Al Gore called Doug Coe a close friend of his.
Fisher-Smith: Who are the people who inspire you? Who have been your heroes?
Gore: Jefferson. His essential genius, and his understanding of the human spirit.
About heroes I might have right now, I don't know. It's not entirely a friendly act to make someone a hero!
Alexei Yablokov is the leading environmentalist in Russia, and a real tower of integrity. Sherwood Rowland, the scientist who alerted us to the problem of ozone depletion, is a hero to me. Again, he is a man of uncompromising integrity and commitment. Wangari Matthai, a woman in Kenya who started a tree-planting movement--she just went to prison again a couple of months ago--she has a very strong spiritual faith. There are lots of people I would put in that category.
Outside the environmental movement, I have a friend named Doug Coe who devotes his life to the message of Christ in a completely nondenominational, noninstitutional way. He just lives it, and is incredibly loving and strong.
http://arts.envirolink.org/interviews_and_conversations/AlGore.html
Are we supposed to believe that Al Gore is a super secret member of a right wing conspiracy too?
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Douglas_Coe