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Al and Tipper Gore Announce Separation

By Jeralyn, Section Other Politics
Posted on Tue Jun 01, 2010 at 01:04:28 PM EST
Tags: Al Gore (all tags)
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Al and Tipper Gore confirmed today they are separating. They've been married 40 years.

They announced the decision in an e-mail to friends and supporters. Gore's office has confirmed it.

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    Al and Tipper Gore Announce Separation | 38 comments (38 topical)

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    I'm no fan of either, but this does sadden me... (5.00 / 1) (#1)
    by sarcastic unnamed one on Tue Jun 01, 2010 at 01:14:14 PM EST


    Always sad (5.00 / 2) (#2)
    by jbindc on Tue Jun 01, 2010 at 01:15:18 PM EST
    When a marriage ends, especially one so long lasting.

    I wish them both happiness (5.00 / 8) (#4)
    by andgarden on Tue Jun 01, 2010 at 01:23:42 PM EST
    I don't begin to think that I can or should offer an opinion on this otherwise.

    Sad it is. (5.00 / 4) (#7)
    by Abdul Abulbul Amir on Tue Jun 01, 2010 at 01:45:26 PM EST
    My beautiful bride and I have 38 behind us.  I will take this as a lesson to work all the harder at staying together.

    How nice (5.00 / 1) (#8)
    by jbindc on Tue Jun 01, 2010 at 01:46:53 PM EST
    Especially to the fact that you refer to her as your "beautiful bride".

    Kudos to you!

    Parent

    She (none / 0) (#12)
    by Abdul Abulbul Amir on Tue Jun 01, 2010 at 02:25:14 PM EST

    She (mistakenly) thinks there is something wrong with my eyes.  

    Parent
    Keep telling her anyways. (5.00 / 2) (#13)
    by jbindc on Tue Jun 01, 2010 at 02:27:18 PM EST
    This is probably the one time she's been wrong in your 38 years, right? :)

    Parent
    Lovely comment. (5.00 / 1) (#31)
    by Dr Molly on Tue Jun 01, 2010 at 07:05:36 PM EST
    And lucky wife.

    Parent
    You just never know (5.00 / 4) (#14)
    by Sweet Sue on Tue Jun 01, 2010 at 02:36:23 PM EST
    If, fifteen years ago, anyone had told me that the Gores would be separating now,and the Clintons would still be together, I'd have thought she was doing shrooms.

    Major milestones - births, (5.00 / 3) (#25)
    by Anne on Tue Jun 01, 2010 at 03:58:07 PM EST
    deaths, anniversaries, weddings - all tend to make people reflect on the quality of their lives, whether they are happy, or not, where they want to go with those lives, etc.

    I noted that the Gores just celebrated their 40th anniversary a couple of weeks ago, so I'm guessing there's been a lot of reflecting going on for them.

    I'm sorry to hear this news, because even if it was mutual, even if they remain friends, it still represents a loss - of what they imagined their futures to be, and in some ways, of what they had - and it's a loss to their children and grandchildren.

    My best to them and to their family.

    I'm sorry, too, Anne (5.00 / 1) (#32)
    by Zorba on Tue Jun 01, 2010 at 07:38:01 PM EST
    It does represent a loss.  Mr. Zorba and I are coming up on our 40th anniversary next month, and this news gave me pause.  My husband and I have been through good times and bad, but we have always had each others' backs.  I cannot even speculate on what caused this separation.  I wish the best for both of them.

    Parent
    Celebrating 30 years in August, (5.00 / 1) (#34)
    by Anne on Tue Jun 01, 2010 at 08:22:50 PM EST
    and for sure, it has been up and down.  Kids, work, financial worries and successes, aging parents and other relatives, births, deaths - in other words: life.

    I don't know if anything really prepares you for the work that marriage requires, and I guess for some people, love isn't enough, or love doesn't grow as they do, or they quit too soon; all I know is that no one ever knows as much as they think they do about other people's relationships, and no one ever knows if one day they will be walking the same path as others whose marriages have fallen apart.

    When my daughter got married three years ago, everyone from the caterer to the florist to the tent/chairs/tables provider, to the DJ remarked how unusual it was that these two young people had parents who were still married to each other - I found that so sad.

    Almost every memory I have from the last 30 years - and the two years before we married - has my husband in it, and I just can't imagine that loss.

    Parent

    That sounds familiar (5.00 / 1) (#39)
    by christinep on Tue Jun 01, 2010 at 08:54:52 PM EST
    with my husband & I at 40+ years now. Incredible. We are so different in personaliby, temperament. Incredible. When I'm not shaking my head in wonder, I'm hoping for lots more days and life together. (Strange. Most of the time, we still don't feel "old." Too much to live for.)

