Al Gore Becomes Behind-the-Scenes Powerhouse

Former Vice President Al Gore remains a major player in Democratic politics, serving as an important behind-the-scenes adviser to the White House and Democrats in Congress.

Gore regularly consults with House Speaker Nancy Pelosi and Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid, and has sent out a series of e-mails for the Democratic Senatorial Campaign Committee and the Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee, according to Chris Cillizza’s “The Fix” column in The Washington Post.

A fundraising e-mail for the DCCC signed by the climate change crusader is being sent out on Wednesday, Earth Day.

“I can tell you that President Obama has signaled in the strongest possible terms that he intends to take bold steps and harness innovative resources to solve the climate crisis,” Gore writes.

Former Gore spokesman Chris Lehane, now a Democratic consultant, said Gore has “enormous influence with this administration.”

Gore testified in favor of Obama’s economic stimulus package during an appearance before the Senate Foreign Relations Committee in late January after meeting with Obama in Chicago.

And two top officials in the Obama administration — energy czar Carol Browner and Rod O’Connor, chief of staff at the Energy Department — had close ties with Gore during his tenure in the Senate.

Cillizza observes that Gore “retains significant influence at all levels of Democratic politics.”