Family friend says the Gores just ‘grew apart’ after 40 years of marriage

NEW YORK - Washington Post journalist Sally Quinn, a longtime friend of the Gores, said Al and Tipper just grew apart after 40 years of marriage.

Quinn told CBS’ “The Early Show” on Wednesday that she had never heard any rumors of infidelity and thinks the pair just “grew apart.”

“They were sort of nomads in a way. They went back to Tennessee, but they didn’t really live there,” the New York Daily News quoted Quinn, as saying.

“Al traveled a lot. They sort of migrated to the West Coast, where Tipper has an apartment, and Al has a lot of business. But he was traveling all the time. And, I think, their interests just diverged,” she added.

Quinn also said Tipper may have wanted to branch out on her own.

“It may be that she’s just tired of being the wife, and wants to be someone who can accomplish something on her own,” Quinn said.

Although Quinn believes neither of the Gores was unfaithful, she is deeply upset by the couple’s split.

“The interesting thing is, that usually when something like this happens, you get a sense of glee, people that are saying, ‘I told you so,’ or ‘I knew it’ or whatever,” she said. “I have only encountered sadness.”

The Gores announced their separation in an e-mail to friends on Tuesday, writing the split was “a mutual and mutually supportive decision that we have made together following a process of long and careful consideration.” (ANI)