Some people get really upset about the "outrageous" comments from people like Glenn Beck and Rush Limbaugh, but I'd be willing to bet a $1 that there won't be similar outrage about the former Vice-President's contention that the battle against climate change is similar to the struggle against Nazi Germany.

Al Gore invoked the spirit of Winston Churchill today by encouraging political leaders to follow the example of Britain’s wartime leader and unite their nations to fight climate change.

The former US vice-president accused politicians around the world of exploiting ignorance about the dangers of global warming. He said lack of awareness among voters allowed governments to avoid taking difficult decisions.

Speaking in Oxford at the Smith School World Forum on Enterprise and the Environment , sponsored by The Times, Mr Gore said: “Winston Churchill aroused this nation in heroic fashion to save civilisation in World War II.” He added: “We have everything we need except political will but political will is a renewable resource.” Mr Gore admitted that it was difficult to persuade the public that the threat from climate change was as urgent as the threat during World War 2.

To carry Al's analogy further wouldn't that make him Winston Churchill? Somehow I don't buy that comparison. They're both kind of tubby, liked tobacco and have a funny accent, but that's about it for the similarities.

Actually, I've kind of felt like those opposing the furor of climate change are more like the Allies than the Nazis. The Nazis stifled opposition voices just like the radical Climate Change crowd who argue that the "science is settled." Maybe the former Vice-President got the sides wrong in this speech. Perhaps a fairer comparison for Al is Joseph Goebbels instead of Winston Churchill. Churchill didn't financially profit from his efforts in the way that Al does.