Al Gore and John Kerry speak on things such as our democracy's troubles and climate change

[karynnj]

This is a "Kerry Conversation" where he brings in people for discussions for the Yale. I am watching it now, but the beginning - speaking Of Gore's 2007 book the Assault on Reason, truer now than then, is fantastic. It starts at about 6 minutes.

https://livestream.com/YaleSOM/kerry-gore/videos/164988087

[karynnj]

1. Three articles on this wonderful event -

https://news.yale.edu/2017/10/27/gore-kerry-political-will-renewable-resource

https://yaledailynews.com/blog/2017/10/27/kerry-gore-call-for-climate-action/

http://wnpr.org/post/al-gore-talks-climate-change-john-kerry-yale

Having watched it all, it was very good to see these two friends, who have long fought for the same goal, essentially echoing things that both have said for years. This was a forum for Yale students and both were clear why they were there. They were calling on these young kids to become the activists who could provide the force to make the needed changes.

Gore speaks not just on climate change. Kerry's first question referenced Gore's book, Assault on Reason. To say, it was prescient given the age of alt facts is an understatement. His response - that our democracy was "hacked" before the Russians by the lobbyists and big money was something that Kerry addressed with Kerry/Welstone, the stronger version of McCain/Feingold and a main topic of the speech he gave when he left the Senate.

I had not seen Gore for a long time and he was very good and looked good. Gore has renewed his efforts on climate change. In fact, he spoke of having come from a big training event in Pittsburgh - the city that Trump spoke of when he left the Paris Accord. He spoke of Teresa having been part of that event -- as well as the mayor, who immediately had disagreed with Trump saying Pittsburgh was still in.

[YvonneCa]

2. Thanks for posting this...

...karynnj. I hadn't seen it.

[karynnj]

3. It is very worth watching

The bigger surprise is how healthy, comfortable and committed Gore was. It was interesting seeing both of them saying things that we have long heard both speak of - from climate change, to activism to the need to get away from faux news. It was also nice to see the way both could, with utter sincerity, praise each other.

[YvonneCa]

4. I just watched. Wow...

...this was an amazing conversation. Assault on Reason is one of my favorite books. Al Gore's perspective on the political issues that face our democracy are well described in that book and he uses snippets from the book in both his recent interviews related to climate change AND in this discussion with John Kerry. I have long wished his thoughts on the role of citizen and media in our country would gain wider coverage and understanding, because I think he is right. I hope interviews like this can help that to happen.
And the comments of both Kerry and Gore related to the 2000 and 2004 elections were priceless. It's what many of us have believed for years. It's nice to hear both men speak of it at last.💕💕

[karynnj]

5. Also, other than maybe Obama, I can't think of any politicians

on either side, who are as clearly comfortable in who they are and their accomplishments. Both looked genuinely happy to be there speaking to those students.

[YvonneCa]

6. I agree that both seem...

...to have learned from their life accomplishments and setbacks, including a great loss common to both, and found ways to turn them into opportunities to further their goals. Both do seem at peace with where they now are in life.
I think they have SO much to be proud of, not the least of which is the grace, integrity and decorum with which they handled the elections of 2000 and 2004 (even though I cried and went into shock on both occasions). Nine+ months of Trump have magnified how important those character traits are in a President.
The teacher side of me has always felt that the longterm solution to the divisiveness in our country is education...at all levels. For K12 that means history, civics, etc. must always be part of curriculum. That John Kerry chose to go back to Yale and ignite the civic education of college students by sharing his..and VP Gore's...vast experience is amazing! And it's just what is needed to engage the next generation. I just hope he gets louder. 😉