Political Cortex: Brain Food for the Body Politic

From the introduction,

This is no time for irony. Given that his personal crusade is
halting global warming, former Vice President Al Gore is a man on fire. ... From Madison to Manhattan, Gore followers wait for that day when he flicks on the campaign switch and says,"America, I'm in!"

Whether you are one of these breathless followers or not, there is much of value in these pages.

But, this a thoughtful introduction, a nine-page review of his public career, his association with ideas, and his reaction to the Bush Amdinistration.

Contemplating "Gore 2.0",

It's impossible to avoid the fleeting indulgence of speculation. What if Florida had swung the other way and Gore became our forty-third president? The United States wouldn't be stuck in a military quagmire in Iraq, which Gore calls "the single worst strategic mistake in the history of this country." The Constitution wouldn't be force-fed into an Oval Office paper shredder.The judicial system wouldn't be stocked like a conservative trout farm. Dick Cheney wouldn't be running his own shadow government. Abu Ghraib and Guantanamo wouldn't be permanent stains on our country's conscience. No illegal domestic spying. No huge tax cuts benefiting the super wealthy. Instead of a gargantuan budget deficit, there'd probably still be a surplus. Our public lands wouldn't be held hostage to oil, gas, mining, and timber interests. The nation would be greener, cleaner, healthier, safer and more optimistic about its future.

Yes, conservative America, I can answer the question 'what if Al Gore had been President?' And, well, seems like 70+% of Americans would agree with Katovsky now that that would have been the better choice for the nation.

Katovsky finishes his introduction

This book opens a window to Al Gore--his thinking, his
motivations, his beliefs, his politics, his passions. This compilation contains excerpts from his speeches, debates, interviews, and books. Here is Al Gore in his own words--erudite, visionary, analytical, heartfelt, and witty. Though the starting point is climate crisis, you will find quotes and passages covering a broad range of topics: Iraq War, the Bush White House, media, technology, the 2000 presidential election, the current state of politics, and the future and the challenge of democracy in America.

While many hope for (and many fear) a Gore entry into the Presidential contest, the truth is that Katovsky has done us all a service by putting together this compendium of quotes and Gore statements over the decades.  For providing us a window on a thoughtful man who has been prescient on what will likely be the greatest challenge of the coming century.

"Nuclear war is an apocalyptic subject, and so is global environmental destruction. [We must sound the alarm] loudly and clearly of imminent and grave danger."
--speech at The National Academy of Sciences, as quoted
in the Memphis Commercial Appeal, August 5, 1990

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