Gore, Pelosi address liberal bloggers
 AUSTIN – Former Vice President Al Gore praised the left-leaning bloggers of Netroots Nation on Saturday as being at the forefront of reclaiming American democracy and urged the activists to mobilize for global climate protection.
"Thank you for the movement that you have created," Gore said. "I can't tell you how important I think it is that you continue what you are doing."
Gore and Democratic House Speaker Nancy Pelosi addressed the bloggers' convention and took questions from the crowd on the environment, education and the war in Iraq. Netroots Nation is in Austin for its annual meeting of about 2,000 bloggers and political organizers.
Much of Pelosi's time at the convention was spent speaking out for an end to the war and for the election of Democrat Barack Obama as president. Pelosi said she and fellow House Democrats have repeatedly called for a U.S. troop withdrawal from Iraq.
"The end could be in sight," she said to cheers from the audience. "This will not happen without the election of Barack Obama as president of the United States."
Gore was billed as a "surprise" guest for Pelosi's Saturday morning session and spoke during the question and answer portion. He repeated his familiar message of combatting global warming and said the seriousness of the climate problem is related to the economic and security crises of America's dependence on foreign oil.
Recent Republican calls to battle rising oil prices with more drilling is "absurd" and a bit like the old hangover cure known as the "hair of the dog," or having another drink, Gore said.
"Oh, let's just try to go back for more," Gore said facetiously. "When you're in a hole, stop digging."
Gore said he is trying to enlist 10 million grassroots environmental activists and asked the online organizers for help in doing it. He advocated moving all energy production to renewable sources, such as wind, solar and geothermal, within 10 years.
"The economics of renewables are becoming very attractive," Gore said.
Gore downplayed the suggestion that he might accept a position in the next president's Cabinet but left the option open.
"I don't think that's the best thing for me to do. I could be wrong," he said.
During the session, Pelosi said she is working with evangelical activists on the common goals of protecting the environment and helping the poor.
Throughout the morning, Pelosi talked up Obama for president, pointing to his work on federal ethics reform and to his current trip to Afghanistan and Iraq. She said the Bush administration claims Iraq is becoming secure, yet it still keeps American troops there.
"The Iraqi government has not stepped up to the plate," she said.
Pelosi was asked by an audience member why American troops are having to beg for care packages from home that contain basics like toothpaste and tampons and protein bars. She said she would look into why that is happening, but said it's indicative of other needs veterans have that must be better addressed once they come home.
Before Pelosi's speech Saturday, a woman wearing a pink dress, pink boots, pink tiara and a mask walked through the crowd shouting, "It doesn't take a super hero. Use your power – tell Pelosi to end the war."
Later, Obama campaign officials spoke to a convention session to discuss how they organized Obama's Democratic primary victory against Hillary Rodham Clinton. Obama's deputy campaign manager, Steve Hildebrand, said Obama approached the primary with a 50-state strategy and that the campaign used the Internet effectively along with ground organization.
"We couldn't' just be about Iowa," Hildebrand said. "We had to keep going."
Hildebrand said Obama was most interested in building a movement that could change Washington, D.C., and get its agenda passed. He said Obama could not run as a traditional candidate and be successful.
"The campaign had to look, feel and operate differently," he said.
In registering voters and recruiting volunteers, the campaign had to present Obama as a new style of candidate and present a sense of urgency, he said.
The campaign was fortunate in the amount of money it was able to raise and spend, he said.
Huge rallies attended by tens of thousands of supporters that Obama were important visually to show "this movement that was being created out there," Hildebrand said.
He also added a note about Texas, saying Democrats need to do well enough in the state for the party to pick up the five seats it needs to retake control of the Texas House of Representatives, which plays a major role in congressional redistricting every ten years.
"We might not be able to win Texas, although I'm not going to write it off," he said.
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