Posted on 09/25/2002 7:36:48 AM PDT by wallcrawlr
A day after he gave a blistering speech in which he blasted President Bush for wanting to go to war in Iraq, former Vice President Al Gore came to Santa Fe on Tuesday and gave a public talk that never directly mentioned the war.
However, Gore was hardly soft on the man he ran against in the 2000 presidential election.
Speaking at a Democratic Party rally at Eldorado Hotel, Gore elicited loud cheers from the faithful when he asked the rhetorical question, "Are you better off now than you were two years ago?"
With his voice rising, Gore pointed out the budget surplus of the Clinton years has turned into a deficit. He decried Bush's "assault on the environment, the conscious decision to put polluters in charge of agencies that are supposed to protect the environment.
"It's a time in American history in which there is more change than ever before," Gore said. "We have a bad economy. There's trouble everywhere you look. People are apprehensive and uneasy."
Gore criticized Attorney General John Ashcroft for his attitude toward civil liberties. He got laughs when he mocked Ashcroft for spending $8,000 on draperies to cover the bare breast of a statue called The Spirit of Justice at the Justice Department building.
"He put Lady Justice in a burqa," Gore quipped.
At one point during Gore's speech, a man holding an anti-war sign yelled at the former vice president to talk about Iraq. "I'll get to that," Gore said.
But he didn't. "A lot of us came today to hear (Gore) speak on Iraq," said Colin Mitchell of Santa Fe, the man who had interrupted Gore. "We need public officials to speak out against what would be an illegal war."
Inga Thompson of Santa Fe also said she was disappointed by Gore's not mentioning Iraq. "I'm usually a Republican, but I just don't want to go to war," she said.
Gore, in a speech in San Francisco on Monday, said Bush's threats to invade Iraq to overthrow Saddam Hussein has squandered foreign support the United States enjoyed after the Sept. 11 terrorist attacks and has weakened the war against terrorism. He said Monday that Bush's threats regarding Iraq had turned the United States into a focus of "anger and apprehension" around the world.
Though Gore didn't bring up Iraq on Tuesday, one Democrat candidate did. Gloria Tristani, running against Republican U.S. Sen. Pete Domenici, said Gore is the "first Democrat to question what President Bush is doing."
Said Tristani, "If you question what the president is doing, you're called unpatriotic. I say it's unpatriotic not to question what the president is doing."
Tristani added, "It's not easy for me to stand up here and say I question what the president is doing, but it is much easier after hearing Al Gore yesterday give us the strength to do that."
Tristani, a former Federal Communications Commission member and state Public Service commissioner referred to Gore as "the man I still call 'my president,' " referring to the fact Gore won the popular vote over Bush in 2000.
Before the Democratic rally, Gore spoke at a $1,000-a-person fund-raiser at a private residence in Santa Fe. After the speech at the hotel, he went to Albuquerque for a $75-a-person fund-raising event.
Half of the money will go to the state Democrats for get-out-the-vote drives, mailings and other activities for Democratic candidates. The other half is for Democratic legislative campaigns, according to Jamie Koch, the state Democratic chairman.
Today, Gore is scheduled to speak at a $500-a-person breakfast in Albuquerque to raise money for state Sen. Richard Romero, who is running against Republican incumbent Heather Wilson in the 1st Congressional District. He also plans a public rally in Las Cruces today.
Thats because Gore made an A$$ of himself with his speech. Imazing - a so called Republican at a Democratic Party Rally. What a jerk!
-Al Gore, in Feb. 12, 2002 speech to Council on Foreign Relations.
Full Transcript of Feb 12, 2002 speech
On May 23,2000 vice president and presidential candidate Al Gore made the following remarks about Iraq:
"We have made it clear that it is our policy to see Saddam Hussein gone. We have sought coalitions of opponents to challenge his power from within or without. I have met with the Iraqi resistance, and I have invited them to meet with me again next month – when I will encourage them to further unite in their efforts against Saddam. We have maintained sanctions in the face of rising criticism, while improving the oil-to-food program to help the Iraqi people directly. We have used force when necessary. And we will not let up in our efforts to free Iraq from Saddam's rule. Should he think of challenging us, I would strongly advise against it. As a Senator, I voted for the use of force. As Vice President, I supported the use of force. And if entrusted with the Presidency, my resolve will never waver. "
Here's an interesting tidbit for ya....
"Gore's Gulf War Vote Hinged on Key TV Slot" by Senator Alan Simpson
And leave it to Gore to repeat a lie:
Hix said the Justice Department bought the drapes to avoid having to rent them every time the agency had a formal event. The drapes cost about $2,000 to rent. He also said Ashcroft was not involved in the decision. "The attorney general was not even aware of the situation," he said. "Obviously, he has more important things to do."
Liberals always making a fuss about the consertivatives being "isolationist", screaming about polution, global worming, helping oppressed people, demur when it comes to action that supports those 'cheap-talk' ideals.
Leave Saddam to the U.N., and all Asia will be united under a murdering tyrant who uses religious nuts to topple our secular Islamic government allies; who receives advice and munitions from the Communist Party hacks who will in turn use him to regain, at least, the Asian republics of the old USSR, and at best, topple Putin and bring back the USSR; who would kill BILLIONS of innocent, oppressed people when it suits his needs; who will spoil the planet with chemical and biological toxins; who will act to put Western Civilization out of business; who will be Hitler, Pol Pot, Stalin, Lenin, all rolled into one; who will kill their dreams, families, country and freedom if he can. Hussein's threat grows exponentially the longer the free world waits.
What a bunch of blind, stupid, selfish whimps: when they're finally threatened, it'll be to late.
More likely a lying weasel who makes seminar calls to Rush, saying "I've been a life-long Republican, but . . ."
He who was so instrumental in fighting Nazis, removing the grip of communist/socialism from the Balkans, Eastern Europe, and eventually Russia itself? The guy who, if he had his wits about him, would recognise the crisis and gin-up support for this moral, humanitarian mission of Mr. Bush's??
This is a conflict prosecuted from love for mankind, for civilization. You want martyrs? Get with the program, John Paul!!!!
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