Reporter Kate Snow was no less laudatory. She asserted, "For Al Gore, winning the Nobel Peace Prize is a personal milestone, vindication of a sort." The ABC contributor also claimed that the victory is "a new entry for the history books." To be fair, Snow did inform her viewers that the American politician beat out some very worthy individuals, such as a 97-year-old woman who saved Jewish children from the Holocaust. However, the GMA correspondent never questioned whether there was a political element to Gore receiving the Peace Prize or about the film's factual inaccuracies. She simply labeled the win not just a personal victory for the former vice president, but also "a symbolic victory for his cause."
Snow also featured an unidentified individual in her piece who raved, "Giving an award for climate change means that this issue is on a par with the national security of the U.S. and every other country." It turns out, the person speaking was Michael Oppenheimer, who just happens to be a Princeton professor and a lead author on the Fourth Assessment Report by the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC), the United Nations group that is sharing the award with Gore. Oppenheimer has previously smeared Republican dissent about climate change as "uninformed rambling." Wouldn't this information, or name identification at the very least, have been helpful to viewers in evaluating the man's claims? In August, "NBC Nightly News" similarly failed to identify his leftist connections.
Finally, Friday's "Good Morning America" anchors and reporters made it clear what they wanted. Diane Sawyer wondered, "Now, is it time to run for president again?" An ABC graphic asked, "Gore Wins Nobel Peace Prize: Will He Enter '08 Race?" Kate Snow closed her piece by observing, "And as for running for president, the question on everyone's mind, Gore has said countless times, over and over, that he has no intention of running for president. But you know, Diane and Robin, that this will only intensify the calls for him to get in the race." Lastly, in a tease for the 8am hour, co-host Robin Roberts queried, "Will receiving one of the world's top honors change his mind about running for president?"
A transcript of the segment, which aired at 7:02am on October 12, follows:
7am tease
Diane Sawyer: "Breaking news this morning: Former Vice President Al Gore wins the Nobel Peace Prize for helping awaken the world to global warming. Now is it time to run for president again?"
7:01am
Sawyer: "And Good morning, America. And somebody didn't need a wake up call this morning."
Robin Roberts: "You think the former vice president was listening for the phone, perhaps to ring?"
Sawyer: "I think he might have been."
Roberts: "Nobel Peace Prize winner that he is. And he's already said that-- He shares part of the money. It's over a million and a half dollars for winning the Nobel Peace Prize. It's with a U.N. organization that he's going to donate his portion to charity."
7:02am
Sawyer: "But first, let's turn to the big news this morning about the Nobel Peace Prize. It is exciting for former Vice President Al Gore. He is getting it, of course, for educating the world on global warming and 'Good morning America' weekend anchor Kate Snow is right here with more. Kate?"
ABC Graphic: "Gore Wins Nobel Peace Prize: Will He Enter '08 Race?"
Kate Snow: "Good morning, Diane. A big morning for Al Gore. Also, he's going to share this award with the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change. Now, Al Gore this morning has already said he is deeply honored to receive the Nobel Peace Prize. It's a pretty good year for him. He got an Oscar for his film, 'Inconvenient Truth.' He won an Emmy for his television channel and, now, some might say the biggest prize of them all, the Nobel Peace Prize."
Ole Danbolt Mjoes [Not identified by any ABC graphic] (Nobel Committee chairman): "The Nobel Peace Prize for 2007 is to be shared in two equal parts between the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change, IPCC, and Albert Arnold Al Gore Jr."
Snow: "For Al Gore, winning the Nobel Peace Prize is a personal milestone, vindication of a sort. Seven years ago it seemed like Gore was destined to be remembered as one of history's biggest losers."
Al Gore: "While I strongly disagree with the court's decision, I accept it."
Snow: "But now, a new entry for the history books."
Danbolt Mjoes: "The single individual who has done most to create greater worldwide understanding of the measures that need to be adopted."
Gore: "Rin Tin Tin was the movie star. I just have a slide show."
Snow: "Al Gore beat out 180 nominees from around the world, including Oprah, Rush Limbaugh and a 97-year-old woman who saved Jewish children from the Holocaust. But more than a personal victory, it's also a symbolic victory for his cause."
Michael Oppenheimer [Not identified by any ABC graphic] (Princeton Professor): "Giving an award for climate change means that this issue is on a par with the national security of the U.S. and every other country."
Snow: "Gore has practically screamed from the rooftops about the dangers of global warming."
Gore: "We need to solve the climate crisis. It's not a political issue, it's a moral issue."
Snow: "In an interview this summer, Gore said this is the way he wants to serve now."
Gore: "I've found that there are other ways to serve. I'm focused on what I truly believe is the most dangerous crisis we've ever faced, but also the greatest set of opportunities that we've ever faced."
Snow: "Now, Gore issued a statement early this morning, saying, 'I am deeply honored to receive the Nobel Peace Prize. The climate crisis is not a political issue, it is a moral and spiritual challenge to all of humanity.' He also said he plans to give the $1.5 million from the prize to the non-profit Alliance for Climate Protection. And as for running for president, the question on everyone's mind, Gore has said countless times over and over that he has no intention of running for president. But you know, Diane and Robin, that this will only intensify the calls for him to get in the race."
Roberts: "Certainly will. That it will. All right, Kate, thank you very much."
8am tease
Robin Roberts: "'Good Morning America' continues with Al Gore winning the Nobel Peace Prize for his work on global warming. Will receiving one of the world's top honors change his mind about running for president?"
