Take that Al Gore and Ted Kennedy.

Now maybe George H.W. and Barbara Bush hadn’t even thought of all the political symbolism at play here, but there’s no reason we can’t spice up the story about the new wind turbine at Walker’s Point in Kennebunkport. In fact, we can’t resist.

The former president’s new Skystream 3.7 brings to mind the criticisms of Al Gore’s energy use at his home, something eager critics pointed to as another reason to ignore Gore and the thousands of scientists who essentially agree with him about fossil fuels and global warming. It may not win him a Nobel Peace Prize, but former president Bush made a powerful statement this week without saying a word.

It also brings to mind the opposition by Sen. Ted Kennedy and others to a proposed offshore wind farm within view of Martha’s Vineyard and the Kennedy compound. Of course, the Bushes didn’t put their one little windmill in front of the picture window, and it’ll have more impact on their neighbors’ views than their own.

The neighbors in Kennebunkport can’t all be pleased, but don’t count on a lot of public criticism from the other mansions on Ocean Avenue. These are the Bushes and this isn’t suburban Scarborough, where one family’s solar panels started a neighborhood feud last summer.

The Bushes not only gave a big endorsement to alternative energy, they also are demonstrating, in its simplest form, the controversial concept of energy credits or offsets. Their windmill, you see, will generate power for the grid all winter when they’re not home and the lights are off. When they return in the spring and turn on the lights and the furnace, the clean energy they sold all winter will essentially offset their electricity and fossil fuel use in the summer.

Well, it’ll offset some of their energy use, at least. I’m guessing ol’ 41 isn’t going to trade his 825-horsepower Fidelity III power boat for one with sails. Wind is no substitute for petro when it comes to racing across the ocean at 60 mph. One step at a time.

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