Gore pulled off Oscars stage before presidential 'announcement'

HOLLYWOOD: Politician-environmentalist Al Gore made a mock attempt at announcing his candidacy for the US presidency at Sunday's Oscars but was yanked from the stage before he could get the words out.   

Queried on stage by actor Leonardo DiCaprio whether he had a "major, major announcement to the world here tonight," former vice president Gore, whose film An Inconvenient Truth is nominated for an Academy Award, hesitated, and then pulled out an apparent statement to read.   

"Since being up here, you've been very convincing," the Democrat told the audience.   

"Even though I honestly had not planned on doing this, I guess with a billion people watching, it's as good as time as any. So, my fellow Americans, I'm going to take this opportunity right here and now to formally announce my intention..."   

But suddenly the Oscars orchestra struck up its keynote tune, signalling that Gore and DiCaprio had overstayed their time and had to leave the stage -- and leave the mystery of Gore's intentions for the 2008 race still unanswered.   

Gore, vice president under Bill Clinton, narrowly lost the 2000 presidential race to now-president George W. Bush.   

Despite the speculation, Gore has repeatedly denied he intends to run for the Democratic nomination in next year's race.