Today the RSA security conference sent out an announcement detailing the rules of engagement for press covering the event (which begins April 7 in San Francisco). At the bottom of the e-mail is a message noting that in accordance with an agreement the conference made with former Vice President Al Gore, press will not be allowed to attend his keynote presentation at the conference. Video recordings, broadcasts and photography are also prohibited.

Press protestations are becoming a habit of Gore's.

When he gave his now-famous global warming slide presentation at the TED conference in 2006 (Technology, Entertainment and Design) I tried to approach him after the presentation to ask a question and was thwarted by his aggressive spokesman who planted himself between me and the former v.p. and griped that I'd been allowed to attend the presentation. He said the talk was supposed to have been off-limits to press (although the conference organizers never mentioned this to me, and no one tried to prevent me from entering the auditorium, although my badge clearly indicated I was press). Gore's spokesman took down my name and affiliation and warned that I wasn't to write anything about the event.

Gore, whose speaker fee is reportedly $100,000, spoke again at TED this year, which I wrote about for Wired's Epicenter blog. There were no restrictions on press covering that talk other than regarding photos. The conference wanted press to use only official photos provided by TED.

Last year the Smoking Gun published a copy of Gore's speaker's contract, which stipulates that all press are to be barred from his appearances and that the conditions of the contract cannot be disclosed to anyone. The contract refers to Gore throughout as Vice President Gore, rather than former vice president.

Photo courtesy TED conference

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