Al Gore global warming speech gets Moores, Aguirre, Schenk, Sanders, Copley

San Diego — The University of California has finally released cost and attendance details of that 150-person "V.I.P. Cocktail Reception" held for visiting ex-vice president Al Gore before his May global warming speech at UCSD. According to a May 22 invoice from UCSD Catering addressed to Barbara Ramsey at the Birch Aquarium, $5594.40 was spent on such items as "baby cream puffs" with "herbed mushrooms"; "filet minon crostini"; and "boxed truffles upon departure." Wine for the crowd, including Tattinger champagne, ran $1,099.05, says an invoice to Ramsey from Spirits of St. Germain, a nearby liquor store. The school also furnished a document entitled "RSVP LIST for Al Gore." According to that, among those invited who said they would come were City Attorney Mike Aguirre, Mayor Jerry Sanders, UCSD vice chancellor Arthur Ellis, ex-Democratic congresswoman Lynn Schenk, Dr. Seuss heiress Audrey Geisel, developer Dene Oliver, Assemblywoman Lori Saldana, Qualcomm billionaire Irwin Jacobs, temporary employment operator Mel Katz, Padres owner and UC regent John Moores and wife, and discount mogul Robert Price. Those who couldn't make it included Union-Tribune publisher David Copley, San Diego city development czar Jim Waring, state Assembly speaker Fabian Nunez, and Barron Hilton.