Gore To Speak At RSA: Press Not Invited
However, VARs, vendors and other attendees will have to let journalists know how it goes -- according to an agreement with the former Vice President, members of the press will not be allowed to attend the event. Naturally, video recordings, broadcasts and photography are all prohibited as well.
Alex Kirschner, a conference media contact, said that excluding the press from the keynote was not the decision of RSA but rather was due to a special request included in Gore's speaking contract. Kirschner added that most of Gore's contracts included language that prohibited press from attending his speeches.
Gore's sudden camera shyness comes as a stark contrast to last year's RSA keynote presented by former Secretary of State Colin Powell, who seemed to have no problem opening the doors to press and public.
Kirschner said that Gore, who received Nobel Peace Prize in 2007, will be giving a speech on emerging green technologies, but didn't provide specifics. "When it's somebody this high profile, it's difficult to get or divulge any more information than that," said Kirschner.
Likewise, RSA could not elaborate further on the terms of the contract. Thus far, Gore's reasons for excluding the press are completely subject to speculation. A recent ecorazzi.com blog post suggested that the possibility still exists, albeit slim at best, that Democrats might actually nominate Gore as the presidential candidate that will ultimately break the insufferable Clinton-Obama deadlock. Amid the rumors that the former Vice President could be positioning himself as a potential contender to the Oval Office, it could be that Gore is simply taking advantage of the necessary security precautions granted to all presidential candidates.
Gore's keynote will be presented Friday, April 11 in Hall D of San Francisco's Moscone Center.