Oberlin is the home of ALCOA and the aluminum reduction process. I'm not sure what position Oberlin currently holds in ALCOA, but, without ALCOA Oberlin wouldn't be where they are today.
http://www.latimes.com/HOME/NEWS/ASECTION/t000034470.html
Also, the Mellon family have been in on ALCOA since the beginning. I wonder what Richard Mellon Scaife thinks of his family assets being used in this way by his friends Clinton&Gore.
Doug, why don't you interview Scaife for the next LBO. I'll bet you would get along famously.
Your email pal,
Tom L.