LIVE from Seattle: Al Gore is in the house!

Governor Gregoire introduced Al Gore to an expectant audience. You may know him as a former senator and vice-president, and some might consider him to be a rightful president as well. Since those days he has also written two best-selling books, won an Academy Award and the Nobel Peace Prize. After considering those accomplishments, Gregoire is even willing to believe that Gore did invent the Internet.

Gore's visit, closely following Joe Biden's record-crowd stop in Tacoma, is a testament to the importance of our governor's race and how strongly national Democrats feel that Gregoire must remain in office.

Introducing Gore Gregoire said, "He has inspired people around this great nation."

After substantial applause, Gore began his program by commending Inslee for his tireless work on behalf of our planet and its atmosphere. He delivered a special shout out for Peter Goldmark, Democratic candidate for public lands commissioner.

Gore tells the audience:

Gregoire established the Rainy Day Fund and everyone knows that in the state of Washington, that fund must be of considerable size...

I feel I know the state and have many close friends here as I look around the room...but I am surprised that this race has been so close for so long as it has been.

Gore linked the Rossi/BIAW philosophy to the failed Bush administration policies: dismantling government, ignoring the enviroment and taking advantage of workers.

We have seen this at the national level and we have seen the final verdict. Look at the result.

Dick Cheney's attachment to foreign oil precipitated the Iraq War. $700 billion goes overseas each year to pay for this national attachment. Gore says that a "thread" connects this oil dependency to our economic crisis and to our planet's climate crisis.

Gore informs us that we dump 70 million tons of carbon into the Earth's atmosphere each day. That is a staggering thought.

Gore humorously read an article which shows Dino Rossi evading the fact that humans are responsible for climate change. "I read an article the other day in which it takes patience to build patience," Gore says.

Rossi obviously tries Gore's patience as his strong denunciations of Rossi's ignorant position brought the crowd to its feet with thunderous applause.

Developing countries like China and India are now contributing 53% of the world's annual carbon emissions. Planning for the future will include wind, solar and advanced geothermal energy (headquartered in Washington).

We are positioned to be a leader. This shift to renewable energy will pick up steam. (Jokingly) Steam is probably the wrong word to use here.

Around the world we are seeing investments made in alternative energy and countries are forming emission cutting treaties.

Remember, the Stone Age didn't end due to a shortage of stones and the oil age will not end when we run out of oil. We must build a new energy infrastructure that is free forever and runs on sun and wind...When we do that we are laying the foundation for generations...

When the demand for oil and coal goes up, the price skyrockets. When the demand for solar and wind go up, the price goes down. I think I like those economics better!

Gore is concerned about the future. We are on a path to an average 11 degree Fahrenheit increase in global temperatures in this century, which is far beyond any worst case scenario.

The summertime North polar ice cap is in the process of disappearing in five years. This melting affects the location of the ocean and wind currents, including the jet streams and the Gulf Stream. The CO2 absorbed by our oceans acidifies them, affecting the life within.

Gore wishes that he could convey just what this means to him. When he travels the world, people tell him that they are waiting for the United States wake up on climate change and provide leadership. National leadership in our country has been sadly absent.

Gore offers Washington state to his world audiences as an example of a part of our country that has been a leader on the crisis. He plans to continue his relationship with Washington and Chris Gregoire after Gregoire is elected to a second term. With Obama in the White House, Gregoire will have a powerful partner in curbing our addiction to foreign oil and blazing a trail into the future with clean, renewable energy.

All it takes is leadership. We know who the leaders are an we will put them in office to get the job done.