1 00:00:02,759 --> 00:00:04,280 Speaker 1: At the Bloomberg House in Davos. 2 00:00:04,360 --> 00:00:06,360 Speaker 2: I recently had a chance to sit down with Al Gore, 3 00:00:06,480 --> 00:00:08,920 Speaker 2: former Vice President of the United States, had a chance 4 00:00:08,920 --> 00:00:10,480 Speaker 2: to ask him what it was like to come so 5 00:00:10,640 --> 00:00:13,760 Speaker 2: close to being president but not actually becoming president. I 6 00:00:13,800 --> 00:00:16,159 Speaker 2: also asked him why are spending so much time on 7 00:00:16,360 --> 00:00:19,680 Speaker 2: clean energy and cleaning up the environment? So today you're 8 00:00:19,720 --> 00:00:22,360 Speaker 2: spending a fair amount of your time on your investment operation. 9 00:00:23,560 --> 00:00:25,799 Speaker 2: You make a lot of speeches. You're also involved on 10 00:00:25,840 --> 00:00:28,200 Speaker 2: the board of the World Economic Forum where we are 11 00:00:28,240 --> 00:00:29,120 Speaker 2: today in Davos. 12 00:00:29,600 --> 00:00:30,960 Speaker 1: What propelled you to go on the board of the 13 00:00:30,960 --> 00:00:31,880 Speaker 1: World Economic Forum. 14 00:00:32,200 --> 00:00:35,760 Speaker 3: Klaus Schwab, the former chairman and the founder of with 15 00:00:36,240 --> 00:00:39,479 Speaker 3: the World Economic Forum, called me and asked me to 16 00:00:39,680 --> 00:00:42,360 Speaker 3: join after I wrote a book called The Future, Six 17 00:00:42,440 --> 00:00:45,080 Speaker 3: Drivers of Global Change. It turned out that Klaus Schwab 18 00:00:45,200 --> 00:00:50,159 Speaker 3: was the target demographic for that book, and he liked 19 00:00:50,159 --> 00:00:51,720 Speaker 3: it a lot and called me and asked me to 20 00:00:51,800 --> 00:00:52,400 Speaker 3: join the board. 21 00:00:52,560 --> 00:00:55,920 Speaker 2: You are an advocate for climate change and that people 22 00:00:55,920 --> 00:00:58,040 Speaker 2: should take more attention to it. What do you think 23 00:00:58,120 --> 00:01:01,960 Speaker 2: people can realistically do to do more about climate change 24 00:01:02,000 --> 00:01:03,840 Speaker 2: than we're doing, And if you might talk about the 25 00:01:03,880 --> 00:01:07,280 Speaker 2: Paris Accords because under the Paris Accords, So I understand 26 00:01:07,280 --> 00:01:09,479 Speaker 2: it when it was set up that with the goal 27 00:01:09,680 --> 00:01:13,679 Speaker 2: was to get the temperature, the celsius temperature not to 28 00:01:13,760 --> 00:01:17,200 Speaker 2: go up by the year twenty one hundred by more 29 00:01:17,280 --> 00:01:20,360 Speaker 2: than let's say one point four degrees and now we're 30 00:01:20,400 --> 00:01:23,040 Speaker 2: on track to go to two or two and a 31 00:01:23,080 --> 00:01:26,160 Speaker 2: half time or two and a half degrees celsius. So, 32 00:01:26,240 --> 00:01:29,119 Speaker 2: in other words, by twenty one hundred, if we did nothing, 33 00:01:29,240 --> 00:01:32,040 Speaker 2: the theory was you go to four degrees higher, four 34 00:01:32,080 --> 00:01:35,680 Speaker 2: degrees celsius higher, and that would be catastrophic. How close 35 00:01:35,720 --> 00:01:37,640 Speaker 2: are we going to get to the original goal of 36 00:01:37,760 --> 00:01:40,160 Speaker 2: let's say one point two, one point three, one point four. 37 00:01:40,400 --> 00:01:43,399 Speaker 3: We can overshoot and then come back down. If we 38 00:01:43,560 --> 00:01:47,480 Speaker 3: stop adding more heat trapping pollution to the atmosphere and 39 00:01:48,400 --> 00:01:51,440 Speaker 3: stabilize at what they call in that zero, the temperature 40 00:01:51,720 --> 00:01:56,160 Speaker 3: will stop going up immediately. It's a thermostatic system, and 41 00:01:56,280 --> 00:01:59,360 Speaker 3: the thermostat is not a round knob on the wall. 42 00:01:59,720 --> 00:02:03,840 Speaker 3: It's a set of policies that currently include massive subsidies 43 00:02:03,880 --> 00:02:07,320 Speaker 3: for fossil fuels. If we didn't subsidize fossil fuels and 44 00:02:07,440 --> 00:02:10,680 Speaker 3: force the taxpayers to subsidize them, they would be gone 45 00:02:10,720 --> 00:02:11,920 Speaker 3: pretty quickly. 46 00:02:11,639 --> 00:02:14,520 Speaker 2: If fossil fuels had not been discovered on the face 47 00:02:14,560 --> 00:02:16,239 Speaker 2: of the earth, there had been no oil and gas. 48 00:02:16,600 --> 00:02:19,160 Speaker 2: Do you think civilization would be further ahead of where 49 00:02:19,160 --> 00:02:22,160 Speaker 2: it is or we be behind because fossil. 50 00:02:21,800 --> 00:02:23,320 Speaker 1: Fuels have been able us to do many things we 51 00:02:23,360 --> 00:02:24,160 Speaker 1: otherwise couldn't do. 52 00:02:24,639 --> 00:02:28,079 Speaker 3: Yeah, no question about it. And we owe the men 53 00:02:28,120 --> 00:02:32,320 Speaker 3: and women in the fossil fuel industry for helping create 54 00:02:32,440 --> 00:02:36,480 Speaker 3: this civilization that we enjoy today. And they did not 55 00:02:36,760 --> 00:02:40,720 Speaker 3: know until fifty years ago at least, that the byproduct 56 00:02:40,760 --> 00:02:44,440 Speaker 3: this heat trapping pollution was going to cause such problems. 57 00:02:44,760 --> 00:02:47,799 Speaker 3: And you know, just to pause on this for a moment, David. 