Former Vice Pres. Al Gore on hot seat over Current TV sale

Today, I heard from the National Constitution Center that former vice president Al Gore couldn't accommodate the Daily News' interview request because of his busy schedule.

Really, Al?

Might it also be because Gore, who's due in Philly Monday for a book event, has been taking too much heat over his sale of Current TV to Al-Jazeera?  After all, Gore, who has written three books on the topic, is Mr. Climate Change.  And Al-Jazeera is owned by the oil-rich government of Qatar. No wonder some are looking sideways at the $500 million deal which profitted the former presidential candidate an estimated $100 million.

"So you, Al Gore, are doing business with this country that's enabling your ultimate foe - climate change," David Letterman said earlier this week.

"They have ambitious plans to develop renewables in the region. There's a visionary plan to take solar energy and wind energy from the Middle East and North Africa to Western Europe," Gore said in response. "Again, the network that they founded has become a widely respected news-gathering organization, including on climate issues."

Gore's latest book is called "The Future: Six Drivers of Global Change." The event at the Constitution Center is sold out.