Vice-President Al Gore discovered his Irish ancestors a mere two years ago — and said he intended to visit Ireland to search for them. He also showed his interest in Irish affairs by attending a New York forum on Irish affairs before the 1996 election.

However, as he has already emerged as the Democratic front-runner for the presidential election in the year 2000, he may not have much time. Gore is known for his commitment to the environment, and during his 18 years in public life, including the U.S. Congress and the Senate, he gained national recognition for his leadership qualities and his unstinting advocacy for consumers.

As Vice-President, Gore has won acclaim for his quiet but extremely effective handling of the office. The son of former Tennessee Senator Albert Gore, Sr., Gore was raised in Carthage, Tennessee, and in Washington, D.C., where he received a degree in government from Harvard University in 1969. An army veteran, Gore served in Vietnam before running for Congress, where he spent eight years. In 1984 he was elected to the Senate, and was re-elected in 1990 after becoming the first politician in history to win all of Tennessee’s counties.

Vice-President Gore is married to Mary ‘Tipper’ Gore, and they have four children.