Gore Talks Global Warming in Oklahoma

Former Vice President Al Gore grimaces at the audience as he tells a joke Wednesday, Feb. 28, 2007 during a multimedia version of his best selling book and Academy Award winning documentary "An Inconvenient Truth" at the University of Miami in Coral Gables, Fla. (AP Photo/Wilfredo Lee) (Wilfredo Lee - AP)

NORMAN, Okla. -- Former Vice President Al Gore told Oklahomans on Thursday that dire environmental consequences will result if changes are not made to reduce the amount of greenhouse gases that humans put into the air and sea.

Gore spoke before a mostly supportive crowd estimated to be about 7,000 people at the university's Lloyd Noble Center, drawing a larger crowd at the arena than the Sooners have for some basketball games this season. His appearance capped a day-long focus at OU on the global warming debate.

Earlier Thursday, two university professors held a forum on the issue in the campus' student union building, and more than 500 people filled an auditorium and part of another room to hear the professors' arguments.

Those attending Gore's speech included Gov. Brad Henry, his wife, Kim and one of their daughters; State Treasurer Scott Meachem and State Attorney General Drew Edmondson. Like Gore, Henry, Meachem and Edmondson all are Democrats.

"We are focusing on a subject that matters," OU President David Boren said in introducing Gore. "This is not simply a subject to discuss. It is a subject to live out."

Gore entered the bowl-shaped arena from the upper concourse, shaking hands with dozens of people as he walked down steps to the arena floor.

Gore and Boren served for eight years together in the U.S. Senate. Boren, also a Democrat, drew a loud cheer when he noted that Gore had received 500,000 more votes than any other presidential candidate, a nod to Gore's narrow loss to President Bush in the 2000 election, in which Gore won the popular vote but Bush won in the Electoral College.

Boren drew another ovation when he mentioned that Gore's documentary, "An Inconvenient Truth," won an Oscar earlier this week for best documentary feature.

Gore's multimedia presentation lasted an hour and 42 minutes.

"Many assume the earth is so big we as human beings couldn't have any lasting impact on it ... that's not so," he said.

Gore called global warming the biggest crisis in human history.

"This is not a political issue. It's a moral, ethical and spiritual issue," he said.