The World According to Gore

By Debra J. Saunders

The man who would be President, Al Gore, claims he invented the internet. He also claims that he and Tipper inspired Love Story. And he says that after his sister died of lung cancer he promised to fight smoking until his last breath, although he continued to cash checks from the family tobacco holdings for years after. In The World According to Gore, nationally syndicated columnist Debra Saunders goes in search of this man who seems always looking for the truth about himself. Saunders concentrates on the ideas, which Gore has tinkered with throughout his career in an attempt to build a worldview. Whether posing as the eco-guru battling 'consumptionism', she writes, or the social theorist with a 'Livability Agenda' calling for federally sanctioned communities, or attacking the automobile as the scourge of civilization, or proposing universal pre-school, Al Gore is, for all his supposed woodenness, a unique figure on our political scene. Fascinating and funny, this search for Al Gore deconstructs his carefully constructed image with wisdom and insight. Illustrated with family and political photographs.

• Format: Paperback
• Language: English
• ISBN: 1893554147
• ISBN13: 9781893554146
• Release Date: August 2000
• Publisher: Encounter Books
• Length: 224 Pages
• Weight: 0.70 lbs.
• Dimensions: 0.7" x 5.9" x 9.2"

Customer Reviews

Good, But Too Partisan

Truth to tell, this book suffers a bit due to the author's partisan bias. It is possible to attack Gore without tarring him with the standard `Big Money Liberal' label that Republicans imagine is so devastating. Still, the book is definitely worth a look, especially by those who may think highly of the former Vice President. When the author is on target, especially when making The VP out to be a hypocrite and a flip flopper, she is devastating. These are the best reasons to distrust the man. Whether or not you agree with Gore's stated policies, the fact that he seems to change to suit the whims of fickle popular opinion should give you pause. I was disappointed that Gore's ties to big business were downplayed, but it's to be expected from a Republican critic. The book is very readable and quite well written. If Al Gore bubbles back up in 2004 I expect this book will bubble up as well, and it should.

Goredom

This is a well-written book that lends insight into the evolution of Gore, and what kind of president he might be. Rather than just chronicling his life, or merely pointing out his special interests or hypocrisy, it actually adresses his ideas, some of which are quite extreme. The book also illustrates how some of his ideas have already been proven not to work, and have been abandoned by the communities that tried them. Then there's his "livability agenda," which he is willing to impose on others, but not himself. As a Democrat who will probably vote for Gore anyway, I nonetheless think this is an important book to read.

Cuts Through Gore Spin

Saunders takes a cool look into what she calls "Goredom." The results are illuminating. Gore seems to be a man who will say anything to be president. He will betray any constituency. Perhaps Saunders' most shocking point is that rather than flip-flopping on abortion, as he now admits to having done, Gore always intended to switch to a pro choice position after moving out of the House of Representatives and toward national leadership. Saunders also proves that his environmental bark is far worse than his bite.Easy to read and understand, this book is well worth reading by anyone who is undecided in this election.

Great Overview and Biting Commentary

Since Ms. Saunders is a columnist, its no surprise that she has succintly summarized Gore's thinking on issues and his record of flip-flops. While she's no fan of Al's, any Gore supporter should think about her observations, and what response could be made to them. Her accounts of his political expediency ring true. She also gives good references for her assertions. Besides, the book is a fun read.