UPDATE: Some commenters seem to think Al is being treated unfairly. Gore press policy might be the reason we see this sort of thing happening. See the update below the “read more” line.
Seems that former Vice President Al Gore doesn’t like the cameras when people ask tough questions about the Arctic Sea ice, or Climategate, or er, anything. Lunch is more important than telling those pesky Fox News viewers how wrong they are.
Ambush journalism? Seemed good enough for CBS 60 minutes back when they were a real news program. Watch the video.
Alternate link if you are having trouble seeing the first:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LmzCY-9lo6g
Here’s Al on the “ambush journalism” 60 Minutes show when the conditions are favorable to him:
No, Al would never associate himself with an outfit that does “ambush journalism“.
===================================================
UPDATE: Some WUWT readers may remember this post I did back in 2008:
Gore to press: Stay Out!
Credit: Robert Vamosi / CNET Networks
One blogger, Tim Wilson, with press credentials writes:
Gore, who reportedly receives $100,000 for personal appearances, apparently has a standard contract that bans the fourth estate from all of his speeches. No one seems to know why, and we can’t ask — on account of we’re out here, and he’s in there.
So with such a policy and contract language, is it any surprise that Gore would not talk to a Fox News reporter and the only opportunity the reporter had would be in a hallway?
Gore’s Contract:
http://www.thesmokinggun.com/archive/years/2007/0717071gore1.html
I’m perplexed as to why anyone feels sorry for Al Gore. He’s made bucket loads of money out of the AGW scam, and will continue to do so as long as the AGW hoax remains alive. Feel sorry for the starving millions who will die as a result of the scam.
@ur momisugly Richard Hill (16:30:57) :
“I know some politicians and they are decent folk. The problem for politicians, Al Gore included, is that they have to, MUST, listen to advice. The advice from reputable scientific organisations is consistent. Should a politician ignore the APS, Am Met Soc, NAS,,,UK Royal Society,,,,”
Perhaps, but at some point, if one is a politician, or anything else with a brain, one is obliged to think for themselves. I’m one of those optimists that believe one day critical thinking will be re-engaged. One day.
On an different note, big Al is no longer a politician. He’s simply a business man(putting it as politely as I can). In days gone by, in the U.S., people engaged in selling uniformed people all sorts of things. Snake oil to remedy what ails a person would be one example. Rain men, they convinced people they could make it rain during a drought, would be another. In Europe, people were sold absolution to various sins. Brother Al is simply a combination of all. On one level, you’re correct. He can’t reasonably engage with anyone regarding climate change, he simply doesn’t have the capacity and would be a useless exercise. But, on a different level, he exemplifies what is wrong with the alarmist crowd. He tells us that we are wasteful and our use of resources will be our doom. Yet, that doesn’t seem to faze his use of resources an iota.(It’s all clearly documented.) He, obviously doesn’t allow nor desire a free flow of thoughts or ideas regarding “climate change”.(Witness the above article.) He profits enormously from the many others lacking otherwise required critical thinking skills. And does so without remorse or regard to the people he’s bilked nor the people he’s harming/killing by touting this totalitarian utopia.
Waste energy? He is exactly the type of person that should be hunted, haunted, stalked and taunted, perpetually until he and his ilk are banished from mankind.
A man once said, “Eternal vigilance is the price of freedom.” Today, no truer words are spoken.
Could be you that can run the video are pulling it from YOUR cache, and you would lose it if you refresh your screen.
Save it out of your internet temp files, just in case?
The only criticism I have is the addressing of Al Gore as “Mr Vice President”.
He isn’t the VP – so what is it with the jouralists?
uniformed = uninformed………hahahahahahahaha I just criticized a person for the same such offense on another site……………dang. That’s a hoot!!!
Zeke the Sneak (16:48:15) :
And what about EMSmith?
PIMF.
Phillep Harding (16:55:20) “It pointed out why none of the alternative energy suggestions” should be “all of the”.
if he did agree to do an interview, i am sure part of the agreement would be that none of the questions we heard in the video could be asked
I really don’t care about any anxiety this may have given Al Gore. He has traumatized children with his movie. Do people care about that?
the video isn’t available!
When was 60 Minutes a “real news program”?
60 Minutes was the spawn of Don Hewitt, the so called the “father of modern television news”. He always swung to the left along with his friends like Dan Rather. Remember their finest hour when the “pink sweater” interview rehabilitated Slick Willy just in time for the Dem nomination and sent him on his way to be our 42nd President?
I think Al needs some of that same sort of rehabilitation about now. But, they’re just going to have to wait until just the right time for the greatest possible impact on public opinion. I’ll bet it comes just prior to the Senate vote on cap and tax, and it will be presented in the context of a response to some type of ‘denialist conspiracy’.
In general, I hate “ambush journalism”, but accept that in the case of out-and-out shonks who cannot be engaged in any other way it has its place. But in those cases you need to understand what the purpose of the ambush is : it is not to get the shonk to engage, you know they won’t, it is to get across the message that the person is a shonk.
So the question to ask is “can this person be engaged without resorting to an ambush? If the answer is “yes” then an ambush is to be deplored. If the answer is “no” then an ambush can be justified.
In Al Gore’s case it appears that the answer is “no”.
Richard Hill (16:30:57) :
I know some politicians and they are decent folk. The problem for politicians, Al Gore included, is that they have to, MUST, listen to advice. The advice from reputable scientific organisations is consistent. Should a politician ignore the APS, Am Met Soc, NAS,,,UK Royal Society,
…………………………………………………………………………………………………….
