Gore Rips The Bush Administration Again

[GSC Admin]

www.theolympian.com/home/news/20040605/topstories/66774.shtml

Gore energizes Kerry fans with verbal assault on Bush

Ex-vice president rips GOP on war, economy, environment

The Associated Press
BRAD SHANNON THE OLYMPIAN

TACOMA -- Former Vice President Al Gore, returning to campaign-combat action, laid out another scathing indictment of the Bush administration Friday night, accusing his 2000 election foe of squandering the nation's economic surpluses and its standing in the world.

Using sharp comments like those he delivered a week ago in New York, Gore made his first return to Washington -- a state he carried -- since his hard 2000 electoral loss.

He said Bush took advantage of the Sept. 11 attacks to "exploit the fears" of the country when he moved resources away from Afghanistan and al-Qaida's stronghold, redirecting them to Iraq.

"When he made that decision, I sincerely believe he betrayed the feelings of trust we put in him ... after 9/11," Gore said.

He also accused Republicans of betraying the public interest and using deception in crafting environmental, economic and energy policies.

"They put George Orwell to shame in their use of the English language," Gore said. "Their single objective ... is to help the wealthy and powerful who have been a part of their electoral and contributor base."

Gore's appearance gave the Democratic audience a charge, raising their hopes that Massachusetts Sen. John Kerry can replace Bush.

The convention, held at Tacoma's Sheraton, continues today with speeches from major state Democratic candidates and the approval of platforms. It concludes Sunday with selection of the rest of the state's 95 national-convention delegates.

"What it really does for us is it gets everybody fired up to go out and work like hell," state Democratic Chairman Paul Berendt said. "It reminds us all over again that we were robbed in 2000 by the Republicans. We won the election."

Republicans hope otherwise, believing that Washington's vote for president, U.S. Senate and governor could be extremely close. Having Gore show his face as an angry, accusatory man makes President Bush look like a steady, effective leader by contrast, state GOP Chairman Chris Vance said before the event.

"I hope Al Gore rants and raves," Vance said. "I hope he's just as angry as his last speech."

That speech, delivered just over a week ago, included Gore's description of Bush as incompetent and a call for top Bush military aides, including CIA Director George Tenet, to resign.

"When you contrast that with the steady, effective leadership of President Bush, it's a good contrast for us," Vance insisted.

Republicans got good news Friday with a jobs report showing 248,000 new jobs created nationally in May and what Vance called the steady move to transfer power in Iraq. "You can see the president's policies are working," Vance said.

But Kelly Fox, an Olympia firefighter and head of the Washington State Council of Fire Fighters, said Gore didn't get too wild while offering succinct, factual information that many people might not have heard before.

"It was very inspiring," Fox said. "If anybody's not got their blood pumping by now after these speeches, I don't know what it would take."

"Send Bush to Mars in 2004," said a hopeful Jackie Barrett-Sharar, chairwoman of the Thurston County Democrats.

Gore offered two sides in his comments -- first presenting the jocular Tennessee native son with a sense of humor who joked about the nation's economic downturn under Bush, saying he was the first one laid off. But he showed little mercy for Bush.

Gore was headline speaker to a crowd of about 1,100 people who paid $65 for the steak, potato and asparagus banquet.

He noted the abuse of Iraqi prisoners by U.S. soldiers, saying the soldiers need to be punished for their actions, but so do others who made "the historic decision that we would no longer honor the Geneva Conventions in the treatment of prisoners of war. That was the Bush White House," Gore said.

"Those soldiers that were there in those pictures that humiliated our nation and brought such dishonor to our country were not the ones that wrote the policy. ... Those policies came out of the White House," Gore said. "I think the abuse of those prisoners came directly from the abuse of the truth in the run-up to that war. I don't believe it was twisted minds. It was twisted facts."

Then he added: "If this nation should in November affirm this administration, then we would be saying, 'Yeah, that's us. Those are the policies we want. We don't really need to know what they are doing.' "

Kerry leads Bush 46 percent to 41 percent in Washington state, according to the most recent poll by Seattle-based Elway Research in April. That is the same 5 percent margin by which Gore beat Bush in 2000, but the advantage is within the poll's error margin, pollster Stuart Elway said.

Nationally, a Washington Post-ABC News poll issued last week showed Bush and Kerry running neck and neck at 46 percent.

[GSC Admin]

seattlepi.nwsource.com/local/176541_gore05.html

Gore continues to blast Bush

Suddenly fiery ex-vice president rouses faithful in Tacoma

By CHRIS McGANN
SEATTLE POST-INTELLIGENCER REPORTER

TACOMA -- Once called The Stiff by reporters who covered him in the 2000 presidential race, former Vice President Al Gore has become a firebrand for the Democratic Party with his increasingly vitriolic refutation of the Bush administration's handling of the economy, the environment and the war in Iraq.

