As Ed Lasky points out, Gore has led a charmed life: “Son of a senator, political royalty,” and yet he now makes a completely inappropriate, indeed offensive claim. Via the Washington Examiner:
As a man on a “great social mission,” former Vice President Al Gore says he feels like baseball trailblazer Jackie Robinson, the messenger of integration who was often ridiculed and worse when he hit the bases as the first black to play professional ball.
“There is a time-honored tradition of people who strongly disagree with a message and take it out on the messenger, and opponents of integration had a personal animus for Jackie Robinson. Opponents of all the great social movements would take out after the advocates that were most effective in asking people to change,” Gore told his one-time employer, Nashville’s Tennesseannewspaper.
“As a result, I don’t take it personally when the criticism comes at me. I believe so passionately in this mission, if you will. The word ‘mission’ might sound a little grandiose, but that’s kind of what it feels like to me. Honestly, it is a joy and a privilege to have work that justifies pouring every ounce of energy you can pour into it. That is a blessing that is to be cherished,” he added in an interview to discuss the 10th anniversary of his movie and book, “An Inconvenient Truth.”
If a Republican had compared himself to a black pioneer who overcame racism and poverty, the denunciations would already be deafening. I suspect that the corrupt “civil rights leaders” of the left will sigh and keep their mouths shut because Gore is perceived as an ally, despite the devastation high electricity prices inflict on poor families.