Why Al Gore Should Be Deemed the Most Influential Person of 2006

In the presidential election of 2000, then Vice President Al Gore won the popular vote but lost the electoral vote and the election to George Bush. After the fact, most political analysts believed that Al Gore was poised and ready to join the many other Vice Presidents of the United States who had passed quietly into retirement and historical obscurity.But Al Gore declined. Instead we find him today traveling and speaking frequently. In fact for three very good reasons he is deemed by many to be the most influential personof 2006.

1. Al Gore Has Ignored his Failures Everyone knows that in 2000 Al Gore's election bid was a failure, but one of the reasons why people deem him the most influential person in 2006 is that Al Gore failedas a candidate,not as a person. Al Gore came as close as one could possibly come to being the leader of the free world, first as Vice President and second as a losing candidate in an election plagued by inconsistencies and irregularities . Having seen power up close and then having it snatched from his grasp, Gore could simply have closed the door on any type of public life. Few would have blamed him.

But Al Gore did not let defeat in a political election define him as a person or restrict what he could or would do with the remainder of his life. Al Gore has demonstrated a resiliency and a commitment to the service of the American society and the larger world community that make him the kind of person people deem to be the most influential person of 2006.

2.Al Gore is a Warrior Against Global Warming. In 2006, America and the world face a host of environmental problems but none are more potentially destructive to human kind than global warming. Al Gore can be deemed the most influential person of 2006 because Gore has committed his time, energy, expertise and persona to the issue of global warming. He has, in fact, elevated the battle against global warming to a personal mission. He works tirelessly to inform and educate children and adults about the real dangers of living in an environment that is rapidly and dangerously changing because of man's incompetent use of its resources.