    Parent
    Bless you, my dear (none / 0) (#35)
    by Zorba on Tue Jun 01, 2010 at 08:29:54 PM EST
    Marriage is hard work, but in the end, at least as far as I am concerned, it is worth it.  Nothing in life that is "worth it" comes easily.

    Parent
    My sister called me with the news today, and I (5.00 / 1) (#43)
    by Angel on Tue Jun 01, 2010 at 10:09:25 PM EST
    just was shocked.  I told her that if Al and Tipper can't make it last forever then I've lost all hope in humanity.  I believe in nothing anymore.  Sort of joking and sort of not joking when I say that.  I just saw them as two wonderful people who seemed to be so much in love, and it saddens me that their love has changed to the degree that they no longer want to be partners.  I wish them both the best.  And I say this with having been married almost 33 years so I know a thing or two about marriage and commitment.

    so (none / 0) (#3)
    by Capt Howdy on Tue Jun 01, 2010 at 01:15:27 PM EST
    this is how Love Story ends.  I knew it.

    see Im not so cynical after all.

    These two I kinda figgered (none / 0) (#5)
    by brodie on Tue Jun 01, 2010 at 01:40:24 PM EST
    were the type of nicely matched pairs that were going to go the full distance together, like the Carters, especially after having been through so much together.

    Was the growing apart due largely to Al's growing increasingly married to the issue of global warming?  Was Tipper for her part unable to find something worthwhile to do with all that free time?

    My bet is that .. (none / 0) (#6)
    by nyrias on Tue Jun 01, 2010 at 01:43:22 PM EST
    Al found someone else. He is traveling a lot and have tons of female fans.

    May be he is just doing this because he has the decency of not pulling a John Edwards.

    Parent

    Mine (none / 0) (#9)
    by TeresaInSnow2 on Tue Jun 01, 2010 at 01:47:36 PM EST
    is that Tipper found someone else. :-)

    Parent
    sure .. (none / 0) (#15)
    by nyrias on Tue Jun 01, 2010 at 02:42:29 PM EST
    or both of them found someone else at the same time.

    Parent
    That reasoning .. (none / 0) (#16)
    by nyrias on Tue Jun 01, 2010 at 02:43:19 PM EST
    never stops anyone from gossiping.

    I am sure it is none of our business to gossip about couples we know, but we do it anyway.

    Parent

    Good for you (none / 0) (#17)
    by Lora on Tue Jun 01, 2010 at 02:51:19 PM EST
    I confess I'm curious, but I also accept that I have no right to know.

    But after 40 years....Geez...

    Parent

    For sure, we have no right (none / 0) (#22)
    by brodie on Tue Jun 01, 2010 at 03:32:41 PM EST
    to know, but probably 99% of us who read this stunning news today are curious enough about it to naturally want to know what really happened beyond the bare bones Gore statement.  

    Two famous public figures after all, who weren't exactly shy about sharing some of their private moments, and making an implicit statement about the quality of their marriage, and in contrast to another's, back in 2000.

    That said, I go no further than expressing out loud only those general Qs that naturally arise for me but that don't go too far into highly speculative areas for which we have no evidence.  

    YOMMV ...


    Parent

    LOL (none / 0) (#18)
    by TeresaInSnow2 on Tue Jun 01, 2010 at 03:03:58 PM EST
    The wink didn't invoke the notion that I was kidding did it.....

    Just as it's none of our business what they did, it's none of your business what anyone thinks about it. Right?

    Parent

    It does seem clear that (none / 0) (#29)
    by hairspray on Tue Jun 01, 2010 at 06:40:29 PM EST
    one of the two is interested in moving on and that might include the opportunity to date others.  Seems strange otherwise.  At 60 + with 40 years of marriage there must be some reason to divorce, because it is a wrenching experience.  People in that situation don't do it unless there is a real upside to the action.

    Parent
    Or maybe he is sick (none / 0) (#10)
    by me only on Tue Jun 01, 2010 at 02:12:53 PM EST
    of the drums.

    Parent
    Not necessarily sad... (none / 0) (#19)
    by kdog on Tue Jun 01, 2010 at 03:14:51 PM EST
    If your respective roads to happiness mean parting ways, I would think that is preferable to sticking together just for the sake of sticking together, or for the sake of the past.

    It's why I'm so leery of the institution of marriage...who can promise they will feel the same in 2 years much less 40?

    True love has to be taken one day at a time...