58 00:02:48,800 --> 00:02:53,919 Speaker 3: Yesterday three hundred thousand people were forced from their homes 59 00:02:53,919 --> 00:02:58,000 Speaker 3: in Mozambique. Fifty thousand people two days ago were forced 60 00:02:58,000 --> 00:03:01,560 Speaker 3: from their homes by these massive downpours in South Africa, 61 00:03:01,680 --> 00:03:07,400 Speaker 3: three days ago in Chile, massive fires contributed connected to 62 00:03:07,440 --> 00:03:10,520 Speaker 3: the climate crisis. Last year in the US we had 63 00:03:10,600 --> 00:03:14,800 Speaker 3: twelve once in a thousand year downpours in the space 64 00:03:14,800 --> 00:03:17,520 Speaker 3: of three days. We had the Los Angeles fires in 65 00:03:17,560 --> 00:03:20,160 Speaker 3: my home state of Tennessee, and even more so in 66 00:03:20,200 --> 00:03:25,560 Speaker 3: neighboring North Carolina the downpour associated with that massive Hurricane Helen. 67 00:03:26,080 --> 00:03:29,480 Speaker 3: We got more rain in four days than falls over 68 00:03:29,520 --> 00:03:32,120 Speaker 3: the largest waterfall in the world in two and a 69 00:03:32,160 --> 00:03:36,840 Speaker 3: half years, and it's getting steadily worse. Beyond that, there 70 00:03:36,880 --> 00:03:40,400 Speaker 3: are very tiny areas in the world today that are 71 00:03:40,440 --> 00:03:44,800 Speaker 3: physiologically unlivable. In the Sahara Desert, a few places around 72 00:03:44,840 --> 00:03:47,839 Speaker 3: the Persian Gulf, the combination of heat and humidity makes 73 00:03:47,840 --> 00:03:50,240 Speaker 3: it impossible for people to live for more than four 74 00:03:50,320 --> 00:03:54,360 Speaker 3: or five hours outdoors. Those areas are now beginning to 75 00:03:54,480 --> 00:03:59,680 Speaker 3: expand dramatically, and the World Health Organization's Climate Committee says 76 00:03:59,680 --> 00:04:02,480 Speaker 3: that by twenty fifty we could have one to two 77 00:04:02,640 --> 00:04:08,600 Speaker 3: billion climate migrants crossing international borders, a few million coming 78 00:04:08,640 --> 00:04:12,960 Speaker 3: from the Eastern Mediterranean. With the climate drought there led 79 00:04:12,960 --> 00:04:18,960 Speaker 3: to Victor Orbonn and Brexit and authoritarian friendly governments that 80 00:04:19,279 --> 00:04:23,480 Speaker 3: have emerged. It's hard to imagine what a billion climate 81 00:04:23,760 --> 00:04:27,440 Speaker 3: migrants would do to our capacity for self governance. And 82 00:04:27,480 --> 00:04:31,479 Speaker 3: we're in danger of crossing some so called negative tipping points, 83 00:04:31,560 --> 00:04:34,000 Speaker 3: like the shutting down of the Gulf String sounds like 84 00:04:34,040 --> 00:04:36,800 Speaker 3: a science fiction movie and it was, but it's now 85 00:04:36,839 --> 00:04:40,440 Speaker 3: a very real threat, and there are others. We are 86 00:04:40,520 --> 00:04:44,160 Speaker 3: now trapping as much heat with this pollution every day 87 00:04:44,440 --> 00:04:47,560 Speaker 3: as would be released by seven hundred and fifty thousand 88 00:04:47,640 --> 00:04:52,040 Speaker 3: Hirotima class atomic bombs exploding every twenty four hours. 89 00:04:52,080 --> 00:04:55,599 Speaker 2: You've been Vice President United States. You've won the Nobel 90 00:04:55,640 --> 00:04:57,279 Speaker 2: Peace Prize without. 91 00:04:57,000 --> 00:05:01,159 Speaker 4: Lobbying for it. Who would do that? 92 00:05:01,839 --> 00:05:05,160 Speaker 2: You won the Academy Award for your picture on the environment. 93 00:05:05,279 --> 00:05:08,600 Speaker 2: You've been a senator, vice president, member of Congress. Why 94 00:05:08,640 --> 00:05:11,560 Speaker 2: are you so driven at this point to worry about 95 00:05:11,600 --> 00:05:13,760 Speaker 2: climate change? You've done so many things in your life. 96 00:05:13,839 --> 00:05:16,120 Speaker 2: I mean, climate change is an important thing, but let 97 00:05:16,360 --> 00:05:18,520 Speaker 2: some other people do Why are you so driven on 98 00:05:18,560 --> 00:05:19,480 Speaker 2: this subject? 99 00:05:19,800 --> 00:05:24,320 Speaker 3: First of all, minor detail. I always give Davis Guggenheim 100 00:05:24,360 --> 00:05:26,680 Speaker 3: credit for the Academy Award. He was the director. I 101 00:05:26,720 --> 00:05:30,480 Speaker 3: have visiting rights to the Academy Award. But why am 102 00:05:30,520 --> 00:05:34,920 Speaker 3: I so driven? Well, when I was very young, when 103 00:05:34,920 --> 00:05:38,200 Speaker 3: I was a college student. First of all, I had 104 00:05:38,240 --> 00:05:41,080 Speaker 3: no idea that climate was going to be take over 105 00:05:41,160 --> 00:05:44,080 Speaker 3: my life to the extent that it has. But I 106 00:05:44,240 --> 00:05:48,919 Speaker 3: had in my last year in college a course under 107 00:05:49,200 --> 00:05:52,080 Speaker 3: a man now recognized as one of the greatest climate 108 00:05:52,120 --> 00:05:55,400 Speaker 3: signed as of all time, Roger Ravel and he opened 109 00:05:55,400 --> 00:05:59,640 Speaker 3: my eyes to the issue and educated me, and it 110 00:05:59,680 --> 00:06:03,400 Speaker 3: was like a window opening onto the future. And everything 111 00:06:03,440 --> 00:06:07,920 Speaker 3: that he said at the time has come true. Unfortunately, 112 00:06:08,560 --> 00:06:12,400 Speaker 3: he designed the first experiment to measure CO two in 113 00:06:12,440 --> 00:06:17,000 Speaker 3: the Earth's atmosphere, and David Keeling, a scientist who created 114 00:06:17,080 --> 00:06:19,560 Speaker 3: what's called the Keeling curve. That's the bedrock of modern 115 00:06:19,600 --> 00:06:23,400 Speaker 3: climate science. Anyway, I was first introduced to the issue 116 00:06:23,720 --> 00:06:26,000 Speaker 3: back when I was very young, twenty years old, and 117 00:06:26,560 --> 00:06:29,440 Speaker 3: later when I got to the Congress well, I kept 118 00:06:29,480 --> 00:06:33,120 Speaker 3: in touch with Professor Ravel and stayed close to him. 119 00:06:33,160 --> 00:06:35,400 Speaker 3: When I was elected to Congress, I started asking what 120 00:06:35,480 --> 00:06:38,280 Speaker 3: are we doing about what we call global warming then? 121 00:06:38,720 --> 00:06:41,840 Speaker 3: And the answer was crickets or you know, nobody had 122 00:06:41,880 --> 00:06:44,720 Speaker 3: really heard of it to any extent. I finally got 123 00:06:44,760 --> 00:06:47,440 Speaker 3: permission to hold the first Congressional hearing in the House 124 00:06:47,560 --> 00:06:51,080 Speaker 3: on climate, and I invited my professor to be the 125 00:06:51,240 --> 00:06:55,640 Speaker 3: leadoff witness, and I naively thought that his statement would 126 00:06:55,720 --> 00:06:58,880 Speaker 3: create the same epiphany for my colleagues on the dayas 127 00:06:58,960 --> 00:07:02,640 Speaker 3: that a full college coorus had created for me, and 128 00:07:02,760 --> 00:07:06,200 Speaker 3: that did not happen at all. And in the aftermath 129 00:07:06,279 --> 00:07:09,960 Speaker 3: of that hearing, I first asked myself the question, how 130 00:07:10,040 --> 00:07:14,240 Speaker 3: can I recreate the aha moment that I had and 131 00:07:14,440 --> 00:07:18,720 Speaker 3: explain this in a way that takes this great scientist 132 00:07:18,920 --> 00:07:23,520 Speaker 3: message to others, because it's so critical, David, and it's 133 00:07:23,560 --> 00:07:26,000 Speaker 3: the kind of challenge where once you pick it up, 134 00:07:26,720 --> 00:07:30,720 Speaker 3: you really can't put it down because it's such a threat. 135 00:07:31,200 --> 00:07:32,400 Speaker 4: It has to be dealt with. 136 00:07:32,520 --> 00:07:35,400 Speaker 2: So when you were a young man, you decided to 137 00:07:35,400 --> 00:07:38,880 Speaker 2: go to Harvard College, and your father was a United 138 00:07:39,120 --> 00:07:40,480 Speaker 2: Center from Tennessee. 139 00:07:41,080 --> 00:07:43,280 Speaker 1: You went to Harvard and your. 140 00:07:43,240 --> 00:07:46,920 Speaker 3: Roommate was Tommy Lee Jones, and he was more famous 141 00:07:46,960 --> 00:07:49,320 Speaker 3: at the time. I guess, well, he was a great 142 00:07:49,320 --> 00:07:53,200 Speaker 3: football player at the time and a great student actor, 143 00:07:53,760 --> 00:07:56,280 Speaker 3: and we remain great friends to this day. 144 00:07:56,600 --> 00:08:00,480 Speaker 2: So if you graduated, most people in your generation, which 145 00:08:00,520 --> 00:08:03,600 Speaker 2: was my generation, figured out, how can I not go 146 00:08:03,720 --> 00:08:05,960 Speaker 2: into the Vietnam War and how can I not go 147 00:08:06,000 --> 00:08:09,080 Speaker 2: into the military. Obviously some people did, and they deserve 148 00:08:09,120 --> 00:08:09,640 Speaker 2: credit for it. 149 00:08:09,680 --> 00:08:12,440 Speaker 1: But you enlisted. 150 00:08:12,760 --> 00:08:14,640 Speaker 2: You volunteered, You wouldn't wait to be drafted. 151 00:08:14,680 --> 00:08:15,560 Speaker 1: Why did you enlist? 152 00:08:16,040 --> 00:08:20,200 Speaker 2: And didn't that cause a lot of concern on your family's. 153 00:08:19,880 --> 00:08:23,480 Speaker 3: Part, certainly on my mother's part. Yes, I was raised 154 00:08:23,520 --> 00:08:26,320 Speaker 3: in two places. My father was in the Congress, House 155 00:08:26,360 --> 00:08:28,280 Speaker 3: and Senate. So I spent a lot of time in 156 00:08:28,360 --> 00:08:30,960 Speaker 3: DC as a child, but every summer in Christmas and 157 00:08:31,840 --> 00:08:35,560 Speaker 3: my spiritual home was in Carthage, Tennessee, and that's where 158 00:08:35,559 --> 00:08:39,480 Speaker 3: my draft board was. And I couldn't imagine walking down 159 00:08:39,520 --> 00:08:43,240 Speaker 3: the street and seeing a family whose son had died 160 00:08:43,280 --> 00:08:46,840 Speaker 3: in Vietnam and them knowing that I had used some 161 00:08:46,880 --> 00:08:49,679 Speaker 3: connections to get out of it. There was another factor 162 00:08:49,720 --> 00:08:52,760 Speaker 3: I have to add that helped to clarify the issue 163 00:08:52,760 --> 00:08:54,880 Speaker 3: for me, and that is my father was a leading 164 00:08:55,320 --> 00:08:58,080 Speaker 3: opponent of the Vietnam War, and I was immensely proud 165 00:08:58,080 --> 00:09:04,680 Speaker 3: of him. His reelection was coming up, and getting out 166 00:09:04,679 --> 00:09:09,360 Speaker 3: of Vietnam did not seem like the most honorable thing 167 00:09:09,440 --> 00:09:11,760 Speaker 3: for me to do, and it didn't seem like the 168 00:09:11,800 --> 00:09:15,319 Speaker 3: most beneficial thing for my dad either. So I decided 169 00:09:15,360 --> 00:09:17,640 Speaker 3: that the right thing to do was to go ahead 170 00:09:17,679 --> 00:09:19,959 Speaker 3: and volunteer. I went in as a private and went 171 00:09:19,960 --> 00:09:20,560 Speaker 3: to Vietnam. 