Posted on 09/28/2007 7:52:03 AM PDT by ZGuy
As over 150 heads of state and government gather at UN headquarters in New York to discuss climate change, former Vice President Al Gore, the most prominent proponent of the theory of the human-induced, catastrophic global warming, continues to refuse repeated challenges to debate the issue.
Czech President Vaclav Klaus, who addressed the General Assembly on climate change September 24, is but the latest global warming skeptic to receive the cold shoulder from Gore. In ads appearing in the Wall Street Journal, New York Times, and Washington Times, Klaus has called on Gore to face him in a one-on-one debate on the proposition: "Global Warming Is Not a Crisis." Earlier in the year, similar challenges to Gore were issued by Dennis Avery, director of the Center for Global Food Issues and senior fellow at the Hudson Institute, and Lord Monckton of Brenchley, a former adviser to British Prime Minister Margaret Thatcher. All calls on the former vice president to face his critics have fallen on deaf ears.
The Heartland Institute, a Chicago-based free-market think tank, launched the debate campaign in April, using ads, press releases, and other tactics to prod Gore into confronting those who reject his alarmist views on global warming.
For his part, President Klaus has not minced words on what he sees as the real agenda of those promoting climate hysteria. In an op-ed in the Financial Times (June 13, pointedly titled "Freedom, Not Climate, is at Risk," Klaus said: "Let us not scare ourselves with catastrophic forecasts, or use them to defend and promote irrational interventions in human lives." Arguing that the issue of global warming "is more about social than about natural sciences and more about man and his freedom than about tenths of a degree Celsius changes in average global temperature," Klaus rejected the notion of a "scientific consensus" on climate change as an effort by a "loud minority" to impose its will on a "silent majority."
However, Klaus reserved his unkindest cut of all for the movement that has joined forces with Gore is spreading fear about global warming:
"As someone who lived under communism for most of his life, I feel obliged to say that I see the biggest threat to freedom, democracy, the market economy and prosperity now in ambitious environmentalism, not in communism. This ideology wants to replace the free and spontaneous evolution of mankind by a sort of central (now global) planning."
Gore's refusal to take on the likes of Klaus, Avery and Lord Monckton is no isolated incident of the former vice president's lacking the courage of his convictions. In June, Professor Scott Armstrong of the University of Pennsylvania urged Gore to put his global warming money where his mouth is. Armstrong, one of the world's leading experts on forecasting, has studied the forecasts made by Gore and such organizations as the UN's Intergovernmental Panel of Climate Change (IPCC) and found their methodology wanting.
Convinced that Gore and the IPCC are overstating how much temperatures will rise in the years to come, Armstrong has challenged Gore to the following wager: Each man bets $10,000 on how much temperatures will go up in the next ten years. The money will stay in escrow until 2017. The one whose forecast come closer to the actual change in temperature will be declared the winner and be allowed to donate the $20,000 plus accumulated interest to the charity of his choice. But despite being flush with cash from his movie, "An Inconvenient Truth," and from lucrative speaking engagements around the world, Gore has not taken Armstrong up on the bet.
Gore's reluctance to go toe-to-toe with global warming skeptics may have something to do with the - from the standpoint of climate change alarmists - unfortunate outcome of a global warming debate in New York last March. In the debate, a team of global warming skeptics composed of MIT scientist Richard Lindzen, University of London emeritus professor of biogeology Philip Stott, and physician-turned novelist/filmmaker Michael Crichton handily defeated a team of climate alarmists headed by NASA scientist Gavin Schmidt. Before the start of the nearly two-hour debate, the audience of several thousand polled 57.3 percent to 29.9 percent in favor of the proposition that global warming is a "crisis." At the end of the debate, the numbers had changed dramatically, with 46.2 percent favoring the skeptical point of view and 42.2 percent siding with the alarmists.
That's because he told us the debate is over.
I think he will get into the race.
Gore is just a mouthpiece. Keep in mind the story of when Clinton and Gore were visiting Monticello during their Presidency and Gore actually walked into the room with the busts of past Presidents and asked the tour guide, “Who are these guys?”
That is the only GREEN thing to do. The more Al Gore talks, the more noxious emissions are released into the air.
Again more proof that Gore is a coward.
