Al Gore Invented the Internet!

Out of all the Al Goreian catchphrases and bombaticisims, this one takes the biscuit. It is a distortion of what he claimed during an interview with Wolf Blitzer on CNN's "Late Edition" program on the 9th of March 1999:

During my service in the United States Congress, I took the initiative in creating the Internet. I took the initiative in moving forward a whole range of initiatives that have proven to be important to our country's economic growth and environmental protection, improvements in our educational system.

Al Gore has been known to stretch the truth in previous situations, but is this really just another self praising remark?

It is obvious that Al Gore didn't invent the Internet due to the fact that the Internet was never "invented" as such, but came about in steps. Some people claim that Al Gore did indeed help with the Internet's progress by realising its potential at a somewhat early stage and by trying to improve its popularity amongst people. Important figures like Vint Cerf (one of the Internet's creators) state that Al Gore played a very crucial part in the Internet's development.

Vint Cerf:I think it is very fair to say that the Internet would not be where it is in the United States without the strong support given to it and related research areas by the vice president in his current role and in his earlier role as senator.

Others claim that although he might have helped to improve the Internet, it would still be around even if he were never involved in politics. Many of the components of today's Internet were created well before Gore's first term in Congress began in 1977, and it's hard to find any specific action of Gore's which helped in "creating the Internet."

So in conclusion, Al Gore never invented the Internet but he might have helped in the long run.

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