The Man for the Environment

Al Gore is the former vice president of the United States of America. Perhaps Gore is best known for his contributions to environmentalism, as well as running as president opposite George W. Bush in 2000.

Gore is a recipient of a Nobel Peace Prize award for his efforts in educating the public to the effects of global warming and climate change. He even released a documentary entitled "An Inconvenient Truth."

Personal Background

Gore is born to a family of political background, as his father was a U.S. Representative and Senator. His father represented Tennessee -- http://www.toptennesseefsbo.com - during his term in Congress. Gore's mother was a graduate of Vanderbilt University Law School, one of the first women to do so.

Following the footsteps of his father, Gore graduated from Harvard University with a B.A. in government in 1969. He even graduated with flying colors, finishing cum laude at the course. Just a year later, he married Mary Elizabeth Aitcheson with whom he has four children.

Like almost all young men in the United States at that time, Gore spent time in Vietnam as part of the 20th Engineer Brigade in Bien Hoa. Even though he opposed the war, Gore enlisted in the U.S. Army out of civic duty and said that serving in Vietnam exposed him to the South Vietnamese's desire to cling to their freedom, but failed to change his stance about war being a big mistake.

Gore's time in Vietnam discouraged him from taking a career in politics and, instead turned to journalism and divinity school after returning home from Vietnam. It would only be in 1976 would he embark on a political career, a decision which was a surprise even to himself. Gore also refused help from his father during his campaign.

Political Career

At the age of 28, Gore was elected as Congressman of Tennessee. As a congressman, he introduced the bill that would later on lead to the National Information Infrastructure and, subsequently, the Internet. He also tried to cease the United States' support for Saddam Hussein by cosponsoring the Prevention of Genocide Act of 1988 during his senatorial term, but he failed in this task.

Gore was picked by Bill Clinton to run as vice president during the 1992 presidential election. Both Clinton and Gore won the elections in 1992. Both were also re-elected in 1996. After Clinton's term ended, Gore decided to run as president opposite George W. Bush in 2000. Gore won the popularity vote, but in the end, Bush won the presidency. It was a decision that was supported by the U.S. Supreme Court, and a decision that Gore disagreed with. However, he conceded for the sake of "unity as a people and the strength of [the US'] democracy."