At home with Al Gore

Many regular readers will already know that I'm a longtime fan of Al Gore (and several have admitted to the same when I've written about him). So I had to pass along this 2000 campaign video that was never used by the Gore campaign. But probably should have. Except that it would've just invited more of the fashionable accusations of his phoniness.

It was filmed by Spike Jonze (of music videos then movies), and is a thirteen-minute look at the veep taking a breather with his family prior to the convention and the subsequent non-stop electioneering 'till election day. And it actually feels like hanging out at home with a politician who's just being himself. Gore clearly dislikes the process of campaigning in the age of celebrity, and when asked why he got into politics demonstrates the sort of idealism that is worth a wistful sigh or two.

Good stuff. And those smart cookies at Seeing the Forest run a fine, fine blog. Complete with a world-class blogroll. (Don't make me spell it out, folks, please! Look under D!)