Hats off to Klaus.
George Lakoff, author of the “bible” on secular progressivism,
gives this admonition:
Do not “debate” where you cannot establish your own framework. Do not answer questions that are framed within the confines of your opposition’s framework. Always reframe the question before answering.
IE, don’t debate when you can get caught in a logic trap, or where the facts are against you.
You never want to debate something that you have made up.
Algore and Hillary will never appear in a forum that is not scripted for them in advance. And their lapdogs in the msm are happy to comply. That’s why they do not appear on Fox, but there is hell to pay if GOP candidates do not show up on every liberal forum they are invited to to be attacked and scorned.
Is there a recording/link of this debate that anyone knows of?
Go Klaus!
I agree, Gore-Kerry ‘08.
When Kerry announced he wasn’t running, he was asked if he supported any of the other candidates, and he said, no, because none have committed to saving the planet. he’d support such a candidate.
Then, over the months since then, he’s been establishing his creds as an AGW supporter.
Correct the injustice of the last two elections AND save the planet from capitalism, all with one vote, one thin fragile vote where we all live. The (chuckle)debate is O...Ver!
typical democrat, turn tail and run when challenged....
An empty vessel like Algore is never going to debate. He reads his lines and leaves. He’s in it for the money, nothing else matters. A truly despicable human being.
Tow Libs I have periodic debates with are using the new opening “You must be crazy if”.....you don’t believe in Man made Global Warming or support Abortion. Meanwhile their skin is green from being in Tanning Beds every day.
Can we elect Vaclav Klaus President of the United States, please?
Algore knows he doesn’t stand a chance, or a snowballs chance in the Sahara, if he debates the people who have real scientific creds. He would look like the fool he really is on a stage up against the real scientific community. Their logic and reason and scientific method would blow him off the podium like a Cat 5 hurricane...................
Gore would be shredded in any debate.
So he will never debate.
He is a great coward. Only when he himself can dominate the stage, the microphone the screen, in totality will he speak.
It was never about open and free exchange, challenge and skepticism that science demands.
It is ALL about Gore, fear, politics, manipulation, indoctrintion, propganda, mad lust for power at all costs, and undermining the American way of life.
There will NEVER be a debate with Gore the coward and cult leader.
Keep challenging them folks with the facts.
Amazingly.....
IT WORKS >>>>>>
“Before the start of the nearly two-hour debate, the audience of several thousand polled 57.3 percent to 29.9 percent in favor of the proposition that global warming is a “crisis.” At the end of the debate, the numbers had changed dramatically, with 46.2 percent favoring the skeptical point of view and 42.2 percent siding with the alarmists.”
"Show me just what Mohammed brought that was new, and there you will find things only evil and inhuman, such as his command to spread by the sword the faith he preached." - Manuel II Palelologus
I’ve had the very same thoughts concerning Klaus. He’s a straight shooter.
Professor Gore thinks he is Just to smart for any one.
Al Gore and Clinton are really pushing the global warming idea before winter sets in. They blame the hot weather on global warming right now..........it’s summer idiots, it’s supposed to be hot. When winter sets in, it’s tough to yell about global warming. We’ll see if they still spout their stuff when the ground is covered with snow. You know that it’s about the money they’ll make when Gore and Clinton get involved.
Smoke that skunk out!
Most political figures leave me saying, “What in the world is wrong with this person?” but I’ve never thought that about Mr. Klaus!
Back before they were both canonized, there was a story making the rounds where JFK and MLK were riding in the back seat of a limousine and K, his nose raised as he sniffed the air, turned to J and asked, “Jack, did you fart?” “No,” J replied, “do you want me to?”
Yup. I’m of Czech heritage, and have lots of family still there. Once people have lived under this kind of oppression, it makes for a lot of clear thinking. Genuine hardship has a way of focusing the mind. I love seeing the Czechs and Poles come into their own again in the heart of Europe. Truly a breath of fresh air.
No people will slowly move to higher ground and the land will become wetlands and warm shallow seas. Both of which are excellent grounds for animals we love to eat.
Besides aren’t wetlands something we are told to cherish because of it’s life sustaining properties?
Senator Inhofe shredded Gore bigtime during the Senate hearings earlier this year.
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