In a speech last night that began with self-deprecating humor and a rueful reflection on the past 3 1/2 years, Gore quickly moved into a fierce attack on the administration, firing up guests at the state Democratic Party banquet in Tacoma honoring U.S. Rep. Norm Dicks, D-Bremerton.

"We have to find a way to communicate the depth of the irresponsibility that they have shown," Gore told the audience of 1,200 at the $65-a-plate fund-raiser. The event raised $150,000.

Gore said responsibility for the treatment of Iraqi prisoners at Abu Ghraib prison could be traced back to the highest levels of the administration.

"The abuse of those prisoners came directly from the abuse of the truth in the run-up to the war," he said.

He also said the White House has granted corporate interests unrestricted and secret influence on energy, environmental and foreign policies.

"This is wrong, it's anti-democratic. It's anti-American and we ought not to stand for it," he said.

Before the speech, Gore worked the crowd of admirers, surrounded by smiles and cameras.

Bridgette Buyea, 45, of Federal Way was still shaking moments after Gore gave her a big hug. She said: "I can't explain it. I'm so thrilled." Buyea said she never gave up on Gore. "I'm very upset that he lost."

She thinks Gore's work on the campaign trail will keep liberals motivated.

State Republican Party Chairman Chris Vance said Gore's criticism of the Bush administration is foolhardy.

"I think that ultimately the Democrats' anger is going to be their undoing," Vance said. "The more they yell and scream, the better for us. The majority of the American people are not as angry as these liberal Democrats are. They aren't angry at all."

Vance said the fact that more new jobs were added to the U.S. economy in the past four months is strong evidence that Bush's policies are working.

George Behan, press secretary for Dicks, said that Gore's appearances this year are a natural progression for a man who, like Dicks, has spent almost three decades in politics. Both were elected to Congress in 1976 and have been friends since, Behan said.

"Gore has re-emerged in many ways after declining to run this time," Behan said. "He wants to play a role in talking about national issues."

As for the harsh criticism Gore has been dishing out, Behan said it's only natural.

"I don't think you can go through what he did in 2000 and not have a greater sense of outrage than he started with," he said. "It was suppressed when he went underground."

Jim Frush, a Seattle lawyer, mountaineer and member of the John Kerry Steering Committee Washington, said that Gore is accomplishing two goals with his speeches.

"He's going to be part of the growing chorus of people wanting a change of administrations and he will allow Kerry to be more moderate," Frush said. "Kerry can let Gore lead the charge on the left."

Frush said both men have maintained that the Bush administration has squandered the good will the world had for the United States after 9/11, that it failed to put together a broad coalition before invading Iraq and it had practically no post-war plan.

[Democracy4Me]

State Republican Party Chairman Chris Vance said Gore's criticism of the Bush administration is foolhardy.

"I think that ultimately the Democrats' anger is going to be their undoing," Vance said. "The more they yell and scream, the better for us. The majority of the American people are not as angry as these liberal Democrats are. They aren't angry at all."

What American people is Vance talking about? I know it is not me and my family. At least 12 right off hand, are highly upset about having George W. in the WH and we are American people.

Maybe he means those of South America (continent).
Well now that I think of it.......maybe they are angry too.

Oh well...... maybe, Vance and his Praetorian party
are the ones that aren't mad. But.....again, I KNOW several FORMER Repubs that are quite MAD, and I do not mean Crazy .

Could it be, just maybe, there are alot more people out there that are pretty darn upset that Mr. Bush and his bobble heads are in the WH than he (Vance) would like us to know? Yeah I bet thats it!!!!


Democracy4Me in Virginia

[GSC Admin]

Welcome Democracy4Me! I agree with you 100%!

[earthmother]

Newsweek magazine called Gore "unhinged" when it referred to his performance in his speech last week. I gather they're trying to play this like Howard Dean's rebel yell. Unfortunately, though, even some true Gore fans like my husband say they don't think Gore's doing himself any favors by acting quite this fired up. Personally, I have yet to even see one tiny portion of him actually delivering the speech, although I did read the whole thing. I'm sure there are those who'll be inspired by his approach, and those who'll be turned off. You can't please all the people all the time.

And you shouldn't try to.

[LeftistIndependent]

For some reason straight talk and passionate speeches don't seem to have a positive effect on the majority of Americans. It happened to McCain, Dean, and now Gore. The media usually likes to make some type of negative spin and we all know whoever controls the media can control the way people think. But straight talkers are rare nowdays and we need the more we can get.

So its not suprising that media and the GOP are making stupid comments.

