Big Surprise at Netroots Nation - Day 3
Attendees at the Netroots Nation event in Austin, TX were treated to a big surprise during House Speaker Nancy Pelosi’s big keynote on Day 3. Who should crash her speech, but Nobel Prize winner and environmental champion, former Vice President Al Gore! Gore’s speech and Q & A covered a variety of environmental topics, but what struck me most was his refusal to get caught up in the political rhetoric that marked most of the discussion at the event. His belief that the health of our planet is a non-partisan issue, requiring people who disagree politically working together toward the same end is one the ReGeneration movement can rally behind.
But the biggest surprise of all was suddenly finding myself face-to face with the former VP as he worked his way along the crowd shaking hands and greeting the attendees. With only a split second to pull out my camera, I managed to ask Gore to expound bit more upon one of his message’s key themes. Here is the result:
I also had the honor to chat with one of my personal heroes, former Texas Agriculture Commissioner, author, radio host and activist Jim Hightower. He proved to be exactly how you’d expect: a straight shooter with a characteristic wit that at times made it hard to hold the camera straight due to my laughing:
We’ve got more video from the event on the way, so be sure to check back with us tomorrow. All in all, I’d say our mission to get a pulse on the environmental concerns of the attendees was a tremendous success. The level of interest in environmental issues never fails to impress and inspire, and reinforces the belief that the world is beginning to come together to work for a healthier future for our planet. As always, kudos to Grist.org for their fantastic coverage of the event. Their humorous approach to environmental concerns brings welcome levity to an otherwise serious issue, making the movement more accessible and fun for everyone involved.
By the way, congratulations to Jesse D. from New York City for winning the green Inspiron 1525 at the Grist/ReGeneration party at the Cedar Door on Saturday!
