Can Al Gore put pressure on the climate issue during the USA 08 election?

Do you remember, when Al Gore said he would do everything in his powers to influence the American people and politicians to value the climate issue much higher, placing it among the other top issues that would be heatedly discussed among the president candidates and the, hmm, two(!), political parties?

Well, I am no US political expert. Heck, I am not even an US citizen. But from what I’ve heard and seen so far the discussions and talks about the climate threat have gone pretty much un-noticed.

Sure you can say to the defence that USA hasn’t yet decided which two(!) persons who are eligible to fight for the presidency. But aren’t you, as an American and Earth citizen interested in where the different presidential contenders stand on climate and energy issues? Especially when you consider that USA is THE country that pollutes the worst, uses the most of earths resources and fuels the ignorant standpoint on climate change.

Luckily Gristmill has made a table with the candidate’s stances on fuel-economy standards, renewable energy, and coal.

John McCain is said to be the greenest of the Republican presidential candidates. But how green is he when he supports coal? Or maybe you should ask how bad (for the environment) the other Republican presidential candidates are?

On a poll on Msnbc.com where you could “choose Iowa's biggest winners, losers”, from yesterdays Iowa caucus. One of the questions where:

"Going forward from Iowa, what is the most important issue for all candidates to address with clear policies and new ideas?".

Msnbc.com had listed six different options that you could choose from:

• Family values
• War in Iraq
• Illegal immigration
• Health care
• Taxes and the economy
• Terrorism

I can't see "Climate Change" as an option. And none of them were directly related to the environment. Only four of those where in some way related to the climate threat and it’s effects (can you guess which ones?).

So maybe it’s no wonder that Al Gore haven’t, yet, succeeded with his hopes to influence the American minds and politics when “Family Values” seems, for the majority of the American people, be much more important than the end of the civilization?

Maybe Al Gore could put pressure on the climate issue by running for president? I do hope he will. Sure, he might not win, but he will sure shake things up.

And like Michael Moore said this Wednesday; "Where are you, Al Gore? You can only polish that Oscar for so long. And the Nobel was decided by Scandinavians! I don't blame you for not wanting to enter the viper pit again after you already won. But getting us to change out our incandescent light bulbs for some irritating fluorescent ones isn't going to save the world."