[GSC Admin]

Don't worry, our president Gore will go down in history as a patriot. He fits in with the leaders that was in John Kennedy's, "Profiles in Courage". They did not always do the popular thing, but did what they believed was right and stayed with it, sometimes bearing consequences. Gore is a true profile of courage!

[campbellwaterman]

Well done.Keep it up,Al

[ErinB]

You'd better believe it!

(I thought you were banned from here.)

[earthmother]

Oh, please. Great speeches with grandiose ideas that weren't based in reality. The Great Communicator? I could never stand watching Reagan speak, with those cocky head movements of his and his obvious lack of a true grasp of the situation at hand (similar to some other resident of the White House I can think of). Reagan got credit for getting the hostages released from Iran, despite the fact that all the legwork had been done already by Jimmy Carter (and let's not mention that his administration illegally sold arms to the Iranians to support the Nicaraguan contras).

He also got credit for the fall of communism, despite the fact that the system was crumbling all by itself with little help from him. All he did was capitalize on the situation.

And let's not forget that Reagan was responsible for "trickle-down economics," an idiotic idea that never worked and which even his own VP, who later became president, criticized as "voodoo economics." Of course, now the current White House resident is trying to recycle the very same voodoo economics his father was smart enough to see was a boffo idea, but that's another story.

As for the Iran-Contra affair, it's true that Reagan was never personally implicated in that. But the Reagan people were so good at keeping all the many scandals that occurred under his watch away from the Oval Office that he earned the moniker "the Teflon president." But history books tell the truth about this administration, with over 30 people who worked for Reagan being sent to prison for illegal behavior that occurred under his watch. Reagan governed with a blind eye to what the people under him were doing, a pattern that continues to this day among Republican presidents. By keeping themselves uninformed of what's going on in their administration, these presidents remain above the fray. Then, all they have to do when asked about scandals in their administration is say they knew nothing about it.

The president should always know what the people in his administration are doing, and as with Bush today, the "ignorance" continues. That way they can commit all the crimes and stupid acts they want and not be held accountable.

[RussBLib]

Where are the great Reagan speeches about how his deregulation of the thrift industry allowed the looting of billions form the Savings and Loans in the '80's? Many of his rich friends (including the Bush family), made off like bandits. I'm surprised he never spoke about how PROUD he was of that. Good riddance, Gipper! More evidence that only the good die young.

[RussBLib]

Hey, has anyone found any video of Gore's speech from Tacoma? Is it too much like the MoveOn speech of the previous week? I can't find a link anywhere.

[earthmother]

And while we're on the topic of the Gipper . . . when will the people of this country learn that not just any idiot can be a good and effective president? What credentials does a washed-up actor bring to the White House that qualify him to sort through the incredible complexities of being the leader of the free world? And why, then, did anyone ever think that a party boy from Texas who never spent a day in his life thinking or learning about the serious issues that affect the world could be a good president? It takes intelligence, knowledge, experience, formal training in world politics, wisdom, and a hunger for ideas (like, uh, reading the newspaper) to be an effective president.

As they love to say: Somewhere in Texas, a village is missing its idiot.

Let's hope we can return him to his village in November.

[Alfalfa Male]

earthmother said:

And while we're on the topic of the Gipper . . . when will the people of this country learn that not just any idiot can be a good and effective president? What credentials does a washed-up actor bring to the White House that qualify him to sort through the incredible complexities of being the leader of the free world? And why, then, did anyone ever think that a party boy from Texas who never spent a day in his life thinking or learning about the serious issues that affect the world could be a good president? It takes intelligence, knowledge, experience, formal training in world politics, wisdom, and a hunger for ideas (like, uh, reading the newspaper) to be an effective president.

As they love to say: Somewhere in Texas, a village is missing its idiot.

Let's hope we can return him to his village in November.

"It takes intelligence, knowledge, experience, formal training in world politics, wisdom, ..."

Maybe the American people can see thru that charade, and are a better judge of character than you are?

[RussBLib]

Guest-Alfalfa said:

Maybe the American people can see thru that charade, and are a better judge of character than you are?

Uh, no. A better judge of character? You should be ashamed of the last few Republican presidents if you had any integrity at all. Get serious. The American people are easily fooled, and will opt for simple slogans over reality, just about any day. Reagan was a horrible president, totally out of touch. Iran/Contra, the S&L debacle, huge deficits, the Lebanon massacre, but he made us "feel good"...

Bush Sr was at least tolerable, if out of touch with reality. Bush, Jr is a total joke, but he sounds good, and he's "folksy." People respond to that, unfortunately. Eventually, when the people finally see thru it, they reject it. Bush will be sent packing in November, unless Diebold and the other crooks steal the election for him (again).