What affect will Mr. Gore have on automobiles when he announces his intentions to run for President? I'm getting ready to watch him on Letterman on his tour of his book.

MANY people have asked him to run. Considering Gores previous statements on global warming what impact do you think he would have on the automotive industry?

I do NOT want this turning into political debate.

I'd LOVE to hear how Gore's intentions to run would affect the auto business in a positive or negative way.

Personally....Gore running for President would HELP General Motors immense due to the fact that the Chevrolet Volt is so close but literally the ONLY thing missing is the battery tech.

Gore would surely finance a battery program from the U.S. Government to help U.S. automakers.

 

i dont think hes going to run... ive watched him on a few shows lately, the most recent larry king live just the other day, and he said prob 20 time litterally he has no intention of running for pres or any other political office at that. he said that he has a mission and can do many things to help the planet without needing to be in office. i didnt vote for him before, but i can say IF he did run... is seriously think about voting for him. ive gained a lot of respect for him in the last few months that i had no idea he was active in the wellware of the planet. we need serious steps taken and so far... he seems like the only one doing it.

as for cars... he may never have a DIRECT impact on what the gov can do for the automobile ind, but as long as he keeps his campaign going on educating the public which the rest of our idiotic gov hasnt seem to have been doing. in the end i think he will help american and afar industries becoming more green. who knows. we shall see

cory

 

You tell me. What US politician has 'fixed' the US auto industry over the past few decades? None that I can recall.

 

I met (and had my picture taken with) Al Gore once at a stop in the Bay Area back in 2000. What struck me most was the Al Gore I met was entirely and completely different than the Al Gore we saw on the news and on TV. He was animated, lively, and actually funny. If that Al Gore had come through instead of the overcautious, dry, and wooden character we saw, Bush the 2nd would have never made it to office.

Al Gore has no intention in running for President again, and I can completely understand it. Running is extraordinary tough on the individual, the family, and emotionally. You're putting everything of yourself out there for critisim and ridicule. He went through the entire process, desicively won the vote of the majority of American citizens, had his entire election hinge on votes in Florida that boiled down to less than the capacity of a Greyhound bus, counts that degenerated to debates on "hanging chads", and a Supreme Court that stopped a recount. I don't think there's anyone here that would go through what he went through (regardless of political party) and be eager to go through it all again. It's going to leave a mark, not to mention a distaste.

As for what would a Gore Presidency look like for the auto industry, he's certainly no Bill Clinton.

Clinton wasn't a crusader, and was very able to be practical. His number one concern was the economy. During his term, there were no increases in fuel economy & no new excessive safety regulations despite cries from the treehuggers. Result? The US auto industry experienced a major boom in the 1990s. On the other hand, although Gore is perhaps the only person in the race who can restore US credibility abroad who could actually win the Presidency, Gore is also a crusader... a true believer. I can see him pushing enviromental regs on congress even if congress was very aware that the economic consequences would be harsh (though I'd see congress keeping his extremes in check).

Right now, I'd say Hillary is probally the most pragmatic candidate, and probally least beholden to both the enviromentalists and the oil companies.

At least her main advisor is the most qualified by far that anyone running is going to find.

 

Robert Mcnamara?

 

I think he'd do something similar to what's being done in California, only with the weight and funding of the federal government behind it, it would likely be more successful and easier on the auto industry.

I can't see how CO2 or higher CAFE standards can be good for relatively inexpensive V8 performance cars. They might be good for smaller 4 cylinder performance cars -- with DI and turbos or perhaps electric assist. I don't know what that does to "inexpensive" though.

Go Alpha!

 

Al Gore would be a disaster for the auto industry.

Of course, with all the global warming lunacy and ranting over gas prices, the idiotic CAFE system will be ratcheted up by the morons in Washington regardless of what schmuck is our next president.



I don't think I could stand being that close to that hypocritical jackass without caving to the urge to knock him on his ***. You are kidding, right?

 

 

The Chevy Volt is but one car. I understand as well as anyone the importance of such a car for GM's PR, but it is still one car. GM (like anyone else in the industry) still relies on higher-volume, traditional vehicles for its health. If Gore had his way the ICE would be dead. I don't consider his views practical or healthy for the industry.

 

Too bad Bob Lutz isn't American born...

 

Dale Jr. For President

 

We all know that that is a useless statistic that should not even be broadcast. The Electoral College exists for a reason, and is an intricate part of our system. Only vote total within a state is important.

 

OK, I'll bite.

What makes him a hypocrite?

 

The silly idea of "Carbon Credits". The fact that the man flies all over the country/world and lives in a huge, energy-sucking house and then tells us how we should be living. Dunno.

 

A. Agreed. Carbon credits is infact a silly idea. Just as silly as fuel economy credits automakers used.

B. Actually, he flies 1st class commercial where he can. The man still draws secret service protection and other items (or perks) as a former US Vice President.

C. The guy lives in a pretty huge mansion, like anyone else that's rich. Unlike most everyone else who's rich, his home is set up to be a bit more energy efficient (I recall solar panels for energy and double pane windows for starters), and is still a "work in progress".

Admitedly, I haven't actually seen "Inconvienent Truth", but I have read up on Al Gore. Besides his affection for increased fuel economy, what exactly has he said about "telling us how to live" which is that much different than what we do now?


FWIW:
the "Al Gore uses X-times the energy of the average home" story originated with the Drudge Report, was picked up by the news media, and fanned continuously by Fox News, and.... ironically.... got alot of the mindless, way-out-there, treehuggers up in arms.

News media as we keep finding out, favor the sound bite story at the expense of real story. It makes a bigger news impact in comparing the energy bill of an enviromentalist's very large mansion and guest house on the property (which is the size of a modest home in itself) to the "average American home".... instead of comparing his energy bill to other similar homes in the area, of which his bill is lower.

In short, it's all kind of like questioning Governor Arnold's comittment to the enviroment by comparing the fuel economy of his Hummer H1 to the guy who drives a V6 Impala.


I don't completely agree with his enviromental agenda, and of all the current presidential candidates, he'd have the greatest impact on the auto industry, but in all truthfullness, he got shafted on that "energy" story.