AL GORE

It's time to say something about this guy. The extraordinary grace, focus, determination of this guy to fix, help, strengthen, and save what we have in our world.

Have you noticed how we talk about men as guys – say this guy, that guy? Well, "guy" seems wrong when you're referring to Al Gore.

The man should have been president, not Bush.

When Gore chose Lieberman for VP, my eyebrows went up. Lieberman seemed wishy-washy even then, but I figured he was a practical choice for Gore, a way of getting the Jewish vote in New York, Florida, and California.

Having taken a long, cleared-eyed, Em look at Gore nowadays, I'm thinking he picked Lieberman as a starter to breaking barriers ... ( a Jew first, then maybe blacks?)

His wife Tipper is more than a helpmate -- I'll write about her separately.

Al and "Lock box" -- hard to shake the image of his stiffness. his posture, his ineffective efforts to relax during his campaign days. I sensed that Gore had a sense of humor, but gee -- he was stiff and Bush was like a friendly, neighborhood pup.

Yep, the debates felt as if it was high school hero -- versus teacher professor.

A woman wrote Time and said, "We made a huge mistake in 2000. Al Gore is the closed thing we have to a 21st century prophet." (She was responding to the review of Gore's latest book, "Our Choice, A Plan to Solve the Climate Crisis.")

The comment stopped me cold. When Kerry was chosen as the Democratic candidate, and Gore wasn't drafted, I groaned inwardly -- we need Gore.

Even when things got exciting -- Hillary versus Barack -- I thought, we need Gore. I wouldn't change what we got in our last election -- but Gore is huge, more than major, more than a power -- he's got breadth of mind, understanding, a mind we need now!

I'm borrowing, boiling down a couple of quotes from wise men on the New York Times.

"40 years as a student, policymaker, best-selling author, film-maker of award winning 'Inconvenient Truth,' entrepreneur, activist, Nobel Peace Prize recipient Gore offers real solutions, global strategy ..."

"... has led 30 'Solutions Summits' with scientists, engineers, and policy experts to examine every solution to the climate crisis in depth and detail ..."

".. .His new book, 'Our Choice' picks up where 'Inconvenient Truth' left us -- with a call to action, specifics, bold initiatives, a blueprint for solving the global climate crisis, and it's gaining support around the world ..."

I'm not promoting anything, but what you click in Gore's website -- wow!

ALLIANCE FOR CLIMATE PROTECTION -- stuff about re-powering America.

THE CLIMATE PROJECT -- facts, figures about what's happening with our climate.

LIVE EARTH ... "runs" for water, taking place all of the world.

AN INCONVENIENT TRUTH -- specifics about how we can solve our climate crisis.

CURRENT TV -- Wow, double wow -- I had to look it over twice, to realize Al's formed a Media Company that offers 51 million homes in NY, LA, San Francisco, London, Milan -- shows, news, movies, with tolerable ads, not for cars or Viagra -- for stuff we really need.

GENERATION INVESTMENT MANAGEMENT -- Mostly over-my-head, but clearly solid investments global equities -- "global " in Al's language means water, weather, energy, education -- the survival stuff he's written about in his books.

Okay, so ? What can I do, donate money, join something and grab a shovel? I roll my eyes -- I'm exhausted, sleepy -- I've been at my computer for 13 hours. But Gore's words, and the things he's doing, make me wake up, open my eyes, open my mind, nod, and say Yes! Somehow, I'll find a way that fits in my life -- and grab some kind of shovel.