Gored by Simon

Roger L. Simon has some harsh words for the Gores, in response to the brouhaha over Gore fils:

...In this case I have plenty of sympathy for the son and absolutely none for the father and mother. They both have been lecturing us for decades - first about nasty music lyrics and now about the environment. It's all the same really, because it does not come from a place of truth. It comes from a place of pomposity. And that's what makes a lousy parent. Someone who is holier than thou but a fake. The boy in the speeding Prius was calling for help. Will his father hear him - or is he too busy saving the world?

If I were Al Gore, I'd retire from public life forthwith. But I'm not Al Gore. I do, however, know what it is like to be a father and a son. I have failed often enough at both to have a sense of how much more difficult they almost always are than being a pontificating politician. My personal reaction to Gore has always been to run the other way from his opinions. I was far more concerned about global warming before he started his crusade. The more I heard his preachings, the more I doubted him. I wonder if his son, deep down, feels the same way. Poor guy.

For my own part, I admit to a healthy skepticism about the prospect of a Gore candidacy. On the one hand, he may very well end up being the best option - neither Hilary nor Obama have provided much inspiration on the Democratic side, and I just don't know if I could bring myself to vote for either Giuliani or Romney. On the other hand, everything about Gore's crusade on global warming strikes me as the worst sort of opportunism. I haven't seen "the movie," but there was something about the entire spectacle of the 7/7/07 concerts that made my skin crawl. Which is not to say that global warming is not an important issue. But please, dear God, can't one candidate talk about a long-term view on how to approach the Middle East and the spectre of global terrorism? Yeah, those are tough issues. But the "I'll deal with that when I get elected; in the meantime, go out and buy a Prius" approach doesn't quite cut it.