Rise to Success: Career Highlights of Al Gore
From career breakthroughs to professional milestones, explore how Al Gore made an impact.
Al Gore is an American politician, businessman, and environmentalist best known for serving as the 45th Vice President under Bill Clinton from 1993 to 2001. Before that, he was a U.S. Senator and a U.S. Representative for Tennessee. Gore was the Democratic presidential nominee in 2000, narrowly losing to George W. Bush despite winning the popular vote. Since leaving office, he has been a prominent voice on climate change, raising awareness and advocating for environmental action.
1956: National Interstate and Defense Highways Act of 1956
In 1956, Al Gore's father introduced the National Interstate and Defense Highways Act, which had a significant impact, causing housing to go up, suburban boom happened, and everybody became mobile.
1969: ARPANET Deployment
In 1969, the ARPANET (the predecessor of the Internet) was first deployed by Kleinrock and others.
1971: Began Working for The Tennessean
In 1971, Al Gore began working the night shift for The Tennessean as an investigative reporter, investigating corruption.
1972: The Blue Marble photo from Apollo 17
In 1972, the Blue Marble photo was taken from the Apollo 17 mission.
1974: Took Leave to Attend Law School
In 1974, Al Gore took a leave of absence from The Tennessean to attend Vanderbilt University Law School.
February 1976: Decided to Run for Congress
At the end of February 1976, after U.S. Representative Joe L. Evins announced his retirement, Al Gore decided to quit law school and run for the House of Representatives.
1976: Decided to Run for U.S. House of Representatives
In 1976, Al Gore decided to run for a seat in the U.S. House of Representatives, leaving law school.
1976: Won Democratic Primary
In 1976, Al Gore won the Democratic primary for Tennessee's 4th congressional district.
1976: Early Environmental Involvement
In 1976, as a freshman congressman, Al Gore held the "first congressional hearings on the climate change, and co-sponsor[ed] hearings on toxic waste and global warming".
1977: Served as a U.S. Representative from Tennessee
From 1977, Al Gore served as a U.S. representative from Tennessee.
1977: Became a Member of the U.S. House of Representatives
In 1977, Al Gore became a member of the U.S. House of Representatives, representing Tennessee.
1977: Began Serving in U.S. Congress
In 1977, Al Gore began serving in the U.S. Congress as a member of the House.
1978: Gore joins "futures group" in Congress
In 1978, Al Gore joined a "futures group" in Congress, where he worked to ensure the development of the Internet.
March 19, 1979: First Congressional Appearance on C-SPAN
On March 19, 1979, Al Gore became the first member of Congress to appear on C-SPAN.
1982: Introduction of the Gore Plan for Arms Control
In 1982, Al Gore introduced the Gore Plan for arms control, which aimed to reduce the chances of a nuclear first strike by cutting multiple warheads and deploying single-warhead mobile launchers.
1983: Promotion of High-Speed Telecommunications
In 1983, Congressman Gore promoted the idea of high-speed telecommunications as an engine for economic growth and educational improvement, recognizing the potential of computer communications beyond scientific and scholarly applications.
1984: Elected to U.S. Senate
In 1984, Al Gore was elected to the U.S. Senate.
1985: Served as a U.S. Senator for Tennessee
From 1985, Al Gore served as a U.S. Senator for the state of Tennessee.
1985: Became a United States Senator
In 1985, Al Gore became a United States Senator for Tennessee.
1985: Served in the Senate
In 1985, Al Gore became a member of the Senate.
1986: Introduction of Supercomputer Network Study Act
In 1986, Al Gore introduced the Supercomputer Network Study Act and sponsored hearings on using advanced technologies for coordinating government responses to natural disasters and other crises.
1987: Civil Rights Restoration Act of 1987
In 1987, the Civil Rights Restoration Act was passed. Al Gore initially did not vote on this act but later voted to override President Reagan's veto in January 1988.
January 1988: Civil Rights Restoration Act Vote
In January 1988, Al Gore initially did not vote on the Civil Rights Restoration Act of 1987, but he later voted to override President Reagan's veto in March.
1988: 1988 Presidential Campaign
In 1988, Al Gore competed in the Democratic presidential primaries, facing challenges from Jesse Jackson and others. He split the Southern vote on 'Super Tuesday' and later dropped out of the race after a poor showing in the New York primary.
1988: Hearing the Report Toward a National Research Network
In 1988, as a Senator, Gore began to craft the High Performance Computing Act of 1991 after hearing the 1988 report Toward a National Research Network submitted to Congress by a group chaired by UCLA professor of computer science, Leonard Kleinrock.
