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Al Gore defends Current TV sale to Al Jazeera network

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    Is the former VP a hypocrite?

  • Duration 7:23
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Well for the first time since a controversial business deal that landed him reportedly a huge payday.

We are hearing from former vice president Al Gore on why he decided to sell his media company current TV.

To Al-Jazeera.

A network that has expressed some extremely anti American views in the not too distant past in particular.

Its Arab wing.

He sold Al-Jazeera English but they too have come under heavy criticism for some of their anti American alleged by -- -- Take -- listen.

To mr.

Gore's response when he was questioned by Matt Lauer about the sale of his network Al-Jazeera on the today -- -- get even issues sold to Al-Jazeera you in the book blast other television news program saying this.

Virtually every news and political commentary program on television is sponsored in part.

By oil coal and gas companies not just during campaign seasons.

But all the time year in and year out with messages designed to -- and reassure the audience that everything is fine the global environment is not -- and the critics jumped.

And they said here's the guy who just sold current TV to Al-Jazeera would get which gets an undetermined amount of funding from the country of Qatar.

Which gets its money from oil reserves.

Isn't there a contradiction in that.

I certainly understand that criticism I disagree whether it.

But -- I think Al-Jazeera has obviously long census -- itself as a really distinguished.

An effective news gathering organization.

What an idiot -- -- either from a country that has that bases its wealth on fossil fuels and fossil fuels are the enemy you targeting climate change.

Isn't there a bit of hypocrisy and I well I get the criticism.

I just disagree whether it but cause this network.

Has established itself.

It's objective it's the one major awards in countries around the world.

And it's -- coverage -- eyes set ammonia has been outstanding and extensive.

David -- is president of the Citizens United efficacy group he once worked as a congressional investigator.

And has been a political activist for more than a decade now wow.

So he he gets the criticism.

He just disagrees with it because Al-Jazeera.

Is such a distinguished ineffective news gathering organization.

-- -- climate coverage he likes.

Does that do it for you.

Well -- if this wasn't so.

Dangerous it would be laughable look this is this is Al Gore making a hundred million dollars on the sale that's what he personally.

Is reported to have made 100 million dollars on the sale of his station current television to Al-Jazeera.

That's what this is about so let's not talk about hypocrisy I really -- I think it's ridiculous that he would even make pat heart you've got I -- funny.

But he made a hundred million bucks let's just call it what it is.

Lauer had a dead directs he had he didn't get that your rights because that that sound -- that full screen while they put up from Al Gore's book.

Where he talks about how virtually every news of political commentary program on television.

Is sponsored in part by oil.

Coal and gas companies -- -- will look -- all right so he's upset that oil has an influence on news and political commentary programs.

And so -- Matt Lauer asks -- So then why would you sell to Al-Jazeera that it's all of its funding -- huge portion of its funding from help from big -- In cutter and an all he could really say it was.

I understand the criticism but I disagree with -- why why does agree with it.

What he disagrees with a because he made a hundred million -- but but listen.

This is this is an outrage this sale is actually an outrage I think did that people should really be up in arms looked.

Al-Jazeera is a mouthpiece for the Muslim Brotherhood they are the mouthpiece for Hamas there that mouthpiece for al-Qaeda.

Very dangerous operation there a propaganda.

Organization.

That.

Feeds the hatred.

That is boiling up against America and Americans across the world.

Especially in the Middle East and that's what makes this.

Being able to gin up anti Americanism here in America through Al-Jazeera is now in my opinion a very dangerous future for all of us.

Well it's not an Al-Jazeera Arabic is the one that's been deeply problematic and this is Al-Jazeera English but it's also been problematic when they hired a former Nightline correspondent.

Who said he had to quit because of the severe anti American bias at least in part that was his reason.

From leaving that network and they haven't been picked up by virtually any cable distributor here in the United States they couldn't get on the air.

So who should help them out.

But the former vice president of the United States of America.

He's 500 votes from being president of the United States and I think this is a very un American.

Thing to have done to give out to zero foothold here in this country and in my opinion is on American.

How does he -- that the rationale that he tried to offer other then I just disagree I just disagree was their coverage when it comes to.

Environmental issues in his view has been outstanding and extensive.

Well he in his when he land banks and -- -- that the news organizations in his book.

He doesn't talk about how all but this network covers climate change fairly and this network -- give -- -- -- he's upset about the influence.

A big oil.

In the news.

And and does he now make himself the number one perpich trader a big oil's influence in the news by this sale.

Absolutely look you have big oil buying.

Current television that's what it is that's all it is Al Gore can make whatever excuses.

He could.

-- you know hang his hat on whatever he wants but it's in the American people understand.

What end and by the way.

-- Al-Jazeera.

Arabic Al-Jazeera English the American people don't care.

Al-Jazeera is Al-Jazeera from the of your average American's point of view and I think that that is.

Why the American people will reject this.

This television station I hope that they have trouble staying on the air.

Think this does Al Gore's legacy I mean there's still a lot of people in this country who do love him and believe in his climate change fight.

And and think he should have been president back in 2000 but that's what I mean -- that exchange and Matt -- which is just so telling what does it do anything do you think to his legacy I.

I gotta tell you I gotta tell you I think it does and when it comes from someone like Matt Lauer whose.

You know kind of an easy going interviewer he's not the most confrontational he really bit in to Al Gore in my opinion and showed him.

It showed the hypocrisy that is Al Gore and I really do think Al Gore his -- Devastated.

His legacy would he was somebody who is thought of in American history is walking away.

Do you remember back in 2000.

What happened he came within 500 votes of winning the presidency and what he did it was that he was a people thought highly of him how he dealt with it -- and I think he's really destroyed that.

Well wonder whether he was expecting that from from that you may have gotten more than he bargained for that but I think I'll take any -- -- has given a lot of people -- -- maybe unexpectedly in some cases but.

And Oregon and got the full treatment today all right David thank you.

Thanks very much for them.

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