Gore getting heated on Global Warming

Gore Revs Up Campaign - on Global Warming By WILL LESTER, Associated Press WriterTue Apr 18, 9:44 PM ET Al Gore has a major campaign under way — to change policies on global warming. The 2000 Democratic presidential nominee has hired longtime political associate Roy Neel to aid in his effort to raise awareness about global warming, a problem Gore calls "a planetary emergency." Gore's movie and book about the issue, both called "An Inconvenient Truth," are set for widespread release in May. "He's taking an increasingly high-profile role in working on the climate change issue," Gore spokesman Michael Feldman said. Gore repeatedly has brushed aside talk of another presidential bid, telling a Tennessee audience last month, "I'm not planning to be a candidate again. I haven't reached a stage in my life where I'm willing to say I will never consider something like this." A payment of $40,000 to a Democratic polling firm stirred political talk, but pollster Mark Penn said it was settlement of a 2000 account. Gore has warned about the dangers of global warming for years, arguing that without dramatic changes in the emission of greenhouse gases, the planet is likely to experience a dramatic increase in violent storms, infectious disease, deadly heat waves and rising sea levels that will force the evacuation of low-lying cities. He plans to hold a training session in Nashville this summer on how to deliver the message on climate change. The New York Daily News first reported on Gore's hiring of Neel on Tuesday. Gore's campaign will pit him against an old adversary: President Bush. Bush acknowledges global warming is a real problem, but he believes more uncertainty exists about the degree to which humans play a part — mainly through fossil fuel burning — than most scientists do. He reversed a 2000 campaign pledge to regulate carbon dioxide, the chief global warming pollutant, and withdrew the United States from the Kyoto climate treaty, saying it would harm the U.S. economy and unfairly excluded fast-growing developing countries. Gore is a strong supporter of the Kyoto treaty. ___ ATLANTA (AP) — Just days after a religious conservative questioned Rudolph Giuliani's views, ex-Christian Coalition leader Ralph Reed said the former New York City mayor will headline a fundraiser for him next month. Reed is running for lieutenant governor in Georgia. His campaign has been undercut by his ties to disgraced former lobbyist Jack Abramoff, who is facing prison time after pleading guilty to charges of conspiracy, tax evasion and fraud. The Reed campaign trumpeted the appearance with Giuliani, distributing an invitation on Tuesday which featured a smiling photo of the two men together. Giuliani, a potential 2008 presidential candidate, was widely praised for his leadership of the city after the Sept. 11 terrorist attacks. On Sunday, the Rev. Jerry Falwell said he admired Giuliani, but could not support him for president because of "irreconcilable differences on life and family." Giuliani supports abortion rights, gay rights and gun control. The appearance with Reed could help Giuliani reach out to religious conservatives who would be critical in a GOP primary. In Pennsylvania on Tuesday, Giuliani campaigned for another conservative, Sen. Rick Santorum (news, bio, voting record), highlighting the Republican's record on national security. Santorum trails Democratic challenger Bob Casey in polls but has narrowed the gap recently. Santorum's campaign and Giuliani played down the former mayor's differences with the senator. Giuliani said Santorum has "taken many positions. Most of them I agree with." ___ WASHINGTON (AP) — An Ohio congressional candidate who couldn't get enough valid signatures to get on the May 2 primary ballot is getting some help from a well-known Democrat — former President Clinton. State Sen. Charlie Wilson, in his write-in campaign for the House seat being vacated by gubernatorial candidate Rep. Ted Strickland (news, bio, voting record), started using automated calls by the former president. At the same time, Republicans hit the airwaves with ads that give Bob Carr, one of Wilson's lesser-known, poorly funded Democratic opponents more face time. Carr thanked the Republicans on Tuesday for the name recognition from a $30,000 ad buy that he could never afford. "Bob Carr is running for U.S. Congress; that's what they're saying," Carr said. "These are the guys doing all the work for me." The ad makes equivocal statements about Carr's positions that Democratic voters might support such as he "hasn't even ruled out trying to eliminate President Bush's tax cuts, and could fight for environmental regulations that would hurt businesses." "That's hilarious," Carr said. The NRCC declined to comment about its strategy in placing the ad. ___ Associated Press Writers David Hammer and John Heilprin in Washington, Shannon McCaffrey in Atlanta and Patrick Walters in Blue Bell, Pa., contributed to this report.