1990: Re-election as Senator
In 1990, Al Gore was re-elected as Senator. As of 2025, this remains the last time Democrats won a Senate election in Tennessee.
1990: Global Marshall Plan Conference
In 1990, Senator Al Gore presided over a three-day conference with legislators from over 42 countries to create a Global Marshall Plan. The plan aimed to have industrial nations assist less developed countries in growing economically while protecting the environment.
August 1991: Decision Not to Run for President in 1992
In August 1991, Al Gore announced that his son's accident was a factor in his decision not to run for president in 1992.
December 9, 1991: Passage of the High Performance Computing Act
On December 9, 1991, the High Performance Computing Act, also known as 'The Gore Bill,' was passed, leading to the creation of the National Information Infrastructure (NII), which Gore referred to as the 'information superhighway'.
1991: Vote in favor of Persian Gulf War resolution
In 1991, Al Gore was among a handful of Democrats in the United States Senate who voted in favor of the resolution endorsing the Persian Gulf War.
1991: Support for the Gulf War
In 1991, Al Gore was one of ten Democrats who supported the Gulf War.
July 17, 1992: Nomination at Democratic National Convention
On July 17, 1992, Clinton and Gore accepted the nomination at the Democratic National Convention. The New York Times noted that if elected, Clinton and Gore would be the 'youngest team to make it to the White House in the country's history'.
1992: Decision Not to Run for President in 1992
In 1992, Al Gore decided not to run for president, citing his son's accident as a major factor. During this time, Gore wrote Earth in the Balance.
1992: Acceptance of Vice Presidential Nomination
In 1992, Al Gore initially hesitated but ultimately accepted Bill Clinton's offer to be his running mate for the United States presidential election after clashing with the George H. W. Bush administration over global warming issues. Clinton cited Gore's foreign policy experience, environmental work, and commitment to family as reasons for his choice.
1992: Defeated Incumbents Bush and Quayle
In 1992, Al Gore, as Vice Presidential candidate, helped defeat then-incumbents George H. W. Bush and Dan Quayle.
1992: Jackson's Support for Clinton-Gore Ticket
In 1992, Jesse Jackson supported the Clinton-Gore ticket after mending fences with Al Gore.
1992: Gore's speech on the Gulf War
In 1992, during a speech about the Gulf War, Al Gore stated that he made two attempts to convince the U.S. government to end its support of Saddam Hussein, citing Hussein's use of poison gas, support of terrorism, and nuclear program development. Both attempts were allegedly opposed by the Reagan and Bush administrations.
January 20, 1993: Inauguration of Clinton and Gore
On January 20, 1993, Bill Clinton and Al Gore were inaugurated. They established a close working relationship, with Clinton involving Gore in decision-making to an unprecedented degree for a vice president.
1993: Advocacy for Clipper Chip
During 1993 and early 1994, Al Gore advocated for the adoption of the Clipper Chip, a technology developed by the National Security Agency designed to provide law enforcement access to encrypted communications. The initiative was dropped due to political and technical objections.
1993: Served as Vice President during the Clinton administration
From 1993, Al Gore served as Vice President during the Clinton administration.
1993: Became Vice President of the United States
In 1993, Al Gore became the 45th Vice President of the United States under President Bill Clinton.
1993: End of Senate Tenure
In 1993, Al Gore ended his tenure as senator to become Vice President of the United States.
1993: Tensions within the White House
Since 1993, Hillary Clinton's role exacerbated tensions within the White House, particularly as she pursued her own political ambitions, like running for Senate. Her fundraising efforts competed with Al Gore's, further complicating matters.
January 11, 1994: The Superhighway Summit speech
On January 11, 1994, Al Gore discussed his plans to emphasize information technology at UCLA in a speech at The Superhighway Summit.
March 29, 1994: Georgetown University Symposium Keynote
On March 29, 1994, Al Gore delivered the inaugural keynote address at a Georgetown University symposium on governmental reform, discussing how technology was changing government and public administration.
1995: Promotion of Information Technology
Starting around 1995, Al Gore continued his role as an Atari Democrat, promoting the development of information technology, which contributed to the dot-com boom.
November 5, 1996: Clinton and Gore re-elected
On November 5, 1996, Bill Clinton and Al Gore were re-elected as president and vice-president of the United States, securing 379 electoral votes and an 8% margin of victory in the popular vote.
1996: Involvement in "Chinagate" campaign finance controversy
In 1996, Al Gore was embroiled in the "Chinagate" controversy due to his attendance at a fund-raising event at the Buddhist Hsi Lai Temple. Allegations surfaced that Chinese agents were attempting to funnel foreign contributions to the Democratic National Committee (DNC) before the 1996 presidential campaign, with the Chinese embassy in Washington, D.C. allegedly serving as a coordination point.
