In
one of the most controversial and bitterly contested elections in United States
history, Vice President Al Gore received the most votes for President in 2000,
but was denied the Presidency in large part after a partisan 5-4 United States
Supreme Court decision that halted the recount of votes in Florida. We can only
guess at how different the world would be today had Al Gore become President in
2001, but one thing is certain, he has been and continues to be a voice of hope
for a more peaceful, just and sustainable world.
While
a Senator he introduced legislation to support the creation of the Internet and
was a strong advocate of environmental issues, writing a best-selling book on
environmental conservation called, Earth in the Balance. His commitment
to environmental protection continued as Vice President from 1993-2001, and continues
to this day. In 2006 Al Gore narrated the global warming documentary, An Inconvenient
Truth, and is the author of the 2006 book of the same title. Now that he is
no longer in politics, Al Gore has become an outspoken critic of injustices in
the government. As President of Current, a TV channel he co-founded, he helps
give youth a voice in the decisions that effect their lives. In 2007, Al Gore
received an Oscar for An Inconvenient Truth and the Nobel Peace Prize for
his efforts to bring this important issue to the public's attention.