What is to be done?

One thing Al Gore has achieved is to transform himself from a stiff, programmed, unquestionably smart, genetically engineered, second-generation, silver-spoon-in-mouth blueblood U.S. Senator — a favorite of moderate liberal guys like Marty Peretz and appealing enough to someone like me that I voted for him in 1992 — to a sincere, passionate and, of course, hypocritcal extremist.

That’s a sort of progress, isn’t it?

Well, his true predilections are not entirely a surprise, actually: All the way back in 2000, Business Week wrote:

It seems undeniable that Gore’s views on energy and the environment are extreme relative to the opinions of average Americans. One therefore has to wonder why voters are seriously considering him for the Presidency. I think people either doubt Gore’s belief in his own extreme statements or expect the U.S. Congress to impose restraint. Unfortunately, the President has a lot of power to enact energy and environmental policies on his own. Therefore, it seems prudent to take Gore at his word and regard him as a serious threat to carry out the mission described in his book Earth in the Balance.

In 2007, Robert Tracinski is even less sanguine:

Al Gore is trying to dragoon science in an attempt to win over converts who don’t share his sense of personal spiritual crisis and don’t find his anti-industrial moral vision compelling. But the moment people see through his charade–and realize that what Gore is really pushing is a not a scientific campaign against “pollution” but a quasi-religious crusade against industrial civilization–his campaign will collapse.

(Hat tip to Tom Elia.) This, of course, is the “point” of the Manbearpig joke, which is so funny that it may make the whole thing worth it.

The problem isn’t whether “people” will see through Al Gore, of course. People do. But in a world where there is virtually no consensus on anything, polarization is pretty much a plus, especially on the political left. The real question is what “people” who are running for President as Democrats, which I don’t believe Al Gore will be one of, are going to say and do about him and his message… when they will do it… and how the Republican candidate will play the Al Gore card.