Many scientific organizations rely on money from the government. They won’t change their song because they could lose funding.
“…….I see a big difference between science and “national scientific establishments”. To believe in scientific establishment is impossible, this is just another powerful rent-seeking group. Seeking rent for themselves, not for the mankind.”
~~Vaclav Klaus
http://www.ft.com/cms/s/2/e9df7200-19c7-11dc-99c5-000b5df10621.html
Kitefreak (15:47:26) :
Why do you guys still call him vice-president?
vice1 [vahys] Show IPA
–noun
1. an immoral or evil habit or practice.
2. immoral conduct; depraved or degrading behavior: a life of vice.
3. sexual immorality, esp. prostitution.
4. a particular form of depravity.
5. a fault, defect, or shortcoming: a minor vice in his literary style.
6. a physical defect, flaw, or infirmity: a constitutional vice.
7. a bad habit, as in a horse.
8. (initial capital letter) a character in the English morality plays, a personification of general vice or of a particular vice, serving as the buffoon.
pres·i·dent – a person who presides (the chief)
I guess, if the cap fits………………….
😉
I wonder if Al and Jo (seph) will end up in the dock together. That would be historic.
I’m a skeptic but I don’t like Ambush journalism either. So what if Gore doesn’t want to talk unannounced? Yes, his refusal to debate says much but cheap tactics like this mean nothing. cheapens the debate.
Amino Acids in Meteorites (16:30:06) :
4 billion (16:16:50) :
How come FOX doesn’t ask him about why we just had the hottest March on record?
Why don’t they ask you if one month of data means anything?
If there were record cold months in the last 25 years of data then one month of record warmth wouldn’t mean much, as there has been no record cold month during the period then a record warm month suggests a warming trend.
As for fifteen years of no statistically significant Global warming, it probably no longer correct as the recent global warmth would have pushed up the warming trend, to become statistically significant as 1995-2009 warming was 93% statistically significant, 2% away from being statistically significant.
Mack28 (16:35:42) :
The ice is cracking up elsewhere:
http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/worldnews/article-1265734/Pictured-Arctic-Survey-team-escape-disaster-ice-cracks-tent.html
Sure, a great crack opens under the tent but misses all of their gear by a foot.
If you believe that the photo was not staged, then I have a rather nice bridge you might be interested in buying.
4 billion (16:16:50) :
“How come FOX doesn’t ask him about why we just had the hottest March on record?”
You don’t think they would love to ask Gore a few questions?
I know I would.
[PS: are you volunteering to be one of the 2 billion to be liquidated for the eco-cause? …Didn’t think so.]
I agree with those who abhor ambush journalism.
I would much prefer that Mr. Gore accept the challenge from Lord Moncton, but that apparently is not going to happen.
Unfortunately that leaves only occasional opportunities, like the one FOX took advantage of here, to confront Mr. Gore.
Mack28 (16:35:42) :
The ice is cracking up elsewhere:
http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/worldnews/article-1265734/Pictured-Arctic-Survey-team-escape-disaster-ice-cracks-tent.html
Once when camping on a glacier in Canada’s Yukon half our tent fell into a crevasse.
The lesson we learned was to NOT CAMP ON THE ICE.
Life is full of such lessons. It is our choice whether to heed them.
Steve in SC (15:46:10) :
Sorry man, but my “internal compass” doesn’t even wish ill on those I disagree with (Al Gore). I realize what a tool he is, but I can still have compassion. I guess that’s the “liberal” in me……but I do appreciate your sentiments.
Smokey (18:14:57) :
You don’t think they would love to ask Gore a few questions?
FOX news asking Gore about the current normal level of Arctic sea ice and not the ongoing trend of Arctic sea ice coverage demonstrates the superficial nature of their questioning.
Rising sea levels will constitute a pretty effective ‘liquidation plan’, a 1 meter sea level rise will cause about 600 million people to become refugees, the resulting chaos would no doubt lead to severe loss of Human life.
Mike Jonas (17:51:04) summed it up nicely.
What kind of “journalism” does Al like?
The kind that isn’t really journalism at all. Just sycophant typists who will report his slippery sermons as delivered.
This greasy used planet salesman is such an obvious fraud that I have always been astounded that anyone could possibly take him or anything he was flogging seriously.
His incredible phoney kiss of Tipper – just to ‘prove’ he wasn’t a wooden zombie – should have been the final tipping point for his credibility but so many people were in denial that more voted for him than Bush Jr. (Such marvellous choices Big Brother gives us!) Then even though nobody so richly deserved to get screwed out of that win, everybody felt sorry for him and he popped back up to capitalize on that and save the planet. As if inventing the internet was not enough.
Bad move for Al. He could have gone down in history playing the noble victim card but now he’s the joker. His name will be forever remembered in connection with this mega-fraud, with more derision and ridicule than even Madoff. He should become at least as famous as Ponzi – depending on who writes the history books of course.
Whew. I hope I lived up to my pen name.
13 April: BBC: Roger Harrabin: ‘Climategate’ panel set to report
The panel was nominated by the Royal Society, and climate sceptics forecast it would defend establishment science.
But the BBC understands the panel has taken a hard look at CRU methodology.
It is thought to have focued on statistical methods used by the CRU and the way uncertainties inherent in climate science may have been down-played by government bodies…
The Oxburgh panel also studied how the CRU acknowledged unavoidable scientific uncertainties in its work, especially over research into the Medieval Warm Period…
University scientists, on the other hand, are said to be have been more used to a culture in which notes are kept until papers are peer-reviewed – but then are filed in a less rigorous fashion…
http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/science/nature/8618441.stm