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Transcript of Al Gore/Phelim McAleer Exchange of 10/9/2009


Moderator Andrew Revkin (recognizing McAleer):



Over here. Hi.



Questioner Phelim McAleer:



Hello. My name is Phelim McAleer, I'm from Greener Horizon Films documentaries...umh..



The British High Court in London found An Inconvenient Truth had nine significant errors umh in it ...umh ...



Given that this film has been shown in schools to children, do you accept those nine significant errors?



I know you say that it's funded by deniers - that court case - but a judge in the British High Court, after a lengthy hearing, found there were nine significant errors.



This has been shown to children.



Have you - do you accept those findings, and have you done anything to correct those errors?



Vice-President Al Gore:


Well, I'm not going to go through ...uh uh... all of those...uh.



The ruling was in favor of the movie by the way and the ruling was in favor of showing the movie in the schools and that that's that's really the the bottom line on that.



There's been such a long discussion of each one of those ... uh specific things ... umh.



One of them for example was that polar bears - if I remember correctly, it's been a long time ago - that polar bears really aren't endangered.



Well, polar bears didn't get that word so ... uh (shrugs).



McAleer:



Well, the number of polar bears have increased ... actually .. and are increasing.



Gore:



You don't think they're endangered, do you?



McAleer:



The number of polar bears have increased.



Gore:


Do you think they're endangered?



McAleer:



The number of polar bears have increased.



(participants and audience laugh)


(at this point various speakers begin to interrupt and speak on top of one another)



Revkin:



I mean, alright  ...



McAleer:


I mean, if the number of polar bears increase, surely they're not endangered.



(crosstalk)



And the judge, a judge did have a lengthy hearing...no but no I mean...



Revkin:



But there were polar bears ...(inaudible).



(crosstalk)



We have to move on ... Tom.



McAleer:



Vice President Gore ... Vice President Gore hasn't ....



(crosstalk)



Vice ... Vice President ha...  he hasn't   ...



(crosstalk)



Tim Wheeler of the Baltimore Sun, former SEJ President:



We're not doing a debate here.



McAleer:



No, it's a question ... he hasn't answered the question ...



(crosstalk)



Vice-president Gore hasn't...



Revkin:



We have ten minutes left for these people...to ask questions



(crosstalk)


Wheeler:



... monopolizing it



McAleer:



Yes, but I would appreciate his answer to the court...



Conference Director Jay Letto:



Kill the mic.



(McAleer's mic is cut)



McAleer (off mike):



... a British High Court Judge... and the microphone, the microphone...



(crosstalk)



Revkin:



Hey, Tom.



(at this point the next question, from another questioner, Tom Yulsman, begins)