Des'er'tif'i'cation? Is that a word??
Reminds me of that one Top Cat cartoon where TC tells Officer Dibble, "For three meals a day and small stipend we'd be glad to be deputerized." (de'pu'ter'ized -- deputized)
Posted on 05/24/2006 5:44:09 AM PDT by governsleastgovernsbest
by Mark Finkelstein
May 24, 2006
Let's imagine that instead of Al Gore, Katie Couric's guest this morning was a Republican presidential hopeful whose message on the environment was that we should not let alarmism push us into measures that would undermine our economy and way of life. Could you ever - ever! - imagine Katie flashing at him the 10,000 megawatt smile she has on display here for Al?
There's one more dead giveaway that Katie & Co. are getting aboard the Al Gore Enviro Train. When Today really wants to play up an issue, they brand it. Last week, flacking for the Da Vinci Code, Today sent Matt Lauer for a week "On The Road with the Code."
In introducing Gore, there to promote his global warming book and movie 'An Inconvenient Truth', Couric announced:
"This morning we are beginning a new series called 'Today's Climate Challenge, Tomorrow's Global Opportunity." You might call it: Al Gore - the Series! Katie introduced Gore with a bit of alarmism of her own: "With a record-setting hurricane season, the warmest April ever and rising ocean temperatures, many are saying global warming is in fact to blame. Former Vice-President Al Gore is one of them and now he's bringing his message to a theater near you."
Katie even permitted herself a gushing what-might-have been:
"I think in this movie, at different turns, you are funny, vulnerable, disarming, self-effacing and someone said after watching it, 'if only he was like this before, maybe things would have turned out differently in 2000.'"
Gore speaks in absolutely apocalyptic terms: "What we are facing is a planetary emergency. It's by far the most dangerous crisis by far that our civilization has ever confronted." Really? More dangerous, 'by far', then the Mutual Assured Destruction we faced with the Soviets for decades?
Of course even Couric had to pay some lip service to balance. Noticeably reading from notes, perhaps subliminally making clear that these were not her thoughts but those of others she had to recite, she said:
"People on the other side of the debate say yes it's getting warmer but the earth's average temperature has done this before. We may have something to do with it, but it hasn't warmed that much and it's not going to have catastrophic consequences any time soon."
Gore would brook absolutely no dissent from his world view:
"There's really not a debate. The debate's over. The scientific community has reached as strong a consensus as you will ever find in science. There are a few oil companies and coal companies that spend millions of dollars a year to put these pseudo-scientists out there predending there is a debate. It's exactly the same thing that the tobacco companies did after the Surgeon General warned us about the linkage between smoking and lung cancer."
Having timidly trotted out the other side of the argument, Couric left no doubt where she stands: "Where there is disagreement among scientists is not if but when we may see drastic environmental changes across the globe. Al Gore says the clock is ticking."
She later asked: "What do you see happening in say 15 to 20 years or even 50 years if nothing changes?"
Gore: "Well, what I think is going to happen is that we're going to respond to it. But if we didn't respond, what you would find is desertification of the mid-continental areas of the U.S., Europe, Asia and Africa. The melting of the polar ice cap and the beginnings of the same things in Antarctica and sea level increases of 20 feet or more worldwide. Of course Florida and Louisiana and Texas are particularly vulnerable. The San Francisco Bay area. Manila, and we have seen the impact of a couple of hundred thousand refugees from an environmental crisis [as pictures of Katrina victims flashed on the screen]. Imagine 100 million or 200 million."
Couric: "Even Manhattan would be in deep water, right?"
Gore: "Yes, the World Trade Center memorial site would be underwater."
Katie did observe: "Some people might say, oh boy, there is that tree-hugging Al Gore. He is at it again. Some people might dismiss you out of hand."
Gore: "Look, I've been trying to tell this story for 30 years. And I have a new ally in telling this story. Unfortunately mother nature is weighing in very powerfully and loudly. And people are listening. It's not a political issue. It's a moral issue."
Inevitably, talk turned to Gore's presidential ambitions.
Gore: "I don't intend to be a candidate ever again."
Couric: "Never, never, never?"
Gore: "Well, look, i don't plan to be a candidate. I have said that I am not at the stage of my life where I will say never the rest of my fe."
And just when you thought it might be safe to go back in the Today water, Katie closed by mentioning: "Tomorrow we will take a look at the alternative fuels that may help reduce global warming in the future
Des'er'tif'i'cation? Is that a word??
Reminds me of that one Top Cat cartoon where TC tells Officer Dibble, "For three meals a day and small stipend we'd be glad to be deputerized." (de'pu'ter'ized -- deputized)
Great. Now I've got "Crazy Train" stuck in my head...
Al Gore posed for a photo paddling a canoe. But in order to make sure the canoe would float for the photo-op, 4 billion gallons of water was released from a New Hampshire dam and allowed to escape down the creek. New Hampshire was in the middle of a record drought at the time.
The scary thing is that millions of dimwits watch this woman and hang on her every word and expression. Between her and Oprah, it's quite frightening how manipulable people can be.
What is it about these two vapid females that could possibly account for their unwarranted worship?
Well said!!
That and someone here said there should be a "veil of mourning" blocker (like nudity blockers) put on her after an election in which conservatives won , because she doesn't even try to appear neutral.
followed by one of the coolest May in recent memory (at least here in the northeast) That's the problem with Al Gore: no rhythm. Just as he builds up a head of steam on Global Warming, it snows, freezes, or rains for a week. The man has no sense of timing. But heck, we're dealing with the weather. So that doesn't necessarily make him stupid -- just foolish. Not presidential material.
Isn't global warming the reason that Yosemite is no longer under a sheet of ice? And that's a bad thing?
Thanks, Inspectorette, it really is my, twisted, pleasure.
By the way, twice now in the last month, I've had the pleasure of appearing on the radio show of someone from your neck of the woods . . . Lars Larson!
I recall Algore's last assignment was airline and airport security. Nice going, jerk.
Of course she never asks what Gore and the Democrats propose to do about GW. I'm quite sure the Democratic base would love to hear that Ray Nagin would have to give up the large SUV to save NOLA from GW induced flooding.
"The Perky One"?She makes me want to PUKE!!!!!!!!!!!!
Also,I think he flew to France in a private jet!That shows REAL concern for the environment!!!
Now now...do as he says, NOT as he does.
She doesn't drive,I'm certain that NBC provides her with a limo(and driver).That will also be part of her CBS deal!!!Their HYPOCRISY REEKS!!!!It reminds me of when they tried to nail G.H.W.on his being"out of touch"because he didn't know current prices of bread and milk!!!!!These Lib.A**HOLES don't know what a gallon of gas costs because they NEVER buy the stuff!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Not to mention that he"Flunked"out of EVERY University(including"Divinity School"!!!You NEVER hear ANYTHING about"W"having "EARNED" a Harvard MBA!!!!!!!!!
...algore. Master of the Universe. Who knew..
Really? Al Gore says the clock is ticking? That's enough for me! /sarcasm
Yes, that "10,000 megawatt smile" is so huge that I worry that the entire top of Katie's head is going to fall off.
Not that it would be a great loss, but it would be a disgusting sight to have on TV.
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