Gore: Altitude threw Obama off (no, really)
Former Vice President Al Gore on a high-stakes debate stage himself in 2000, debating then-Gov. George Bush at the University of Massachusetts in Boston.
October 4th, 2012
01:50 PM ET
10 years ago

Gore: Altitude threw Obama off (no, really)

(CNN) - Former Vice President Al Gore's analysis of President Barack Obama's debate performance Wednesday: the Mile High City may be to blame.

Pundits and a CNN poll of those who watched the debate both found GOP presidential nominee Mitt Romney's showing to be stronger than Obama's, who some described as appearing tired and long-winded.

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"I'm going to say something controversial here," Gore began. "Obama arrived in Denver at 2 pm today, just a few hours before the debate started. Romney did his debate prep in Denver.

"When you go to five thousand feet, and you only have a few hours to adjust, I don't know," Gore said, as other panelists in the post-debate discussion chimed in.

The video of Gore on his television channel, Current TV, was posted online by several right-leaning websites, as well as media-watching websites.

Obama flew on Sunday from Washington, D.C. to Henderson, Nevada, where he held a rally that evening. Between Sunday and his Wednesday flight to Colorado, Obama and his debate team prepared for the big night in a hotel ballroom there.

Henderson reaches just shy of a half mile up from sea level, according to the Henderson Executive Airport's website, while Denver stretches a mile above sea level.

Obama campaign senior strategist David Axelrod defended his candidate on a Thursday conference call with reporters, saying he would leave evaluation of Obama's "performance" alone because he is no "theater critic."

"While Governor Romney had a very crisp performance, both candidates got points across," Axelrod said. "Both candidates got something out of the debate."

Romney, meanwhile, arrived in Denver Monday evening and also held a rally before hunkering down with advisers for his preparations.

Both candidates rewarded themselves with field trips between study sessions. Obama visited the Hoover Dam on Tuesday and stopped by a Nevada office for his campaign on Monday. Romney and Sen. Rob Portman, who was aiding in his debate preparations, stopped in at a Chipotle restaurant on Tuesday.

- CNN's Jessica Yellin and Gregory Wallace contributed to this report


Filed under: 2012 • Al Gore • Colorado • Nevada
soundoff (359 Responses)
  1. Ryan T.

    I think the fact that Obama can't think on his feet had more to do with it. But, what do I know...Gore invented altitude so he knows what he's talking about.

    October 4, 2012 02:24 pm at 2:24 pm |
  2. redawson

    I believe altitude did get to the President, the altitude and unprecedented height his ego has been on since winning the Presidency. If Romney was lethargic like the President, it would be because he was unprepared, lacked substance in his argument, couldn't defend his policies, and was UN-presidential; with Obama its the altitude.

    October 4, 2012 02:27 pm at 2:27 pm |
  3. Thomas

    Gore has a point . Not to mention , Romney had a few days to acclimate , Romney's only real job is campaigning . The presser of being President is not an easy one. We don't know what might have been going on. The President dosnt have the luxury of avoiding security briefings .

    After hearing Romney last night , give him some rope and he will hang himself. How do you debate a person who's facts and
    data change from one day to another.

    Mitt or Big Bird 2012 ?

    October 4, 2012 02:27 pm at 2:27 pm |
  4. rosco

    Yeah thats got to be it, NOT, typical excuse after excuse, no jobs why? excuse, economy bad? excuse. Axledorf is creepy no excuse. Gore a very lost soul, now theres a truth !!!

    October 4, 2012 02:31 pm at 2:31 pm |
  5. Drew

    True, Romney Won the debate hands down last night... but seriously... but how can you consider a debate a win when some of the topics you talked about last night were reversals from what you said just a few days prior. And others, well just blatent twists of the truth.... I want to vote for romney but every time that guy opens his mouth i just see a crooked businessman who will say anything to get the vote.... even lie...... why couldn't the repubs pic Ron Paul......
    My vote is going 3 party this year..... definitely not Republican....

    October 4, 2012 02:34 pm at 2:34 pm |
  6. Vicky

    REALLY?? hhmmm that happened to Al Gore in Florida too!!!

