September 27, 2007

Reunited, And It Feels So Not Awkward

In 1992, the young and handsome duo of Bill Clinton and Al Gore achieved something close to rock-star status. Fifteen years later, they're more famous and beloved than ever, thanks to their work on humanitarian and environmental causes.

Yesterday, a grayer Clinton and, uh, more big-boned Gore teamed up for the third annual Clinton Global Initiative conference in New York City (video). The dynamic twosome had parted ways since leaving the White House, thanks to a certain intern and failed presidential bid. It seems both may have put the past behind them.

"I'm very proud that he's continued in this fight," Clinton said, after talking about losing the battle to ratify the Kyoto Protocol.

"First of all, I'm proud of what you're doing... and thank you for your leadership on all of these issues," Gore responded, beaming warmly.

The former vice president even plugged Clinton's new book, "Giving," calling it "a great book" and encouraging everyone in the audience to purchase a copy.

Climate change was ostensibly the theme of this week's opening of the U.N. General Assembly, but that issue was overshadowed by a certain Middle Eastern dictator. For the past three years, Clinton has convened an array of world leaders of all political views while they're in town for the U.N. summit, and put the environment, poverty and other issues front and center.

Gore, whom the former president described as "perhaps the world's leading crusader against climate change," called on nations to fully address the "climate crisis."

"This is an emergency," he said. "I think what we need is a global Marshall plan to make the creation of jobs around the reduction of carbon the central principle for how we develop this."

Gore was addressing concerns by some nations that clamping down on emissions and other pollutants will hurt them economically. Underdeveloped nations also are concerned that the growing tide of attention paid to global warming will take the focus off poverty and disease.

The former veep and 2000 Democratic candidate for president has been instrumental in placing the environment at the top of world leaders' to-do lists. President Bush ran against him as a uniter, not a divider, and he's succeeded at that when it comes to the Democratic Party. Scorn for Gore (for not enlisting President Clinton in his campaign, for allowing the media to portray him as wooden, etc.) after his election loss has been transformed into fervor for an '08 presidential run -- despite his insistence that he has no plans to ride that horse again.

The Financial Times, Reuters and AP reported on the summit.

Posted at 10:59 AM
Posted to: Al Gore, Bill Clinton, Bush Administration, Campaigns, Climate Change, Democrats, Hillary Rodham Clinton, President Bush, WH 2008
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