I have spent much of the day listening to Al Gore prattle on about methane, ice caps and precious carbon neutrality. Please, don’t weep for me. It is my responsibility to monitor such things so you don’t have to. Besides, the afternoon wasn’t wasted. After watching hours of the erstwhile Veep’s congressional testimony, I think I finally understand him . Ultimately, he is a tragic if unsympathetic figure. Has there ever been a man who so desperately hungered for greatness who was so thoroughly suffused with mediocrity?

The story of Gore’s life story is familiar, but at this hour of great prominence for him, certain aspects of it warrant revisiting. When he was born, Nashville’s Tennessean heralded, at the insistence of his father, Senator Al Gore Sr., young Al’s birth with a front page story. Gore was raised to be great; he was raised to be president. And he bought into the mission wholeheartedly.

But there was one problem: Gore was an individual of no great talent. His intelligence wasn’t noteworthy. Neither were his social or athletic skills. Perhaps most importantly, he wasn’t a natural at the backslapping and glad-handing that are such vital aspects of the political game. Even in college, young Al threw up before delivering his first public speech.

But Gore’s parents programmed him from the beginning to march on the presidency. And he bought into the plan, no questions asked. He always knew with an unnerving moral certainty that he should be president.

ALAS, GORE’S DREAM HIT THE ROCKS in 2000 in what was probably the second most gut-wrenching defeat in the history of our presidential politics. Coincidentally, his fellow Tennessean, Andrew Jackson, takes the crown for having endured the most painful loss. Jackson responded to his loss stoically and methodically. Four years later he swept to power with ease.

Gore, on the other hand, was lost after his defeat. Not only had he lost, all of his weaknesses as a politician had become manifest. His natural arrogance and condescension permanently alienated people who were friends and supporters. His tin-ear for politics led him to ludicrously posture as a populist even though he had served as Vice President during a time of unprecedented prosperity and public content.

The defeat to a man he so obviously considered unworthy undid Gore. The predetermined “fact” that he would one day serve as president was no longer certain. Indeed, it became doubtful. So, where does a guy for whom becoming president would have been just an adequate and expected accomplishment go when that ambition turns out to be beyond his reach?

HE RESOLVES TO SAVE THE WORLD! That’s what Al Gore has done. He has identified a problem that in his telling threatens our very existence, and only he can save humanity from the gruesome fate that awaits. Yes, this new Gore is a totally risible figure, but it’s who he is and it’s what he’s doing. There’s been much fun on the internets over his comparison to himself and others in Congress to the “300” who saved the day at Thermopylae, but that was perhaps his most modest comment of the day. I’ll say it again - he really believes he’s saving the world.

Today heralded the arrival of the trans-partisan Al Gore, a man for whom the presidency would be a step down since his current self-appointed job is that of Global Savior. When James Inhofe pounded Gore on his apparent deafness to scientific critiques of his chosen theories, I expected Gore to lash back. I certainly didn’t expect a substantive response.

I of course didn’t get substantive response, but the response Gore did offer surprised me nonetheless. Gore said he would desperately try to find common ground with Inhofe. He suggested a mutual friend broker a breakfast. There, in private, Gore would share his Messianic zeal with Inhofe and help him see the light.

Today, I think we finally saw the last New Al Gore. There have been a bunch of them to date, so I reserve the right to announce the arrival of more New Gores if and when necessary, but the Goracle is unlike any of the old Gores. The old Gores were hyper-partisan and furious. The Goracle is trans-partisan and oddly sanguine as he seeks out common ground with those he used to gleefully excoriate.

In her outstanding book “Great Expectations” (from which I stole all the biographical stuff about Gore that appears above), Noemie Emery observed, “Classmates and teachers sometimes thought he was playing a role.” That’s how it’s always been for Gore. His current chosen role is that of Global Savior.

The Goracle will not brook any news that might conflict with this chosen role or any sign that disaster is less than imminent. For if there is no immediate and enormous crisis, who needs a Global Savior? And if he can’t be president, and he can’t save the world, what good is a Goracle?

Compliments? Complaints? Contact me at Soxblog@aol.com.