Brandt and Brian Jung.

NY-MAYOR

Is Al Gore A Bloomberg Backer Or Just A Fan?

Christina Bellantoni | October 27, 2009, 5:50PM

Fmr. Vice President Al Gore, New York City Mayor Michael Bloomberg

New York Mayor Mike Bloomberg has bipartisan credentials and has been praised by Republicans and Democrats alike, including President Obama.

Many major national politicians are staying out of Bloomberg's reelection campaign (Obama, for example, backs the Democratic candidate Bill Thompson) but the praise is resurfacing in the final days of the race.

TPM reader DO flagged for us a glossy 8 1/2 x 11" Bloomberg campaign mailer featuring a full-page photo of former Vice President Al Gore, saying it "appears to be a strong endorsement." (It's not.)

"If Gore remains passive about this it will be tantamount to accepting Bloomberg's apparent claim that Gore has endorsed him ... or Gore is playing a political game in which he is endorsing Bloomberg, but is leaving himself a plausible denial that he has endorsed Bloomberg while he tacitly accepts Bloomberg's brochure being send in his name," DO wrote us.

TPMDC checked in with Gore spokeswoman Kalee Kreider, who affirmed her boss' friendly quotes about Bloomberg over the years.

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VA-GOV

GOP Mocks Deeds Over Gore Visit

Evan McMorris-Santoro | October 16, 2009, 9:55AM

Former Vice President Al Gore, Va-Gov candidate Creigh Deeds

Al Gore is dropping in on Creigh Deeds this afternoon to provide the Democratic gubernatorial nominee with a much-needed fundraising boost. Gore is set to headline a fundraiser for Deeds in the the D.C. suburb of McLean later today.

The pairing is a likely one for both men. Deeds has received the endorsement of most major VA environmental advocacy groups in his race against GOP nominee Bob McDonnell. Last night, the GOP suggested another connection between Gore and Deeds -- support for cap-and-trade, which the party calls "cap-and-tax."

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CA-GOV

In CA-GOV Race, Republicans Struggle to Explain Their Past Donations To Dems

Eric Kleefeld | October 5, 2009, 5:46PM

Republican CA gubernatorial candidates Meg Whitman and State Insurance Commissioner Steve Poizner

I just spoke to Jarrod Agen, the communications director for California state Insurance Commissioner and current Republican gubernatorial candidate Steve Poizner, and he sharply criticized rival Meg Whitman for having donated to liberal Democratic Senator Barbara Boxer in 2003.

"Well, the issue is that Meg Whitman did not vote for 28 years, and then her initial foray into politics was to support Barbara Boxer," said Agen. "And it is hypocritical of her to campaign as a 'darned good Republican' throughout California with a record that would suggest something very much the opposite."

However, Poizner may have his own problem that Whitman could attack, if this fight keeps up: In 2000, he wrote checks to Al Gore. The explanation here was that the donations came from a joint checking account, and that Poizner's wife is a Democrat.

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