172 00:09:20,840 --> 00:09:23,520 Speaker 2: After you got out of military service, you went to 173 00:09:23,559 --> 00:09:27,840 Speaker 2: Divinity school. Were you thinking of being a preacher or something? 174 00:09:28,080 --> 00:09:28,760 Speaker 1: I was not. 175 00:09:29,400 --> 00:09:34,120 Speaker 3: I was raised in a church going family, but at 176 00:09:34,120 --> 00:09:38,719 Speaker 3: the age of twenty one, I felt very strongly the 177 00:09:38,760 --> 00:09:43,520 Speaker 3: moral dilemma of being opposed to the Vietnam War, marching 178 00:09:43,760 --> 00:09:46,199 Speaker 3: in opposition to the Vietnam War, and then how could you. 179 00:09:46,160 --> 00:09:47,959 Speaker 4: Go and be a part of it. 180 00:09:48,440 --> 00:09:50,680 Speaker 3: I had my reasons, and I thought they were sound 181 00:09:50,720 --> 00:09:54,559 Speaker 3: and valid, but I worried about it. You know, when 182 00:09:54,600 --> 00:09:56,840 Speaker 3: you're that young, you can build these things up in 183 00:09:56,920 --> 00:09:59,680 Speaker 3: your mind, and I thought that coming back to the 184 00:09:59,760 --> 00:10:03,440 Speaker 3: UA after the war, it would be healthy and good 185 00:10:03,480 --> 00:10:06,160 Speaker 3: for me to have a structured environment where I could 186 00:10:06,200 --> 00:10:09,440 Speaker 3: explore the ethical questions that I had focused on. 187 00:10:09,600 --> 00:10:12,560 Speaker 2: So you didn't complete Divinity school, You went to journalism 188 00:10:12,559 --> 00:10:15,280 Speaker 2: school for a while. No, No, I thought you went 189 00:10:15,320 --> 00:10:18,199 Speaker 2: to journalism school I went to When I came back 190 00:10:18,240 --> 00:10:23,280 Speaker 2: from Vietnam, I got a job ninety five dollars a 191 00:10:23,320 --> 00:10:26,480 Speaker 2: week working as a cub reporter for the Nashville Tennessee. 192 00:10:26,520 --> 00:10:29,280 Speaker 2: And you may have known John Sigenthal's, a great editor 193 00:10:29,280 --> 00:10:31,920 Speaker 2: who was my mentor. And then I went to Divinity 194 00:10:31,960 --> 00:10:36,320 Speaker 2: school at the same time, and as a journalist I 195 00:10:36,400 --> 00:10:40,200 Speaker 2: benefited a great deal from Sigenthaler's tutoring. I became an 196 00:10:40,240 --> 00:10:47,160 Speaker 2: investigative journalist and got into corruption and local and state government. 197 00:10:47,520 --> 00:10:49,240 Speaker 1: There was a corruption in local in state government. 198 00:10:49,400 --> 00:10:51,720 Speaker 3: It's hard to believe, I know, but even back then, 199 00:10:51,760 --> 00:10:56,400 Speaker 3: it occasionally appeared two councilmen I got indicted. One of 200 00:10:56,400 --> 00:11:00,280 Speaker 3: them was convicted. The lawsuits I was in, I was 201 00:11:00,320 --> 00:11:03,200 Speaker 3: a witness in a couple of trials, and I saw, boy, 202 00:11:03,240 --> 00:11:05,960 Speaker 3: this law thing. I need to know more about this. 203 00:11:06,640 --> 00:11:10,440 Speaker 3: My parents were both lawyers, so there was that. But 204 00:11:10,600 --> 00:11:13,040 Speaker 3: I decided to go to law school, continued to work 205 00:11:13,080 --> 00:11:16,720 Speaker 3: at the newspaper, and I thought that I would maybe 206 00:11:16,760 --> 00:11:19,080 Speaker 3: be Fred Graham. Do you remember Fred Graham? He was 207 00:11:19,120 --> 00:11:21,880 Speaker 3: the BBS Supreme Court reporter, first for the New York 208 00:11:21,880 --> 00:11:24,800 Speaker 3: Times NCBs. He was a kind of a role model 209 00:11:24,840 --> 00:11:29,719 Speaker 3: for me in those days. But you didn't complete law school, No, 210 00:11:29,840 --> 00:11:33,160 Speaker 3: because at the end of my second year, the congressional 211 00:11:33,240 --> 00:11:36,600 Speaker 3: seat in my home district came open. There was a 212 00:11:36,600 --> 00:11:40,840 Speaker 3: surprise retirement, and I packed up and just started running 213 00:11:40,840 --> 00:11:43,160 Speaker 3: for Congress on the spur of the moment. I surprised 214 00:11:43,160 --> 00:11:44,559 Speaker 3: myself in some ways. 215 00:11:44,480 --> 00:11:46,480 Speaker 2: Was somebody who did finish law school. I can tell 216 00:11:46,480 --> 00:11:47,400 Speaker 2: you didn't miss anything. 217 00:11:48,320 --> 00:11:51,560 Speaker 3: I always felt I always felt guilty about not finishing it. 218 00:11:51,559 --> 00:11:52,720 Speaker 1: Don't feel guilty about that. 219 00:11:53,000 --> 00:11:55,720 Speaker 2: So you were a successful member of Congress. You then 220 00:11:55,840 --> 00:11:59,040 Speaker 2: ran for the Senate. You got elected to the Senate, 221 00:11:59,720 --> 00:12:02,560 Speaker 2: and then in nineteen eighty eight you ran for president 222 00:12:03,200 --> 00:12:04,040 Speaker 2: and you didn't win. 223 00:12:04,480 --> 00:12:05,760 Speaker 4: I was thirty eight years old. 224 00:12:06,120 --> 00:12:08,520 Speaker 3: In some dictionaries, I'm told if you look up the 225 00:12:08,520 --> 00:12:10,199 Speaker 3: word hutz, but you'll see a picture. 226 00:12:09,920 --> 00:12:11,080 Speaker 4: Of my announcement speech. 227 00:12:11,200 --> 00:12:13,200 Speaker 1: Oh, thirty eight years old. You didn't get elected. 