Former Vice President Al Gore on Sunday knocked down the notion of launching another presidential bid, calling himself a “recovering politician.”
During an appearance on NBC’s “Meet The Press,” moderator Chuck Todd asked Gore about Australia’s last election, which was focused on climate change issues, and about Washington Gov. Jay Inslee’s (D) 2020 presidential campaign, which was heavily focused on climate change. Todd asked Gore whether he could launch a similar campaign.
“Jay Inslee tried to run a climate-focused campaign and it didn’t get off the ground. Why not you, Al Gore?” Todd asked.
“Why not me, as a candidate?” Gore replied.
“Leading a climate change presidential campaign in the future,” Todd asked Gore.
“Oh, well, thank you for making the suggestion,” Gore told Todd. “You know, I’m a recovering politician. And the longer I go without a relapse, the less likely one becomes.”
Gore, who has been a well-known advocate against climate change, said he wanted to see more public sentiment change on the issue.
“Public sentiment is changing very dramatically, but we need more grassroots action on the part of Americans, not only in the upcoming congressional races and the presidential race in 2024, but in the local races, and in the state elections, as well,” Gore told Todd.
“We, the people, have to solve this. And we have to instruct those who are positions of leadership to start doing the right thing. Our survival as a species may depend upon it.”
Gore, who lost to former President George W. Bush in the 2000 presidential election, also said that the U.S. must fix issues with its democracy to address climate change.
“In order to solve the climate crisis, we’re going to have to pay attention to the democracy crisis,” Gore added.