Al Gore on Current TV's The War Room with Jennifer Granholm: "We Are Not Beholden to Any Corporate Ownership — We're Dedicated to Presenting the Truth"

Al Gore said it plainly: "We are not beholden to any corporate ownership. We're not part of any conglomerate. We are dedicated to presenting the t…" — and Premier Guide Miami was in the room when it happened.

On October 12, 2011, Current TV held a press call to announce The War Room with Jennifer Granholm , premiering January 2012 at 9 p.m. on Current TV. On the call: Al Gore (Chairman and Co-Founder), Joel Hyatt (CEO and Co-Founder), David Bohrman (President), and Jennifer Granholm, the former Governor of Michigan and the show's new host. Premier Guide Media's Daedrian McNaughton was on the call and asked two questions.

We are not beholden to any corporate ownership. We're not part of any conglomerate. We don't view ourselves as being vulnerable to influence from the establishment here, there or anywhere. We are dedicated to presenting the truth as clearly and as compellingly as we possibly can.

Daedrian McNaughton: You said earlier that Jen would be qualified to become President of the U.S. How do you think she would fare in an election against President Obama in this political climate?

Al Gore: Well that sounds like kind of a trick question, no offense intended. What I said specifically was that if she had been born in the United States as the Constitution requires of those elected President, I think she would've been a leading candidate and very likely the first woman President. But I'm not going to speculate on what FDR referred to as iffy questions.

Daedrian McNaughton: What is the ultimate direction for Current TV in terms of programming?

Al Gore: We want to provide news and commentary that you won't find anywhere else in a very compelling and entertaining way. We emphasize the fact that we are independent, and our commentators and hosts are going to be very direct. We are not beholden to any corporate ownership. We're not part of any conglomerate. We don't view ourselves as being vulnerable to influence from the establishment here, there or anywhere. We are dedicated to presenting the truth as clearly and as compellingly as we possibly can. And I think that in this day and time where corporate ownership and concentration and multiple agendas are really getting to the point where a lot of people are looking for a fresh and independent unvarnished point of view, that's exactly what we're providing. Joel Hyatt: We're going to move as quickly as we can to build out a 24/7 programming lineup that is political commentary and news analysis — all politically direct. The way we like to think about it is that our three competitors are about breaking news and we're about fixing it. We're about providing the context, the insight, the understanding, the meaning that people are really yearning for. And we think it's a perfect time going into the Presidential election year to create and launch this kind of programming.

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The announcement — and why Jennifer Granholm

Gore opened by calling Granholm "one of the most insightful, intelligent and effective leaders that I have ever worked with — and I don't just throw that out lightly." He added: "I sincerely believe that if she had not been born in Canada she would have been a leading candidate for President of the United States, and would have been very possibly the first woman President." Hyatt framed the hire as the next step after landing Keith Olbermann for Countdown: "Governor Granholm knows more about the election process than any host on television. And just as importantly she knows more about the issues facing the American people in this election than any other host on television, because she lived through dealing with tough economic times during eight years as Governor of Michigan." Bohrman on how it came together: "When Joel and I sat down with her a month or two ago, we were blown away at the way she just lit up the room and frankly took charge. I've produced thousands of hours of television and I'm convinced that not only can she lead the State of Michigan, she can clearly manage the mechanics of a television program."

The show's format — solutions, satire, and viewer content

Granholm on what viewers can expect: "I'm obsessed with how we can create jobs in America and what these candidates are going to be saying about that. I'm obsessed with what solutions they're putting on the table, and I want to bring experts on to give viewers a sense of what works, what doesn't work — not just on policy but on the actual election itself." On the show's temperature: "It's going to be hot in the sense that people will want to watch it, and we want it to be fast moving and entertaining. But we also want it to be very thoughtful. I'm progressive, I'm on the left end of the spectrum, but I've also had to be a pragmatic Governor and can explain what that's like in dealing with a Republican legislature and how important compromise is." On the format: comedian Brett Erlich will contribute political satire; viewer-generated content — a hallmark of Current's history — will be invited in; and the show will cover Senate and gubernatorial races alongside the Presidential campaign. Bohrman: "It's not going to be crossfire with people sniping at each other every 30 seconds. We want to have in-depth, intelligent discussions." The War Room with Jennifer Granholm premiered January 2012 on Current TV, airing nightly at 9 p.m. Eastern from Current's San Francisco headquarters.

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