Despite Gore's Nobel Climate Not Top Issue

[helderheid]

Former Vice President Al Gore and the United Nations Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change were co-awarded the 2007 Nobel Peace Prize for spreading awareness of man-made climate change and laying the foundations for counteracting it. (AP)

Former VP In An Effective Advocate, But The American Public Focuses On More Iraq, Health Care

(WASHINGTONPOST.COM) By Juliet Eilperin
Former vice president Al Gore's Nobel Peace Prize meant the same thing yesterday to both his supporters and detractors: He ranks as the world's most effective advocate for curbing global warming.

While an array of activists, politicians and business leaders have all called in recent years for more stringent limits on greenhouse gases linked to climate change, no one more than Gore has reshaped public perception of what was once a wonkish scientific debate. But for all that, the issue remains far down the priority list for Americans.

Through his tireless travel and slide-show presentations, captured on screen in the 2006 film "An Inconvenient Truth," Gore has inserted himself into the policy debate at home and in other countries across the globe.

"It's difficult for Americans to comprehend how Gore is one of the most influential global leaders of our time," said Icelandic President Olafur Ragnar Grimsson, who met Gore more than two decades ago. "He is influential not only for his views, but for how he is mobilizing action and awareness in all countries, on all continents."

Polls show that Gore's efforts have helped raise the profile of global warming among Americans -- an April Washington Post-ABC News survey found that the percentage of respondents identifying climate change as their top environmental concern had doubled from a year earlier, to 33 percent -- but in the public's mind, it still lags far behind such issues as the war in Iraq and health care in importance.

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http://www.cbsnews.com/stories/2007/10/13/politics/washingtonpost/main3364323.shtml

One of many reasons I'd love to see him get into the race - this would be a top issue he would tackle. RUN AL, RUN!!!

[spanone]

1. Polls show that Gore's efforts have helped raise the profile of global warming

<snip>an April Washington Post-ABC News survey found that the percentage of respondents identifying climate change as their top environmental concern had doubled from a year earlier, to 33 percent -- but in the public's mind <snip>

this should be the headline!

IT'S ALL IN THE SPIN

[helderheid]

3. True.

[melody]

2. It's difficult for the Icelandic President to comprehend what an American comprehends

He'd have to be an American to do so.

That said, I suspect it's that the average American is far more concerned about immediate issues that threaten tomorrow, not day after tomorrow. Wealthy people cannot fathom that health and Iraq would be more important, when we can't pay our doctor bills and we're worried about whether our family members will be coming back from Iraq or will die in a meaningless, immoral war.

After that, then we worry about day after tomorrow -- and I said that as a long-time environmentalist.

[IndyOp]

4. Less than 1% indicate that global warming is their top issue in the 2008 election -

"In a September Washington Post-ABC News poll, less than 1 percent identified global warming as their top issue for the 2008 presidential campaign, and a January poll by the Pew Research Center ranked it fourth-lowest out of 23 policy priorities that Americans want the president and Congress to address."

This leads me to think about how silly it is to ask people to state their #1 issue -- as if we aren't capable of thinking about more than one issue at a time. Climate change, Iraq/militarism, our collapsing economy, and health care are all my #1 issue. If they asked people to name their top 3 or 4 issues and then reported those results I would like to see that data.

Gore & The Climate Alliance need to next spend their advertising $$ making really, really clear how solving the climate crisis can help solve our other problems, too --- by creating green jobs we can return manufacturing jobs to U.S. soil, fund health care for all, and help soldier transition out of the military into private or public sector jobs.

I keep thinking of Archimedes' quote "Give me a place to stand and a lever long enough and I will move the world."

Gore has the lever (the issue of the climate crisis) and the place to stand (the Nobel and the oval office?) give him a place to stand...

Will we help him move the world?