228 00:12:13,280 --> 00:12:15,400 Speaker 4: Now, coming third place on the Democratic exite not. 229 00:12:15,440 --> 00:12:19,840 Speaker 2: Bad, but so you considered running again. The Ducaucus was 230 00:12:19,840 --> 00:12:23,800 Speaker 2: the nominee. He lost fairly decisively to George Herbert Walker Bush. 231 00:12:24,000 --> 00:12:27,600 Speaker 2: In ninety two, you thought about running again and you 232 00:12:27,600 --> 00:12:29,400 Speaker 2: decided not to. Why did you not run again? You 233 00:12:30,200 --> 00:12:32,600 Speaker 2: were older and you had more experience. Why not run 234 00:12:32,640 --> 00:12:33,199 Speaker 2: in ninety two. 235 00:12:34,240 --> 00:12:36,840 Speaker 3: In April of nineteen eighty nine, one of my children 236 00:12:37,000 --> 00:12:41,280 Speaker 3: had a very very serious accident, your son, my son, 237 00:12:41,360 --> 00:12:47,560 Speaker 3: almost lost his life, and the recovery was quite lengthy, 238 00:12:47,800 --> 00:12:49,880 Speaker 3: and the stress and strain on the family. 239 00:12:49,920 --> 00:12:52,160 Speaker 1: Of course, in a car had hit him. 240 00:12:52,200 --> 00:12:53,000 Speaker 4: He was hit by a car. 241 00:12:53,000 --> 00:12:56,679 Speaker 3: I went to your beloved Orioles in Baltimore, and after 242 00:12:56,720 --> 00:12:59,640 Speaker 3: the game, I hate to tell you, I was rooting 243 00:12:59,640 --> 00:13:03,160 Speaker 3: for the Red Socks in that game, But afterwards he 244 00:13:03,240 --> 00:13:06,960 Speaker 3: was hit by a car. It was a devastating experience 245 00:13:07,000 --> 00:13:09,840 Speaker 3: in so many ways. I was worried when I got 246 00:13:09,840 --> 00:13:13,760 Speaker 3: to him that he had died. Everything turned out great, 247 00:13:14,240 --> 00:13:18,400 Speaker 3: He's fantastic. When the ninety two campaign approached, I was 248 00:13:18,480 --> 00:13:23,000 Speaker 3: still as a dad in the midst of taking care 249 00:13:23,000 --> 00:13:23,839 Speaker 3: of my family. 250 00:13:23,679 --> 00:13:24,000 Speaker 1: All right. 251 00:13:24,080 --> 00:13:28,080 Speaker 2: So then Bill Clinton gets the nomination, Yeah, for president. 252 00:13:28,120 --> 00:13:31,600 Speaker 2: And then he's a Southerner, obviously, And did you ever 253 00:13:31,679 --> 00:13:34,320 Speaker 2: think he would pick another Southerner to be his vice 254 00:13:34,360 --> 00:13:37,760 Speaker 2: presidential candidate? And did you think twice about ever becoming 255 00:13:37,800 --> 00:13:38,400 Speaker 2: vice president? 256 00:13:38,400 --> 00:13:41,600 Speaker 3: When you ask you, I never expected that he would 257 00:13:41,640 --> 00:13:44,640 Speaker 3: pick me. No, because the tradition up until that time 258 00:13:44,800 --> 00:13:50,160 Speaker 3: had been in both parties to balance the ticket geographically, ideologically, 259 00:13:50,280 --> 00:13:53,840 Speaker 3: and so forth. And Bill and I were from neighboring 260 00:13:53,920 --> 00:13:56,760 Speaker 3: states in the Upper South and the same part of 261 00:13:56,800 --> 00:14:01,000 Speaker 3: the ideological spectrum. We had advocated for a intrism approach 262 00:14:01,080 --> 00:14:04,000 Speaker 3: at the Democratic Party. I never thought he would do it. 263 00:14:04,360 --> 00:14:08,280 Speaker 3: But I was at the Earth Summit in Rio de Janeiro, 264 00:14:08,840 --> 00:14:12,440 Speaker 3: chairing the Senate Delegation on climate when I got the call, 265 00:14:12,600 --> 00:14:14,080 Speaker 3: and I still didn't think. 266 00:14:14,000 --> 00:14:16,640 Speaker 4: It was very serious. But we had a terrific set. 267 00:14:16,440 --> 00:14:22,120 Speaker 3: Of conversations, and then did I think twice about accepting 268 00:14:22,160 --> 00:14:26,800 Speaker 3: that invitation? I did, actually, But my conversations with Bill 269 00:14:26,880 --> 00:14:30,320 Speaker 3: went so well that I'm glad that I did it 270 00:14:30,400 --> 00:14:30,720 Speaker 3: all right. 271 00:14:30,800 --> 00:14:33,760 Speaker 2: She served as vice president for eight years. Then you 272 00:14:33,880 --> 00:14:36,240 Speaker 2: decided to run for president. But you got immersed in 273 00:14:36,280 --> 00:14:39,040 Speaker 2: the private sector and you went on the board of Apple. 274 00:14:40,080 --> 00:14:42,280 Speaker 2: What was your qualification to be on the board of Apple? 275 00:14:43,280 --> 00:14:44,920 Speaker 4: Well, good question. 276 00:14:45,360 --> 00:14:49,360 Speaker 3: But I had become friends with Steve Jobs when he 277 00:14:49,400 --> 00:14:53,000 Speaker 3: was at his first tour at Apple, and I was 278 00:14:53,040 --> 00:14:56,360 Speaker 3: a young congressman who one of the sponsors of legislation 279 00:14:56,560 --> 00:15:01,000 Speaker 3: to ease his donation of computers to schools. Became friends, 280 00:15:01,800 --> 00:15:05,760 Speaker 3: and I had worked on networking issues and technology issues. 281 00:15:05,800 --> 00:15:08,960 Speaker 3: When I became vice president, I got a commitment from 282 00:15:09,040 --> 00:15:13,440 Speaker 3: President Clinton that I would handle technology and the environment, 283 00:15:13,600 --> 00:15:15,640 Speaker 3: and he kept his word on that. And I was 284 00:15:15,680 --> 00:15:18,200 Speaker 3: deeply involved with the computer industry. 285 00:15:18,480 --> 00:15:21,760 Speaker 2: So you also started an investment company. Yeah, nothing could 286 00:15:21,800 --> 00:15:23,200 Speaker 2: be more important than it begin an. 287 00:15:23,120 --> 00:15:25,440 Speaker 4: Investor, right, I learned from you. 288 00:15:25,640 --> 00:15:27,920 Speaker 2: Right, So you started an investment company, but it had 289 00:15:27,920 --> 00:15:31,400 Speaker 2: the concept that you would invest only companies that did 290 00:15:31,520 --> 00:15:33,080 Speaker 2: things that were good for society. 