1996: Jackson's Support for Clinton-Gore Ticket
In 1996, Jesse Jackson supported the Clinton-Gore ticket.
1996: Defeated Dole and Kemp
In 1996, as Vice President, Al Gore helped defeat Bob Dole and Jack Kemp.
March 1997: Gore explains phone calls to solicit funds for Democratic Party
In March 1997, Al Gore addressed his phone calls made to solicit funds for the Democratic Party for the 1996 election. During a news conference, Gore stated that the calls were charged to the DNC, and he was advised that this was not illegal.
January 1998: Talk of a potential run in the 2000 presidential race.
As early as January 1998, there was discussion about Al Gore potentially running in the 2000 presidential race.
1998: Gore objects to the jailing of Anwar Ibrahim
In 1998, at an APEC conference hosted by Malaysia, Al Gore voiced his disapproval of the indictment, arrest, and jailing of Anwar Ibrahim, who was the second-in-command to Prime Minister Mahathir Mohamad. This move was met with a negative response from leaders present.
1998: FBI agents denied the opportunity to ask President Bill Clinton and Vice President Al Gore questions during Justice Department interviews.
In 1998, during Justice Department interviews, FBI agents were denied the opportunity to ask President Bill Clinton and Vice President Al Gore questions and were only allowed to take notes regarding the fund-raising activities that had been investigated.
April 1999: Pew Research Center study on Clinton fatigue
In April 1999, a Pew Research Center study indicated that respondents were experiencing "Clinton fatigue" due to the Lewinsky scandal and impeachment. Polls at the time showed George W. Bush leading Al Gore 54% to 41%.
June 16, 1999: Gore announces candidacy for president
On June 16, 1999, Al Gore formally announced his candidacy for president in Carthage, Tennessee. His main theme centered on strengthening the American family. He was introduced by his eldest daughter, Karenna Gore Schiff. During the speech, Gore distanced himself from Bill Clinton, stating that Clinton had lied to him, and was interrupted by AIDS protesters.
March 9, 2000: Bradley withdraws campaign and endorses Gore
On March 9, 2000, Bill Bradley withdrew his campaign and endorsed Al Gore after failing to win any of the first 20 primaries and caucuses in the election process.
August 13, 2000: Gore announces Joe Lieberman as running mate
On August 13, 2000, Al Gore announced Senator Joe Lieberman of Connecticut as his vice presidential running mate. Lieberman was the first person of Jewish faith to run for the nation's second-highest office.
December 13, 2000: Gore Concedes the Election
On December 13, 2000, Al Gore conceded the election to George W. Bush, despite strongly disagreeing with the Supreme Court's decision to halt the Florida recount. In his concession speech, Gore emphasized national unity and the strength of democracy.
2000: Gore's unsuccessful presidential bid.
Al Gore's 2000 presidential bid was unsuccessful and he left $6 million which he later donated to John Kerry's campaign in March 2004.
2000: Ran for President
Al Gore's position as a moderate shifted later in life after he became Vice President and ran for president in 2000.
2000: Lost Presidential Election Despite Winning Popular Vote
In 2000, Al Gore lost the presidential election to George W. Bush despite winning the popular vote. The Supreme Court ruling in Bush v. Gore ended a recount in Florida.
2000: Lost the 2000 Presidential Election
In 2000, Al Gore was the Democratic nominee for president but lost the election to George W. Bush, despite winning the popular vote.
2000: Donna Brazile was Gore's campaign chairwoman.
In 2000, Donna Brazile was Al Gore's campaign chairwoman, and during the 79th Academy Awards ceremony speculated that Gore might announce a possible presidential candidacy during the Oscars.
2000: Gore-Lieberman Ticket and Policy Changes
In 2000, Jesse Jackson campaigned for the Gore-Lieberman ticket, and Al Gore's policies changed substantially, reflecting his eight years as vice president.
2000: Potential run in the 2000 presidential race
In 2000, there was talk of a potential run in the presidential race by Al Gore.
2000: Investigation into Gore's fund-raising controversies
In Spring 2000, Robert Conrad Jr., head of the Justice Department task force, requested Attorney General Janet Reno to appoint an independent counsel to continue the investigation into Al Gore's fund-raising controversies. Reno later judged that such an appointment was unwarranted.
2000: Last Clinton-Gore White House Website Version
The Clinton–Gore administration launched the first official White House website in 1994 and subsequent versions through 2000.
2001: Remained Prominent as Author and Environmental Activist
After his vice presidency ended in 2001, Al Gore became an author and environmental activist.
