How can Al Gore/John Edwards be an advocate for the environment when he has a big house?

[jsamuel]

I am disappointed in those people who are using this ridiculous RW attack against Gore or Edwards calling them hypocrits for the same thing. Being a human being while being for environmental reform. These attacks come through on everything, but definitely shine through when it comes to the environment. I wonder why? (sarcasm)


http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2007/02/28/AR2007022801823.html

War on Warming Begins at (Al Gore's) Home

By Chris Cillizza and Matthew Mosk
Thursday, March 1, 2007; Page A08

Fresh off his victory lap at the Academy Awards, former vice president Al Gore -- who has not closed the door on a 2008 bid -- found himself in a more familiar position: on the receiving end of a political attack.

The barb came via the Tennessee Center for Policy Research, a Nashville-based think tank that advocates "limited government through policy solutions," according to its Web site.

"As the spokesman of choice for the global warming movement, Al Gore has to be willing to walk the walk, not just talk the talk, when it comes to home energy use," said the group's president, Drew Johnson, in a release alleging that Gore's house in the Volunteer State uses 20 times as much electricity as the average household nationwide.

Kalee Kreider, a spokeswoman for Gore, called the statement misleading.

"The power coming into their residence is green, renewable power," she said, explaining that the Gores participate in a program called Green Power Switch, which is run through the public Tennessee Valley Authority. Green Power Switch supplies energy from renewable sources to its members.

...

Edwards says no SUVs. Except the one he's driven around in.

I know this post looks like a "gotcha", but this is a self-inflicted wound. Edwards is a good candidate with a strong message. Why set yourself up for the inevitable hypocrite attacks? I don't get it.

Do you think that maybe that is because he didn't say no SUVs? He said he would ask Americans to make a sacrifice for fuel efficiency, which includes gas guzzling SUVs. He didn't say SUV owners are the devil or that they are wrong, just that Americans need to be willing to sacrifice for the environment.

[jobycom]

1. Hey, I'm disappointed by all the people who think Clinton isn't a liberal.

That's politics. It's infuriating.

[liberal N proud]

2. Here we go attacking the messenger again

[elfin]

3. Carbon offsets -- eom

[MasonJar]

4. Al Gore has explained the things that he has done to mitigate any

detrimental effects from his large house. They can undoubtedly be picked up on Google. It is hard to criticize someone who has singlehandedly brought global warming to the forefront of politics throughout the world. He has invested enormous amounts of time and money into his passion for saving the planet. In view of the enormous impact of his books and his movie and his travels and his training sessions on this problem, the most serious facing mankind, I personally find little to complain about when it comes to Al Gore. The GOPers pick up on every tiny thing regarding Gore that they can find and blow it totally out of proportion because they know his clout and his concern and his charisma and his infinite other assets are unstoppable. They hate him as much as Clinton because he is a true patriot and patrician.They, and this goes double for W and Dick and all the monsters who gathered outside his VP house and demanded that he leave Cheney's house (when these same a-holes knew full well that they had assisted in robbing the American people of his presidency and a future of greatness, combined with goodness), are flesh eating maggots and parasites on the planet's teat and deserve to be eradicated with their own polluting venom. I am sorry, but when it comes to Al Gore, I am adamant in defending him against all comers.

[MannyGoldstein]

5. So Edwards And Gore Should Make Their Energy Bills Public

Energy used to heat and light houses pollutes*, and is the root of enormous suffering in the Middle East, Nigeria, and other places. If Edwards and Gore really aren't using much energy in their enormous houses, then they should release their energy bills and show us this.

If they are using loads of energy to power their houses - which we should expect given the absence of exculpatory evidence to the contrary - then they are being hypocritical. I don't know why so many on DU won't acknowlege that plain fact.



*Carbon offsets address just one aspect of the pollution

[OHdem10]

6. Thank God--We have a few rich Democrats.

If Gore was not rich he could never have accomplished all
that he has.

If John Edwards did not have money, he could never have
started the Poverty Center, done the good things he has
done and no way in h could he have run for president

HRC, Dodd, all have money.

Without rich Dems no Democratic Party.

Rich people have many obligations that people like
me do not have. They must have big houses. Yes
you may find some oddball who lives in a tiny house
in the trees on a hill(yet has lots of money). He
would have no impact the way Gore or Edwards has.

Society has rules, we may not always like the rules,
but they are the rules.