291 00:15:33,240 --> 00:15:33,360 Speaker 4: Right. 292 00:15:33,360 --> 00:15:36,520 Speaker 2: It's a very novel concept and it actually worked out. 293 00:15:36,320 --> 00:15:39,520 Speaker 3: So far as yeah, very much so. And I learned 294 00:15:40,000 --> 00:15:43,480 Speaker 3: my secret to success in businesses to get great partners 295 00:15:43,480 --> 00:15:46,880 Speaker 3: and David Blood, my co founder. The old joke is 296 00:15:46,960 --> 00:15:49,160 Speaker 3: I've worn it out. Really, I wanted to name the 297 00:15:49,160 --> 00:15:53,600 Speaker 3: firm Blood and Gore, but the other partners would wouldn't 298 00:15:53,600 --> 00:15:54,240 Speaker 3: agree to it. 299 00:15:54,280 --> 00:15:56,160 Speaker 4: But when I first left the. 300 00:15:58,560 --> 00:16:02,520 Speaker 3: White House in Gail Anuary of two thousand and one, involuntarily, 301 00:16:02,760 --> 00:16:07,040 Speaker 3: I got an offer from another investment firm. And it's 302 00:16:07,240 --> 00:16:10,640 Speaker 3: common you went through this transition from the White House 303 00:16:10,720 --> 00:16:14,480 Speaker 3: to the private sector yourself, and the salaries in the 304 00:16:14,480 --> 00:16:17,640 Speaker 3: private sector are a little bigger than you get in 305 00:16:17,720 --> 00:16:20,880 Speaker 3: public service. But I didn't really enjoy it. They were 306 00:16:20,920 --> 00:16:24,120 Speaker 3: great people, but it was just about making money. And 307 00:16:24,960 --> 00:16:27,400 Speaker 3: I hope that doesn't sound weird, but it didn't get 308 00:16:27,440 --> 00:16:30,960 Speaker 3: my passions flowing. And I learned the business and decided 309 00:16:31,000 --> 00:16:33,440 Speaker 3: I'd like to find a way to set it up 310 00:16:33,680 --> 00:16:37,600 Speaker 3: in alignment with the principles I felt are so important. 311 00:16:37,640 --> 00:16:40,000 Speaker 3: We don't invest in fossil fuels. I urge you not 312 00:16:40,120 --> 00:16:43,920 Speaker 3: to do it too, by the way, but everybody else does. 313 00:16:44,400 --> 00:16:45,240 Speaker 4: You'll think about it. 314 00:16:45,520 --> 00:16:47,680 Speaker 3: I hope you will, because I hope we can come 315 00:16:47,680 --> 00:16:50,680 Speaker 3: back to climate It's way more serious than people realize. 316 00:16:50,840 --> 00:16:53,280 Speaker 3: But in any case, at the end of that first 317 00:16:53,320 --> 00:17:00,080 Speaker 3: gig in investing, I had been fortunate enough to go 318 00:17:00,160 --> 00:17:03,680 Speaker 3: to work for Google right out of the White House, 319 00:17:03,720 --> 00:17:06,560 Speaker 3: and that was a good move as it turned out, 320 00:17:07,080 --> 00:17:09,080 Speaker 3: and I went to try to set up my own 321 00:17:09,119 --> 00:17:12,040 Speaker 3: investment firm, and that's when I met David Blood. He 322 00:17:12,160 --> 00:17:15,800 Speaker 3: was retiring from Goldman Sachs, and we set up this 323 00:17:15,840 --> 00:17:17,200 Speaker 3: firm twenty one years ago. 324 00:17:17,760 --> 00:17:21,040 Speaker 2: And now it's had a higher rate of return than 325 00:17:21,359 --> 00:17:22,800 Speaker 2: the S and P five hundred I gather. 326 00:17:23,000 --> 00:17:26,000 Speaker 3: Over that period, we've had a lot of success. The 327 00:17:26,600 --> 00:17:29,520 Speaker 3: people who work with us are fantastic, and if you 328 00:17:30,160 --> 00:17:33,639 Speaker 3: set it up in the way you just we invest 329 00:17:33,720 --> 00:17:38,480 Speaker 3: everything through a sustainability lens that attracts the brightest and 330 00:17:38,640 --> 00:17:41,200 Speaker 3: best people to come knock on your door and want 331 00:17:41,200 --> 00:17:41,720 Speaker 3: to work with you. 332 00:17:41,800 --> 00:17:43,800 Speaker 4: I have the terrific group that I work with. 333 00:17:44,160 --> 00:17:47,119 Speaker 2: When you were I called and told you you and 334 00:17:47,200 --> 00:17:50,120 Speaker 2: a few others had won the Nobel Peace Prize, where 335 00:17:50,200 --> 00:17:52,359 Speaker 2: you thinking it was a mistake or a joke er 336 00:17:52,760 --> 00:17:56,119 Speaker 2: because you hadn't been campaigning for it, and it wasn't 337 00:17:56,800 --> 00:17:59,840 Speaker 2: climate change wasn't considered a peace Prize kind of thing 338 00:18:00,080 --> 00:18:02,399 Speaker 2: the time. So were you surprised or you kind of 339 00:18:02,480 --> 00:18:03,960 Speaker 2: knew maybe it might happen. 