Six years ago it appeared that George Bush had triumphed over Al Gore when questionable counting of votes in Florida denied him the presidency. Today, however, it appears that Al Gore is the one who triumphed.
With the win for "Inconvenient Truth" as Best Documentary at the Academy Awards on Sunday night, Gore continues his streak of being right on all the major issues of the day and recognized world wide for his work to make the world better. The world, and belatedly America, has figured out that Gore is a visionary, that his understanding of the world is one that works.
Even the Washington Post pointed out Gore has gone from failed presidential contender -- and a politician who at times gave new meaning to the word cardboard -- to the most unlikely of global celebrities.
On the other hand, George Bush and his underlings are working to prevent his legacy from being driving the Middle East into war, the U.S. into debt, and the world into chaos. Bush, unlike Gore, appears to be wrong about everything, and the Inconvenient Truth is that Bush is fast becoming irrelevant.
How did this happen? In 1999 and 2000 the right wing, along with the media, worked to portray Gore badly. However on election day 2000 the American people responded, giving Gore a popular vote victory. Unfortunately the electoral college decision came down to a state run by Bush's brother and anyone can guess the outcome. Just enough votes were tossed or not counted to prevent Gore from winning.
Bush, in second place in the popular vote and second place in the electoral college vote prior to Florida, benefited from "tie goes to the loser" approach. Unfortunately Americans didn't react to this electoral theft. Why? Because of the false image attached to Gore. Today much of that image is gone.
"People say to me that Al Gore is so different now," said Inconvenient Truth director, Davis Guggenheim. "Why wasn't he like this when he ran for president?" Meaning that Gore now appears relaxed, confident, happy, and not stiff, robotic, pinched. "They say Al has changed. But I don't think so. We've changed. The setting has changed. He's the same. When you're running for office, you're a target every moment you are in front of the camera. Now, he's in a different place and we see him in a different way."
Still the media can't completely stop making fun of Gore, as William Both painted Gore as one who following the 2000 election was "more Willy Loman than Green Avenger." Perhaps that will finally change when Gore wins the Nobel Peace Prize later this year.
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