Al Gore was a big hit on Jay Leno last night. It was hard to tell who was the biggest fan - the crowd - or Leno.
And the can't-get-enough-Gore media blitz continues. Here are a few of the latest links on the subject of our popularly elected president and his campaign to save the earth. I only wish he'd start with America by assuming his rightful place in January, 2009.
USA Today:
Truth was a surprise hit at the Sundance and Cannes film festivals, and it has been playing to packed theaters since its debut two weeks ago. Last weekend, it cracked the top 10 at the North American box office, despite showing in just 77 theaters. As it expands into 121 theaters today, Gore's screen debut is shaping up to be this summer's must-see water-cooler movie.
Liberal political junkies lament that Gore didn't seem nearly as passionate, funny or charming when campaigning for president in 2000.
But Truth director Davis Guggenheim, whose credits include the TV shows Alias, Deadwood and 24, says that while the heartbreak of losing the contested election caused a change in Gore, that has not been the only change. "I think we've changed. People are ready to hear Al in a different way now. The very nuanced, thoughtful answer — we're hungry for that now."
Admirers of Gore's film cross the political spectrum. Rolling Stone critic Peter Travers called the movie "scarier than anything in a dozen Japanese horror flicks." AintItCool.com critic C. Robert Cargill, writing under the pseudonym Massawyrm, described himself as a "lifelong, old school, traditionally conservative Republican," who nonetheless believed that Gore "manages to turn what could easily be a 100 minute episode-of-Nova snoozefest into a riveting conversation and argument on the need to reduce our CO2 emissions."
Over at firedoglake, Pachacutec tells us why rightwingers are trembling in their cowboy boots - or why the - "Pissypants Crowd Fears Gore".
The blogger at The Sideshow says Al Gore is simply the "Best one for the job," and notes that while the country would certainly not be in a continous Bush-disaster-mode if President Gore had assumed the office in 2000, the Al Gore we have today would make "a better President than the one we would have had in 2000." (The Sideshow post has lots of Gore related links.)
I would add that the Al Gore we have today would NOT lose votes to Ralph Nader, and I say that as a 2000 Nader voter.
Howard Dean wants you to thank Gore "for demonstrating the courage and moral clarity that you have in the face of the vicious right-wing attacks."
Gen. JC Christian says go over to the five dollar primary and cast your vote at Draft Gore 2008, and "make Gore do the honorable thing."
Over at DraftGore.Com, Al Gore is credited with being the "Conscience of the Democratic Party."
Sarah at Correntewire sums it all up: Al Gore "makes me weep for what we lost in 2000."
An Inconvenient Truth will be playing here in Nashville on June 23. Details on where you can see the film, anywhere in the country, are here.
Submit your questions about the film: "Al Gore wants to answer your questions in an upcoming video interview about 'An Inconvenient Truth.'"
And if you haven't yet heard - Wish You Were Gore - you may be the only one. It's hot!
Al Gore Global Warming Politics Democrats 2008 Election President Gore Tennessee Gore in 2008 Audio