340 00:18:05,440 --> 00:18:06,080 Speaker 4: A little both. 341 00:18:06,160 --> 00:18:08,719 Speaker 3: I was surprised, but in the days leading up to it, 342 00:18:08,760 --> 00:18:12,439 Speaker 3: there had been some buzz about that possibility. So when 343 00:18:12,520 --> 00:18:15,480 Speaker 3: the actual announcement came at two o'clock in the morning, I. 344 00:18:15,520 --> 00:18:17,800 Speaker 4: Was waiting up to watch the news. 345 00:18:17,920 --> 00:18:20,400 Speaker 1: But you haven't given your Nobel Peace Prize anybody else, 346 00:18:20,480 --> 00:18:20,680 Speaker 1: right you? 347 00:18:20,880 --> 00:18:23,800 Speaker 3: I just don't have I you know, I hadn't even 348 00:18:23,840 --> 00:18:24,720 Speaker 3: thought of doing that. 349 00:18:24,800 --> 00:18:27,080 Speaker 2: Actually, you ran for president of the United States in 350 00:18:27,080 --> 00:18:30,200 Speaker 2: the year twenty twenty five years ago. You lost by 351 00:18:30,760 --> 00:18:33,080 Speaker 2: maybe some people would say five hundred and thirty some 352 00:18:33,200 --> 00:18:35,960 Speaker 2: votes in one in Florida, or you could say one 353 00:18:36,000 --> 00:18:38,560 Speaker 2: vote in the Supreme Court, depending on how you look 354 00:18:38,600 --> 00:18:41,639 Speaker 2: at it. Why did you not go complain about that 355 00:18:41,880 --> 00:18:44,080 Speaker 2: or say, hey, I've been in the election stolen. You 356 00:18:44,119 --> 00:18:46,639 Speaker 2: had pretty good grounds for protesting it. Why did you 357 00:18:46,960 --> 00:18:49,800 Speaker 2: ultimately just make a speech saying, look, the system goes forward, 358 00:18:50,160 --> 00:18:52,200 Speaker 2: and I congratulate. 359 00:18:51,600 --> 00:18:53,639 Speaker 1: The winner, and I'm going about my business. Wasn't that 360 00:18:53,680 --> 00:18:54,159 Speaker 1: hard to do? 361 00:18:55,160 --> 00:18:56,639 Speaker 4: Well? Yes? 362 00:18:56,840 --> 00:18:59,720 Speaker 3: But what I really did was what Winston Churchill said 363 00:18:59,720 --> 00:19:02,280 Speaker 3: about the American people, they generally do the right thing 364 00:19:02,359 --> 00:19:08,360 Speaker 3: after first exhausting every available alternative. And I did exhaust 365 00:19:08,480 --> 00:19:12,760 Speaker 3: every available alternative save one that the outcome of which 366 00:19:12,800 --> 00:19:15,800 Speaker 3: would have been certain. There is a very little known 367 00:19:15,880 --> 00:19:18,800 Speaker 3: provision in the constitution that if you get to a 368 00:19:18,840 --> 00:19:22,320 Speaker 3: complete deadlock in the electoral College, then it goes to 369 00:19:22,359 --> 00:19:26,160 Speaker 3: the House of Representatives, and it's a strange mechanism where 370 00:19:26,200 --> 00:19:31,120 Speaker 3: each state has one vote. The Republican Party completely dominated 371 00:19:31,160 --> 00:19:35,120 Speaker 3: that election. So if the country had been dragged through 372 00:19:35,160 --> 00:19:39,719 Speaker 3: that for six months or whatever without any outcome, and 373 00:19:39,760 --> 00:19:43,320 Speaker 3: then the outcome when it came was a foregone conclusion, 374 00:19:43,640 --> 00:19:46,280 Speaker 3: it seemed to me that that was the right decision 375 00:19:46,320 --> 00:19:46,560 Speaker 3: to make. 376 00:19:46,760 --> 00:19:50,000 Speaker 2: Is there anything that humans today can do, yes, that 377 00:19:50,160 --> 00:19:53,520 Speaker 2: will change the lives of the humans currently on the earth. 378 00:19:53,600 --> 00:19:56,200 Speaker 2: In other words, yeah, things that you do now might 379 00:19:56,240 --> 00:19:58,200 Speaker 2: affect my great grandchildren. 380 00:19:58,320 --> 00:19:59,200 Speaker 1: Maybe ab'll help them. 381 00:19:59,240 --> 00:20:01,639 Speaker 2: But today, why should I do something that I'm not 382 00:20:01,680 --> 00:20:02,719 Speaker 2: going to see the benefit of. 383 00:20:02,840 --> 00:20:06,000 Speaker 3: Yeah, well, first of all, people who switch over are 384 00:20:06,000 --> 00:20:08,919 Speaker 3: getting the benefit right away. But coming back to the 385 00:20:09,000 --> 00:20:12,399 Speaker 3: point about the fossil fuel industry and our debt to them, 386 00:20:12,800 --> 00:20:15,280 Speaker 3: there's an old saying that came from the King of 387 00:20:15,280 --> 00:20:18,720 Speaker 3: Saudi Arabia years ago. The Stone Age didn't end because 388 00:20:18,760 --> 00:20:22,359 Speaker 3: of a shortage of stones. It ended because something better 389 00:20:22,440 --> 00:20:25,480 Speaker 3: came along. Something better has come along now to replace 390 00:20:25,680 --> 00:20:29,600 Speaker 3: fossil fuels, which are dirty and polluting and threatening humanity's future. 391 00:20:30,240 --> 00:20:32,919 Speaker 3: The cheapest electricity in the history of the world is 392 00:20:32,960 --> 00:20:36,960 Speaker 3: solar energy. Second cheapest is wind energy, and now batteries 393 00:20:37,000 --> 00:20:39,959 Speaker 3: that the only things come down in price faster than 394 00:20:40,040 --> 00:20:43,960 Speaker 3: solar is utility scale batteries doubling every single. 395 00:20:43,800 --> 00:20:45,879 Speaker 2: Why are we ending the wind farms that are now 396 00:20:45,920 --> 00:20:47,760 Speaker 2: being built off the coast of the United States. 397 00:20:47,760 --> 00:20:48,600 Speaker 1: We're ending them. 398 00:20:48,520 --> 00:20:50,720 Speaker 3: Because Trump is insane. 399 00:20:51,960 --> 00:20:56,280 Speaker 1: On another subject, you don't you don't want to explore that, but. 400 00:20:57,920 --> 00:20:59,919 Speaker 4: Let me, let me, let let her, let me. 401 00:21:00,280 --> 00:21:03,520 Speaker 3: Let me add one point on the solar If I 402 00:21:03,600 --> 00:21:07,159 Speaker 3: asked you, it's not a trick question. But if you 403 00:21:07,200 --> 00:21:10,879 Speaker 3: look at all of the new electricity generation installed worldwide 404 00:21:10,960 --> 00:21:13,920 Speaker 3: last year, I often asked people what percentage of it 405 00:21:14,000 --> 00:21:16,840 Speaker 3: was renewable, and people say, you know, they're looking for 406 00:21:16,880 --> 00:21:20,679 Speaker 3: a high number, say maybe thirty thirty five percent. Correct 407 00:21:20,720 --> 00:21:25,320 Speaker 3: answer is ninety three percent. Because it is taking over 408 00:21:25,520 --> 00:21:30,199 Speaker 3: the electricity generation industry EVS from a standing start to 409 00:21:30,280 --> 00:21:33,400 Speaker 3: two decades ago. One quarter of all the new car 410 00:21:34,080 --> 00:21:37,880 Speaker 3: cars sold last year were evs, sixty percent last month. 