Was Al Gore Over the Top in His Rant on Climate Skeptics?

Impassioned or unhinged?

August 9, 2011 RSS Feed Print

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Al Gore unleashed his frustration with global warming skeptics Thursday while speaking at an Aspen Institute panel on "Networks and Citizenship." In an angry rant now circulating the Internet, he accused those who doubt man-made climate change of paying "pseudo scientists to pretend to be scientists to put out the message: 'This climate thing, it's nonsense. Man-made CO2 doesn't trap heat.'" He went on to describe other proposed causes of global warming—volcanoes and sun spots—and complete denial of climate change as "bullsh*t." He also said skeptics "polluted" the public discourse and compared them to tobacco companies who doubted the negative health effects of cigarettes. [See a collection of political cartoons on energy policy.]

Below is an excerpt of Gore's diatribe (courtesy of Aspen Journalism). For the entirety of his remarks, click here.

His tirade reinvigorates the debate on global warming, which have recently been pushed to the back-burner while the Washington deals with unemployment and the deficit. Opponents of climate change theory took the outburst as an opportunity to call some B.S. of their own and called Gore "unhinged." Supporters have praised the former vice president for calling skeptics out. Nearly everyone is surprised that the former vice president and presidential candidate, once described as "wooden," let out such a passionate and profanity-laced diatribe.

What do you think? Was Al Gore over the top in his rant against climate change skeptics? Take the poll and leave your comments below.

Previously: Did Newsweek go too far with its Michele Bachmann cover?

Tags:: Al Gore,; global warming

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I wonder if Mr. Gore has studied Geology. The Geological Record shows many heat waves, ice ages, dry periods, wet periods in the past. The early Earth atmosphere certainly had more CO2 than today with no SUV's. Oh, did I mention that Mr. Sun was also dimmer. Fast forward to the present and the temperature is close to what it was then. And to add worry, Mr. Sun has been getting warner. All Normal. And the theory is that the next Solar Cycle will give us cooler weather, much like the Maunder Minimum. Then, people were Ice skating on the River Thames. Here in the US, I guess we will Ice Skating in Canyon Dam.

MikeG of TX 10:16PM December 06, 2012

How can you believe anything the guy says about environmental issues?
He lives in a "mansion" that would probably embarass an oil company executive for its' wanton misuse of resources.
For the record, WHAT KIND OF TRANSPORTATION DEVICES DOES HE OWN/MAINTAIN/USE??? His kids? His wife? And how many does he own/lease/write off as "legitimate expenditures" or "Company Transportation." How did he get to Aspen? Public transportation? I won't believe THAT until somebody proves it to me. So, $5'll get you $10 that he flew in in some type of "private" or "corporate" jet. How Eco-friendly is that?

Wonder Warthog of MO 4:39PM December 29, 2011

It's time for Al to retire. Even if he did have some real science behind his claims, his Bulls--t rants disparaged his team whose goal is to enhance civil discussion. His global warming claims are being frozen by the icy storms of fraud and distortion.
For an 11-part series on climate change reality see: http://sleeplessandtired.com/?p=3520

RCzar of WA 12:57PM August 23, 2011

Was Al Gore Over the Top in His Rant on Climate Skeptics?

Impassioned or unhinged?