Al Gore praises / assails Obama on the environment

President Obama on Friday directed EPA administrator Lisa Jackson to withdraw proposed air quality legislation that would have tightened smog standards, citing the need to reduce regulatory burdens on businesses during the current economic downturn when job creation is of utmost importance.

By withdrawing the proposed legislation, Mr. Obama is clearly acknowledging that excessive environmental regulations are in fact job killers. But only now, with the 2012 Presidential election right around the corner - mindful that excessive regulatory measures would pull the economy further down the proverbial abyss and harm his re-election bid - is Obama willing to concede to this fact. Otherwise, it seems that crippling the job market and the economy with constricting and crushing environmental regulations would be of little concern to Obama.

Nevertheless, the President's reversal on the environment isn't sitting too well with former Vice President Al Gore, who assailed Mr. Obama in a blog post on Wednesday - a far cry from his warm endorsement of Obama in June of 2008, when he extolled the then-Democratic Presidential nominee as a candidate who has the ability, and the capacity, "to solve" the so-called "climate crisis."

Al Gore praises / assails Obama on the environment - Video: