In lieu of an abstract, here is a brief excerpt of the content:

FOREWORD i AMPLEASED that Kyle Longley has come forward with a scholarly presentation highlighting the career of my late father, Albeit Gore, Sr. As a son, I continue to miss him in a personal way. And as a citizen, I wish that our nation could hear his voice again right now as we struggle with pressing issues in these perilous times. My father personified the American dream. He never forgot what it waslike to grow up on a hard-scrabble farm in the Appalachian foothills, or what it was like to try to instill in feisty students in a one-room school a desire to learn, or what it was like finally to earn a college degree after holding a variety of jobs during hard economic times. Those experiences made him what he was, and they were experiences he recalled vividly many times as he shared them with my sister and me when we were young. Many of those who have scrutinized my father's thirty-two years in Washington have referred to his independence, his courage, his talent, his perseverance , his righteousness, and his idealized sense of public service as a sacred trust. He was a man of honor and incredible dedication. It seems clear to me that we need more men and women in government today who demonstrate similar traits. One of my fascinations in growing up was listening to my father speak at public functions. On the campaign trail, he was a spirited, colorful orator of the old school. Whether it was on the courthouse lawn in a county seat town or in the United States Senate, his remarks—usually with a challenging conclusion but sprinkled with animated humor—were not soon forgotten by those who heard him. As this biography reveals, many of the important legislative issues that captured my father's attention coincided with significant events in American history , covering the crucial period leading up to World War II and extending through the cold war and the Vietnam War. Professor Longley admirably digs deeply to explore my father's stances on important matters both domestically and internationally. A visionary, my father was often ahead of his time with his informed but sometimes immovable positions on legislation. Indeed, he was sometimes stubborn in holding to fixed conclusions about issues—especially xi when he felt an important principle was involved—often to his political detriment . But, in retrospect, history has been kind to him. My father loved his country and dedicated his adult life to making it better. To borrow an old Tennessee saying, he was "something else!" Through exhaustive research and clarity of language, Professor Longley has been able to offer readers a keen insight into the fascinatingcareer of Albert Gore, Sr. AL GORE, JR. May 2004 Xll • FOREWORD ...

Share