Al Gore Rescues 270 Katrina Victims

Al Gore

Pol Light Moment #95 happened on September 3-4, 2005, when Al Gore arranged for two private charter flights to airlift 270 people out of New Orleans after the Hurricane Katrina disaster. Al Gore served as the Vice-President of the United States from 1993-2001. He was a candidate for President in 2000.  From 1985-1993 he served as a United States Senator from Tennessee.

Dr. David Kline, a neurosurgeon who operated on Al Gore's son after his life threatening accident in 1989 was in New Orleans at the Charity Hospital helping patients after Katrina. Dr. Kline got a message to Al Gore that the people there were in a terrible situation that was increasingly growing worse. Hearing of the heartbreaking situation, Al Gore decided to personally provide for two flights to evacuate 270 people from New Orleans. He also physically traveled on those flights.

Al Gore's personal physician at the time, Dr. Anderson Spickard accompanied Gore on the flights and said, “Gore told me he wanted to do this because like all of us he wanted to seize the opportunity to do what one guy can do, given the assets that he has (Outside the Beltway, September 10, 2005).”

In addition to funding the flights, "Gore worked to cut through government red tape, personally calling Gov. Phil Bredesen to get Tennessee’s support and U.S. Transportation Secretary Norm Mineta to secure landing rights in New Orleans (Outside the Beltway, September 10, 2005)."

Al Gore has been featured on other Pol Light posts. To view all Al Gore posts search with the Al Gore label at Pol Light.

Pol Light does not endorse political candidates. We present a brighter side to politics when they are found on either side of the aisle. We don't have to agree with all of a person's politics to recognize these bright moments.

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The photo of Al Gore is in the Public Domain.