From today's Taipei Times:
Al Gore visit postponedFormer US vice president Al Gore will not be able to make it to Taiwan this September to address the issue of global warming, Democratic Progressive Party Legislator Tien Chiu-chin (???) said yesterday. Tien, who invited Gore to visit Taiwan to promote awareness on global warming, told reporters yesterday that she received an e-mail from the Harry Walker Agency, which has the exclusive right to arrange Gore's speeches, saying that Gore had canceled all his scheduled events in the next six months. The visit to Taiwan had been postponed to next year, she added. Tien said the reason for the cancelation was that Gore was considering a presidential bid.
Hmmmm...now THAT is interesting!
[UPDATE: So much for THAT rumor! I just contacted Al Gore's office and was told the following about the article.
It is completely and utterly false.1. He never accepted an event in Taiwan
2. We have loads of events on the schedule in the next six monthsI don't know how to spell bubkus but there's no credibility to this whatsoever.
In other words, don't believe everything you read in the newspaper, especially when there are language issues.]
Actually, I've heard there is a stalking horse (is that the right term?) out there for Gore right now.
He was right about Iraq, he was talking about the extreme danger we face from global warming before most of us were even thinking seriously about it, and he's been right about a whole host of other things in recent years...
For once, I agree with Bob Shrum:
MR. SHRUM: I do, too. But he has a sense of perspective about this. I write in the book about the day before the 2004 election when Gore?s on the phone with David Morehouse, who worked for both Gore and Kerry, and Morehouse is going through the polling, he?s saying, ?We?re going to win this state, going to win this state. We?re going to win Florida by three or four points,? and Gore pauses and says, ?Well, you know, that?d be good. That?d be good. But you know what would be even better? If it was close and they caught Bush trying to cheat and they put him in jail.? And then he laughed. I mean, he?s got a sense of perspective about this. I think he knows that he?s gone from being a politician to being a prophet, and he?s having more impact on the world than a lot of presidents have had. That?s one place where I disagree with James. I think if he sees an opening, he?ll be tempted. And if he runs, he?ll run, I predict, in a very unorthodox way without taking polls and every spot will just be him talking to cameras.MR. RUSSERT: Without consultants?
MR. SHRUM: Yeah, probably. Yep.
*I* am even enthusiastic, and for those of you who know me well, it's very hard to get me enthusiastic about anything...
Can you tell I'm ready to write a check? [grin]
[inside joke, nobody's gonna get it]