    October 4, 2012 02:39 pm at 2:39 pm |
  7. christian

    AL gore reminds me of Mitt Romney. He's someone who says whatever he thinks needs to be said at a given time, whether its true or not.
    Obama is the better candidate for the middle class. Al gore, go away.

    October 4, 2012 02:41 pm at 2:41 pm |
  8. Free

    If it is the truth, it reflects Obama's lack of strategy skills and intelligence access.

    October 4, 2012 02:42 pm at 2:42 pm |
  9. Scott

    It's more likely that he was thrown off by the presence of the Constitution in the background...you know, that pesky document that "prevents [him] from getting done everything he wants to."

    October 4, 2012 02:44 pm at 2:44 pm |
  10. CryBabies

    Are you SERIOUS ??? Al, you need to put yourself in a "LockBox". This is too bizarre.....I'm done. See you all much later. Signing off!

    October 4, 2012 02:46 pm at 2:46 pm |
  11. Scott

    "The President dosnt have the luxury of avoiding security briefings "

    @Thomas – Actually, records show that Obama attends less than half of HIS daily intelligence/security briefing. When embassies were burning and an ambassador was assassinated by Al Qaeda, Obama flew to Las Vegas for a fundraiser. When world leaders at the UN wanted to meet with Obama, he blew them off to tape "The View".

    Quit making excuses. Obama has never let running the country get in the way of campaigning. He has NEVER stopped campaigning, for that matter.

    October 4, 2012 02:48 pm at 2:48 pm |
  12. cccccc

    full of bologna that gore is

    October 4, 2012 02:48 pm at 2:48 pm |
  13. Bert

    Like Obama, Gore still thinks people believe what he says and care too. Fortunately for the majority that is not the case!

    October 4, 2012 02:48 pm at 2:48 pm |
  14. NOBAMA 2012

    Hope Obama pulls a "Gore 2000"–loser!

    October 4, 2012 02:50 pm at 2:50 pm |
  15. Mark

    Altitude problems. Give the man a break! It sometimes takes real imagination to find a way to make our buffoon of a President look good to the masses.

    October 4, 2012 02:51 pm at 2:51 pm |
  16. truth hurts

    BWAHAHAHAHAHA!!!! Great!! We can now add ALTITUDE to the very long and ever growing list of reasons for OBAMA FAILURES.

    Thanks Al!! Nice to see you're still as lame as ever. This is just too funny. All should have been a comedian.

    October 4, 2012 02:51 pm at 2:51 pm |
  17. gt

    ole al must of been off too...since he could not even carry his or bill own states ...when he lost to Bush..

    October 4, 2012 02:52 pm at 2:52 pm |
  18. Anonymous

    It was George Bush's fault.

    October 4, 2012 02:53 pm at 2:53 pm |
  19. jason

    LOL!!! what a tard!!! OH but wait!!! he did invent the internet remember?

    October 4, 2012 02:54 pm at 2:54 pm |
  20. Babs

    Drew, if you listen to the majority of media channels and notice the Dem. campaign ads on TV, you get the wrong info and so it APPEARS that Romney reverses his opinion. Not so. Just listen to what he says, not what they TELL you he says. I liked Paul and Gingrich but will learn to like/accept/vote for Romney because 4 more years of Obama is unthinkable. We don't have to love Romney, but we have to vote for him!

    October 4, 2012 02:55 pm at 2:55 pm |
  21. A True Conservative

    Al, please sit down and be quiet. You are simply embarrassing yourself further.

    October 4, 2012 02:55 pm at 2:55 pm |
  22. ddarn

    Gore needs to go back to doing the macarena and not make excuses for Obama!

    October 4, 2012 02:57 pm at 2:57 pm |
  23. Anonymous

    Wow Al. And this is the Democrat that was almost elected President....Just wow..

    October 4, 2012 02:57 pm at 2:57 pm |
  24. demovsemperor

    Now blaming the atmosphere, the atmosphere. Why don't the libs just blame the universe and get it done at one time?

    October 4, 2012 02:58 pm at 2:58 pm |
  25. Marisa

    And sadly, some of you Obama Kool-aid drinkers are sitting here BUYING this nonsense, and defending both Ozone Gore and our sorry excuse for a President. Wow. Now I know who elected him...bunch of morons!

    October 4, 2012 03:01 pm at 3:01 pm |
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