411 00:21:38,040 --> 00:21:39,840 Speaker 1: You drive an EV I do? 412 00:21:39,960 --> 00:21:40,600 Speaker 4: Yes? Okay? 413 00:21:41,320 --> 00:21:41,720 Speaker 1: What do you do? 414 00:21:41,880 --> 00:21:43,920 Speaker 2: You're a very serious person. You've done all these great 415 00:21:43,960 --> 00:21:44,880 Speaker 2: things in your life. 416 00:21:45,280 --> 00:21:46,280 Speaker 1: What do you do to relax? 417 00:21:46,320 --> 00:21:48,800 Speaker 2: I mean, can't you just say, Look, I've been vice president, 418 00:21:48,800 --> 00:21:51,800 Speaker 2: I've won the Nobel Peace Prize, i won an Academy Award, 419 00:21:52,000 --> 00:21:53,800 Speaker 2: I've done all these things. I'm just going to take 420 00:21:53,800 --> 00:21:55,680 Speaker 2: some time off and relax. Do you have a relax 421 00:21:55,760 --> 00:21:57,120 Speaker 2: or it takes chill out? 422 00:21:58,000 --> 00:21:59,119 Speaker 4: I'm relaxing right now. 423 00:21:59,440 --> 00:22:00,560 Speaker 1: Really okay, all right? 424 00:22:00,600 --> 00:22:04,959 Speaker 4: But you have great Yes, yes, I do enjoy. 425 00:22:06,000 --> 00:22:07,440 Speaker 2: What do I do when you're relaxed? I see you 426 00:22:07,520 --> 00:22:10,439 Speaker 2: have cowboy boots on? Are you? You're not from Texas? 427 00:22:10,440 --> 00:22:11,639 Speaker 2: How come you have cowboy boots? 428 00:22:11,760 --> 00:22:12,080 Speaker 4: Well? 429 00:22:12,160 --> 00:22:15,040 Speaker 3: These came from my brother in law forty years ago, 430 00:22:15,119 --> 00:22:17,679 Speaker 3: and they're so molded to my feet. They're the most 431 00:22:18,000 --> 00:22:19,240 Speaker 3: comfortable shoes I have. 432 00:22:19,440 --> 00:22:21,040 Speaker 1: But don't take them off at night or just they're 433 00:22:21,080 --> 00:22:21,800 Speaker 1: just really. 434 00:22:22,240 --> 00:22:24,600 Speaker 3: Yeah, I thought about sleeping in them, but probably don't. 435 00:22:25,720 --> 00:22:29,720 Speaker 3: You asked about Grandchildren'm very proud to have ten grandchildren, Ken, Yeah. 436 00:22:29,520 --> 00:22:30,840 Speaker 1: Can you remember all their names? 437 00:22:30,960 --> 00:22:32,480 Speaker 4: Of course? Of course? 438 00:22:32,600 --> 00:22:34,679 Speaker 1: And how do you remember their birthdays? You must have 439 00:22:34,720 --> 00:22:37,399 Speaker 1: a I do pretty good on that, really. 440 00:22:37,520 --> 00:22:37,720 Speaker 4: Yeah. 441 00:22:37,840 --> 00:22:39,240 Speaker 1: Any of them want to run for office? 442 00:22:40,119 --> 00:22:41,840 Speaker 3: Well, I don't think so. I think some of them 443 00:22:41,840 --> 00:22:44,240 Speaker 3: would be great candidates if they chose to. I don't 444 00:22:44,240 --> 00:22:46,040 Speaker 3: think they're really drawn to that, right. 445 00:22:46,160 --> 00:22:49,680 Speaker 2: So, in this long and very impressive career, what would 446 00:22:49,720 --> 00:22:52,960 Speaker 2: you say you're most proud of having achieved in your life? 447 00:22:53,000 --> 00:22:55,080 Speaker 2: What would you say to your ten grand show that 448 00:22:55,359 --> 00:22:58,159 Speaker 2: this is what your grandfather did that you should be 449 00:22:58,160 --> 00:22:58,520 Speaker 2: proud of. 450 00:22:58,960 --> 00:23:02,840 Speaker 3: Well, helping raise my four kids and helping them raise 451 00:23:02,920 --> 00:23:06,719 Speaker 3: my ten grandchildren is what I would be most proud of. 452 00:23:07,520 --> 00:23:09,520 Speaker 4: In terms of my professional. 453 00:23:09,920 --> 00:23:14,639 Speaker 3: Activities and political activities, I've devoted a lot of time 454 00:23:14,760 --> 00:23:18,560 Speaker 3: to trying to raise awareness of why we have to 455 00:23:18,640 --> 00:23:21,040 Speaker 3: solve the climate crisis, and we do have to do it. 456 00:23:21,080 --> 00:23:24,520 Speaker 3: We really don't have any choice about this. I look 457 00:23:24,600 --> 00:23:26,800 Speaker 3: back on the work that I was privileged to be 458 00:23:26,800 --> 00:23:30,360 Speaker 3: able to do with President Reagan on nuclear arms control 459 00:23:31,080 --> 00:23:33,080 Speaker 3: when I was in the House and in the first 460 00:23:33,119 --> 00:23:36,320 Speaker 3: years in the Senate. I look back at the Reinventing 461 00:23:36,359 --> 00:23:40,760 Speaker 3: Government program and the work on computer networking also very 462 00:23:40,760 --> 00:23:41,639 Speaker 3: impressive career. 463 00:23:41,760 --> 00:23:44,480 Speaker 2: Thank you very much for being here, and good luck 464 00:23:44,520 --> 00:23:46,040 Speaker 2: on everything or doing on climate change. 465 00:23:46,200 --> 00:23:47,399 Speaker 4: Thank you, David, thank you, thank you. 466 00:23:49,960 --> 00:23:52,439 Speaker 2: Thanks for listening to hear more of my interviews. You 467 00:23:52,520 --> 00:23:56,639 Speaker 2: can subscribe and download my podcast on Spotify, Apple, or 468 00:23:56,640 --> 00:23:57,480 Speaker 2: wherever you listen.