2001: End of Vice Presidency
In 2001, Al Gore's tenure as Vice President came to an end.
2001: Promotion of Information Technology
Until around 2001, Al Gore continued his role as an Atari Democrat, promoting the development of information technology, which contributed to the dot-com boom.
December 2002: Decision Not to Run in 2004
In December 2002, Al Gore made the decision not to run in the 2004 U.S. presidential election. The September 11 attacks and the subsequent rise in President Bush's popularity were strong factors in Gore's decision.
December 16, 2002: Announcement Not to Run in 2004
On December 16, 2002, Al Gore announced that he would not be a candidate in the 2004 presidential election, despite speculation and a popular "Re-elect Gore in 2004!" bumper sticker. The September 11 attacks and the rise in President Bush's popularity were factors in Gore's decision.
2002: Criticism of Bush Administration Begins
Beginning in 2002, Al Gore began to publicly criticize the Bush administration, particularly regarding the rush to war in Iraq. In a September 23 speech, Gore contrasted the situation with the 1991 Persian Gulf War, in which he had voted in favor of military action.
December 2003: Endorsement of Howard Dean
In December 2003, Al Gore endorsed Vermont Governor Howard Dean for the 2004 U.S. presidential election, weeks before the first primary. This decision was criticized by other Democratic contenders and contributed to Dean's campaign decline.
March 2004: Endorsement of John Kerry
In March 2004, Al Gore endorsed John Kerry and provided $6 million in funds left over from his own 2000 presidential bid.
2004: Arguments about Gore's endorsement timing
In 2004 there was arguments that Gore waited to endorse Obama because he did not want to repeat his calamitous early endorsement of Howard Dean.
2004: Co-launched Generation Investment Management
In 2004, Al Gore co-launched Generation Investment Management, a company where he serves as chair, focusing on sustainable investments.
2004: Accusation of Betrayal by George W. Bush
In 2004, during the presidential election, Al Gore accused George W. Bush of betraying the country by using the 9/11 attacks as a justification for the invasion of Iraq.
2004: Speculation for 2004 Presidential Election
In 2004, there was speculation that Al Gore would be a candidate for the 2004 presidential election, though Gore announced on December 16, 2002, that he would not run.
2005: Criticism and Evacuation After Hurricane Katrina
In 2005, after Hurricane Katrina, Al Gore chartered two planes to evacuate 270 people from New Orleans and criticized the Bush administration's response to the hurricane.
2005: Evacuation from Charity Hospital in New Orleans
In September of 2005, Al Gore privately coordinated the evacuation of 270 patients from Charity Hospital in New Orleans to Tennessee following Hurricane Katrina. Working with Dr. David Kline and Greg Simon, Gore secured planes and medical staff, using his political influence to expedite landing rights in New Orleans.
2006: Criticism of Domestic Wiretaps and Treatment of Arabs
In 2006, Al Gore criticized President Bush's use of domestic wiretaps without a warrant. One month later, in a speech given at the Jeddah Economic Forum, Gore criticized the treatment of Arabs in the U.S. after 9/11.
2006: Starred in documentary An Inconvenient Truth
In 2006, Al Gore starred in the documentary An Inconvenient Truth.
2006: Subject of "An Inconvenient Truth"
In 2006, Al Gore was the subject of the Academy Award-winning documentary "An Inconvenient Truth".
2006: Prospect of Gore Candidacy Arises Again
In 2006, the prospect of a Gore candidacy arose again, between 2006 and early 2008, given his increased popularity after the release of the 2006 documentary, An Inconvenient Truth.
2007: Awarded Nobel Peace Prize
In 2007, Al Gore (jointly with the IPCC) was awarded the Nobel Peace Prize for his work in climate change activism.
2007: Received Nobel Peace Prize and Primetime Emmy Award
In 2007, Al Gore received the Nobel Peace Prize (joint award with the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change) and a Primetime Emmy Award for Current TV.
2007: Publication of "The Assault on Reason"
In 2007, Al Gore's book, "The Assault on Reason", was published. It analyzes what Gore refers to as the "emptying out of the marketplace of ideas" in civic discourse during the Bush administration, attributing it to the influence of television and arguing that the Internet can revitalize democracy.
June 3, 2008: Obama Becomes Presumptive Democratic Nominee
On June 3, 2008, when Barack Obama became the presumptive Democratic nominee for president, speculation arose that Al Gore might be tapped for the vice presidency.
December 9, 2008: Meeting Between Obama, Gore, and Biden
On December 9, 2008, a meeting was held between Barack Obama, Al Gore, and Joe Biden in Chicago, enhancing speculation that Gore would be named a member of the Obama administration. However, it was stated that the only subject under discussion was the climate crisis.
