Al Gore’s Nobel Speech: Rumors Of My Demise Were Greatly Exaggerated

[kpete]

Al Gore’s Nobel Speech: Rumors Of My Demise Were Greatly Exaggerated
In his Nobel Peace Prize acceptance speech this morning in Oslo, Norway, Al Gore remarked that he shared a fate with Alfred Nobel — the creator of the Nobel Prize.

Gore noted that Nobel, who had been derided by the press as “The Merchant of Death” because of his invention of dynamite, later “made a fateful choice to serve the cause of peace”:

One hundred and nineteen years ago, a wealthy inventor read his own obituary, mistakenly published years before his death. Wrongly believing the inventor had just died, a newspaper printed a harsh judgment of his life’s work, unfairly labeling him “The Merchant of Death” because of his invention — dynamite. Shaken by this condemnation, the inventor made a fateful choice to serve the cause of peace. Seven years later, Alfred Nobel created this prize and the others that bear his name.

In his Nobel speech, Gore referenced the fact that seven years ago this week, the Supreme Court heard arguments in Bush v. Gore:

Seven years ago tomorrow, I read my own political obituary in a judgment that seemed to me harsh and mistaken — if not premature. But that unwelcome verdict also brought a precious if painful gift: an opportunity to search for fresh new ways to serve my purpose.

Unexpectedly, that quest has brought me here. Even though I fear my words cannot match this moment, I pray what I am feeling in my heart will be communicated clearly enough that those who hear me will say, “We must act.”

more plus VIDEO at:
http://thinkprogress.org/2007/12/10/gore-nobel-speech/

[IndyOp]

1. Damn. The line you put in bold caused me to choke up when I listened to the speech -

That one and his statement about how his biggest moment of emotion after learning he had won the Nobel was to read his hometown Carthage, Tennessee newspaper. The headline said that he had won the same prize as Cordell Hull, about whom Gore's parents spoke with reverence. I feel very sad that Al's parents and sister were not with him today.

Cordell Hull's Nobel
http://nobelprize.org/nobel_prizes/peace/laureates/1945/index.html

[KittyWampus]

2. They were there

:)

[IndyOp]

5. Yes, they were there - thanks for the reminder. Still... (n/t)

[Tuesday Afternoon]

3. ~

:cry:

[zabet]

4. .....

"Seven years ago tomorrow, I read my own political obituary in a judgment that seemed to me harsh and mistaken — if not premature."

Wow, just wow!!!!

Al Gore, you are one of the few, and I
mean very few things, that make me
proud to be American these days.

MY President, then, now and always. :patriot:

[malaise]

6. I watched him live

It was superb.