By Dabari Morgan

Daughter of former Vice President Al Gore, Karenna Gore-Schiff visited the University on Oct. 26 to share her life and her debut book, Lighting the Way: Nine Women Who Changed Modern America.

Schiff discussed the reasons for writing her book and her desire to incorporate women into history.

“I yearned for more females in the history books,” Schiff said, reflecting on her childhood. She said that she remembers always seeing “maps of male judges and male presidents.” She added how she “wanted to know more about the women [in society].”

It was also a way to “work through my personal feelings about politics” in light of the 2000 election, Schiff said.

Schiff spoke about her criteria for the book. She chose women who were “colorful and multi-fastened” and who “rose above the strife of their time.” She looked for “women who were not as well-known.”

“My grandmother had a great influence on me,” she told the audiences as she reminisced on her grandmother’s “great expectations,” in comparison to her father being “very supportive.”

Later during the discussion, questions arose about her view of America and politics. Some members of the audience did not agree with Schiff’s view of all the women. In the afternoon community forum and book signing session, two gentlemen spoke out in opposition to her interpretation of Francis Perkins, a social security proponent who is one of Schiff’s nine women who changed America.

“Perkins did not change America. If it wasn’t for Al Smith and [Franklin] Roosevelt, she would not have been known,” one of the men said. They continued on with their argument until the host interrupted them.

Students also asked Schiff for her opinion on a woman or a minority ever becoming President of the United States.

“I’m very optimistic,” Schiff said. “We are on the crust of electing candidates of all classes and genders.”

Students continued to ask Schiff if she would still vote for her father if Condoleezza Rice were running for president in 2008.

“You should not elect a woman just because a woman candidate is running,” she responded as the audience gave her applause.

According to Schiff, she is “99 percent certain” that her father is not running for president in 2008.

Schiff will not be running for office any time soon, but people should expect to see more of her work on bookshelves. She says writing gives her “a great deal of satisfaction.”

Former Vice Presidet Al Gore’s daughter, Karenna Gore-Schiff, signs a copy of her new book Lighting the Way