December 19, 2008: Gore Praises Obama's Environmental Administrative Choices
On December 19, 2008, Al Gore described Barack Obama's environmental administrative choices of Carol Browner, Steven Chu, and Lisa Jackson as "an exceptional team to lead the fight against the climate crisis".
2008: Argument Against Same-Sex Marriage Ban
In 2008, Al Gore argued against the ban of same-sex marriage on his Current TV website, advocating for equal rights for gay men and women.
2008: Won the Dan David Prize for Social Responsibility
In 2008, Al Gore won the Dan David Prize for Social Responsibility.
2008: Speculation About Gore's Involvement in 2008 Presidential Election
In early 2008, speculation arose regarding Al Gore's potential involvement in the upcoming 2008 presidential election, fueled by his increased popularity after the release of "An Inconvenient Truth". Although Gore frequently stated that he had "no plans to run", he did not reject the possibility of future involvement in politics.
August 2009: Reunion with Bill Clinton for Media
In August 2009, Bill Clinton and Al Gore, who had maintained a public distance for eight years, reunited in the media after Clinton arranged the release of two female journalists held hostage in North Korea. The women were employees of Gore's Current TV.
2009: Comments on Dick Cheney's Criticism of Obama Administration
In a 2009 interview with CNN, Al Gore commented on former Vice President Dick Cheney's criticism of the Obama administration, referencing his own past criticism of the Bush administrations and stating that Cheney shouldn't be talking about making the country less safe after invading a country that did not attack the U.S.
2010: Attended WE Day in Vancouver, Canada
In 2010, Al Gore attended WE Day in Vancouver, Canada, which is a WE Charity event focused on empowering young people to create change.
2014: Interest in Gore Running for 2016 Presidential Election
In 2014, interest arose in having Al Gore run for the 2016 presidential election, although he did not declare any intention to do so.
2015: Interest in Gore Running for 2016 Presidential Election
In 2015, interest arose again in having Al Gore run for the 2016 presidential election, although he did not declare any intention to do so.
July 25, 2016: Gore Endorses Hillary Clinton
On July 25, 2016, Al Gore endorsed Hillary Clinton, the first day of that year's Democratic National Convention, after remaining neutral during the Democratic presidential primaries of 2016.
October 11, 2016: Gore Appears with Clinton at Rally
On October 11, 2016, Al Gore appeared with Hillary Clinton at a rally on Miami Dade College's Kendall Campus.
2016: Speculation on Gore Running for President
In 2016, there was speculation that Al Gore might run for president, but he did not declare any intention to do so.
January 2017: Revived Climate and Health Summit
In late January 2017, Al Gore revived the Climate and Health Summit, which was originally going to be held by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, after it was cancelled without warning. The Climate Reality Project held the summit without CDC support.
2017: Subject of "An Inconvenient Sequel: Truth to Power"
In 2017, Al Gore was the subject of the documentary "An Inconvenient Sequel: Truth to Power".
2017: An Inconvenient Sequel: Truth to Power Premiered
In 2017, Al Gore's film, "An Inconvenient Sequel: Truth to Power", which is a sequel to his 2006 film, premiered at the Sundance Film Festival. The film documents his continuing efforts to battle climate change.
May 2018: Inclusion in Indian Government Committee
In May 2018, Al Gore was included as a member of the Indian Government committee tasked with coordinating year-long celebrations for Mahatma Gandhi's 150th birth anniversary, which commenced on October 2, 2019.
2020: Launched Climate TRACE
In 2020, Al Gore helped to launch Climate TRACE, an organization to independently monitor global greenhouse gas emissions.
November 2021: Spoke at COP26 in Glasgow, Scotland
In November 2021, Al Gore spoke at the early stages of the 2021 United Nations Climate Change Conference (COP26) in Glasgow, Scotland.
2023: Al Gore's primary record as of 2023
As of 2023, Al Gore remains the only presidential candidate in American history who was not the incumbent president to win every single contest in his or her party primary.
2023: Only Televised Vice-Presidential Debate with More Than Two Candidates
As of 2023, the vice-presidential debate featuring Al Gore against Vice President Dan Quayle and Admiral James Stockdale remains the only televised Vice-Presidential debate with more than two participating candidates.
2030: Morrison government 2030 Emissions Reduction Target critisized
In November 2021, Al Gore spoke at the early stages of the 2021 United Nations Climate Change Conference (COP26) in Glasgow, Scotland. He later criticised the Morrison government for failing to increase Australia's 2030 emissions reduction target.
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