Al Gore receives Nobel Peace Prize

What could be better than an Oscar? Today we learn: a Nobel Peace Prize. Al Gore was already a superstar with his film; now he enters the pantheon of great world leaders who have affected important social and political change, including Martin Luther King, Jr., Nelson Mandela, Mikhail Gorbachev, Desmond Tutu, and Mother Teresa. The unique thing about this award is that while it rightly recognizes Gore’s environmental efforts, the award is even more of a message to world leaders (cough, Bush, cough) to get their act together and join the campaign. In other words, its focus is at least as much on future achievements as it is on past ones.