    Don't be leery (5.00 / 4) (#24)
    by coast on Tue Jun 01, 2010 at 03:57:49 PM EST
    Marriage is not a promise that you will feel the same about a person years later.  Marriage a promise that you will love and honor that person.  Love and honor and can take different forms.  Sometimes it means recognizing that one or both of you would be better off without the other.  Ending it amicably is the key to continuing the promise to love and honor that person.

    I know for a fact that I don't feel the same about my wife of 14 years than I did when I married her. I love and adore her more today than when we first married.

    Parent

    Aw, such a lovely comment. (none / 0) (#30)
    by Dr Molly on Tue Jun 01, 2010 at 07:04:57 PM EST
    I feel the same about my spouse, after 20 years. Love deepens and changes shape over time, but it sure hasn't gone away.

    Parent
    outkast (none / 0) (#20)
    by CST on Tue Jun 01, 2010 at 03:25:58 PM EST
    forever, forever ever, for ever ever?

    Forever never seems that long until you're grown.

    Parent

    Poignant rhyme sister... (none / 0) (#23)
    by kdog on Tue Jun 01, 2010 at 03:38:18 PM EST
    I like how my special lady puts it..."Today I decide to love you, tomorrow I don't know yet".

    I'll take that deal:)

    Parent

    I agree, if there's one thing (none / 0) (#21)
    by Natal on Tue Jun 01, 2010 at 03:31:21 PM EST
    absolute in this world, is that change is inevitable. No one is the same person after 40 years. It's part of evolution and people change at different rates.

    Parent
    So... (none / 0) (#27)
    by DancingOpossum on Tue Jun 01, 2010 at 04:26:14 PM EST
    ...people should not get married? Not arguing for or against, but it does seem to have a low success rate...
    the gores (none / 0) (#28)
    by jharp on Tue Jun 01, 2010 at 06:40:05 PM EST
    I think it just plain sucks and I'm very disappointed.

    I honestly believe it'd happen way more often, way way more, if it didn't cost so much.

    Most folks can't afford a divorce. Kind of a little conundrum.

    I'm sad about it, but can understand (none / 0) (#38)
    by honora on Tue Jun 01, 2010 at 08:50:37 PM EST
    Maybe, Al wants to keep changing the world. Symposium and then a conference followed by a think tank. Tipper may feel like it would be more fun to retire. They obviously, have the money.  She may want to travel for fun, hang with the children.  They are blessed with health and wealth, they may just see the next 30 years differently.  I hope that they can remain friends and that they can continue to be active parts of their children's lives.

    Rojas (none / 0) (#41)
    by jondee on Tue Jun 01, 2010 at 09:23:29 PM EST
    if part of what you're saying is that you miss that uniquely creative, iconoclastic and hilarious Zappa elan more than you miss Love Story and the Washington wives league to steal some "family values" thunder, than I must say I couldn't agree more.

    Something like that.... (none / 0) (#42)
    by Rojas on Tue Jun 01, 2010 at 10:04:49 PM EST
    And while I don't speak Jondee, I thought it was one of my more eloquent posts. At least some parts rhymed. I guess I'll climb into the back seat with the rest of the part time virgins and pretend I was too stoned to notice when we took this right turn.

    Parent
    My Theory (none / 0) (#44)
    by Slado on Thu Jun 03, 2010 at 09:33:20 AM EST
    Al Gore is now a celebrity.   Not a political one or a sports one but a movie start type of celebrity.

    I've always believed that real celebrities have an almost impossible battle to maintain what I or any normal person would call a "marriage".

    My marriage requires me to see my wife almost every day.   I need to do things with her, I need to enjoy things with her, I need her to approve of the hobbies I enjoy without her and me the same with her.   You get the idea.

    With celebrity on the scale that Al Gore now enjoys this dynamic is destroyed.   Al Gore is a world wide superstar now (not that I agree with anything he believes but that's not the point).

    The Al Gore that Tipper married no longer exisits.   Right or wrong for this marriage to develop and move forward she had to make the decision to go on this celebrity journey with him and I suspect she was never comfortable with it.  Maybe she said she was, convinced him she was but mabye deep down she was ready to go back to normal after not becoming first lady in 2000.   Instead he not only stepped back from the political spotlight but instead dove head first into the world celebrity spotlight.

    Affairs, different priorities, absences, self absorption who knows.   Any of the things that massive celebrity brings to someone is probably the cause of the split.

    Either way its sad to see a marriage end but I imagine it was a long time coming and proably best for both of them to move on.

    Just my thoughts.

    Al and Tipper Gore Announce Separation | 38 comments (38 topical)

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