All and Tipper Gore separate after 40 years of marriage



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The one kiss does not tell all. People, just because you saw Al kiss Tipper fervently, it does not mean they had a great marriage. The issues most likely were there all along – they have enough respect for each other and their public images that they are not going public with those reasons – kudos to them, it is a private affair. Maybe the truth will come out in their upcoming books/bios, or someone unrelated to the Gore's will speak – this is a private affair and not any of our business.

The Kiss…I am dumbfounded at how much attention the Gore's kiss is getting – that people actually thought the kiss was authentic. The reason the kiss is so WOW is because Al lacks the ability to show pure emotion in public of course for obvious reasons a.k.a his public image, (and quite possibly is emotionally unavailable in private), and this kiss was a show of affection maybe or emotion in public? Maybe that kiss connected him to those who still believe in the fairytale…you know the one that says happily ever after once you get hitched? You know what I mean…the Cinderella stories that end once the couple gets together but you never see the life after that? Get real people, this is one kiss and ONE KISS DOES NOT TELL ALL. You don't know what goes on behind closed doors. That was one kiss, on one very influential and happy night, and who knows maybe they both had a glass of wine which contributed to the amorous feelings?

Tony Pierce of the LA Times posed these questions on their blog and I answer them below:

Dr. Dar says:

The Gores can save their marriage with outside assistance – but I think they have already considered that and they want to separate/divorce otherwise, they would not be at this junction.

With 2 career households, it is more challenging to stay connected for sure. Couples who do not put structures in place to keep their relationship nurtured and alive end up separating. People think they can get to the alter, get married, and then don't have to 'court' each other any longer — this is so far from the truth. Marriage has to be nurtured to succeed – you cannot just set it and forget it. Something as simple as having dinner together twice a week or having a set time four times a week to talk (listen really) to each other can make a big difference. Jenny Garth recently stated on The View that her husband is gone a lot so they have dinner together every night– he is on the web cam with his dinner sharing time with her and the children – she found a solution and made it work for them!

If Al had won the presidency, the divide may be even greater – I certainly don't have a crystal ball but I do suspect that the issues in their marriage have been there for years and did not just surface recently. They just decided and made a choice to do something about it recently now that they are both not in the public spot light as much as they were. Tipper made some great sacrifices to be with Al, I am not so sure Al made any if at all. Their daughter is divorced as well which tells me that things were not all glorious in the Gore household because children learn how to love and behave from their parents/role models.

Political wives make sacrifices to be with their political spouses and it is time they stopped doing that. Heck I have not empathy for Jenny Sanford because she knew all along Governor Sanford would not be faithful but she chose to marry him anyway even though she wanted faithful monogamy, thinking quite foolishly might I add that 'he would change his mind' after he told her that he wanted to take out the 'faithful' clause in their vows. Come on, this one is for all the men out there – Men tell us the truth either through words or actions! Women just need to take heed, listen, and make up their own minds about what is next for them and follow through on their choices.

As for the comments ensuing since the Gore's announcement — I don't know what Tipper and Al are thinking, we can speculate all day long and until we hear from Al and/or Tipper, it is just that speculation and often judgment that creates the stir.

I am definitely an advocate for successful marriages and working with singles to help them make the right choices governed by their core values and not be societal pressure to get married for the sake of being married or to get married for love alone. Love does not get the job done – it takes partnership, love, collaboration, cooperation, friendship, connection, passion, commitment, desire for each others success, and harmony to make a successful marriage.

Borrowing Tony Pierce's questions – What are your thoughts? Can and Should the Gores save their marriage? Will it end in divorce? Is marriage too hard a concept in this modern world with jet-setting spouses? Would this have happened if Al had won the presidency? Share your thoughts in the comments below.

– Read the full story here Tony Pierce of the LA Times