I, George Albert Walker Gore, Do Solemnly …
Friday, May 15, 2000
- TITLE "I, George Albert Walker Gore, Do Solemnly …" Al Gore, as pointed out in the text, is pinning his hopes on the track of the Bush-Dukakis race 12 years ago. President Bush's full name is George Herbert Walker Bush, hence the combination of names.
- "Racial Gap." The "gender gap" from which Republicans have suffered for lo these many years is the difference between the percentage of men who support GOP candidates and the percentage of women. It could just as easily have been said that the Democrats have a problem with men, but that would be seen as damaging to Dems so it never gets in the popular press that way.
- "The Way-Back Machine." Ok, this time I'll explain it. On the "Adventures of Rocky and Bullwinkle" show (originally "Rocky and his Friends") one of the continuing bits was "Peabody's Improbable History." Professor Peabody (the dog) and his "boy, Sherman"
would go back in time using the "Way-Back" machine and get involved in of all manner of adventures.
One of the great puns of the show (one which the creator, Jay Ward apparently liked so much it was repeated several times) was an episode in which Peabody and Sherman went back to the American Revolution. Paul Revere was not available to do his ride until Peabody cooked up some plot, involving a chicken, to get him on his horse. The pun came when Peabody explained to Sherman that using a chicken to capture an Englishman was the origin of the dish: Chicken Catch-a-Tory. Bad-a-bing.
- "Al Gore is no Jack Kennedy." This is a play on the infamous debate line that Senator Lloyd Benson (Michael Dukakis' running mate) used on Senator Dan Quayle (George H.W. Bush's running mate). Dukakis/Benson were making the point on the campaign trail that, because of his youth, Quayle was not qualified to be President should something happen to Bush.
Quayle and his handlers decided if that came up in the course of the debate, Quayle would suggest he was the same age as John F. Kennedy when Kennedy was elected President. Which Quayle did say.
Benson trumped him by using the now-famous line: "I knew Jack Kennedy. Jack Kennedy was a friend of mine. You, Senator, are no Jack Kennedy." Bad-a-boom.
- "You know how to whistle …" This is a take on the remarkable line Lauren Bacall said to Humphrey Bogart in the 1948 film, "Key Largo." Bacall's character was, obviously, coming on the Bogey's (Steve) and, as she was leaving the room, suggested if he needed anything he could just whistle. "You know how to whistle, Steve? You just put you lips together … and blow."
- "most infamous dinner in - Japan." On a State visit to Japan, President Bush suffered stomach distress at the State Dinner honoring him and he, well, spat up (so to speak) on the Prime Minister of Japan.
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Texas under Governor Bush:
- 1st in student improvement on test scores, especially for
African-American and Hispanic students.
- 1st in reducing the amount of releases and disposal of toxics -
more than all 49 other states combined.
- 1st in the nation to allow a patient to appeal an HMO's
decision to deny care.
- 1st to create a prison ministry to help offenders reintegrate
into society.
- 1 of only 3 states to require reductions of harmful pollution
from older, unpermitted utility plants.
- 1 of only 10 "highly successful" states in reducing welfare
rolls between 1995 and 1998.
- 4th in growth in total personal income.
- 9th in teacher pay, when adjusted for cost of living and teacher experience.
- $1.8 billion investment in healthcare initiatives.
- 1.2 million jobs created, representing more than 10 percent of
new jobs created nationwide and 48,000 new businesses.
- Lowest unemployment rate in twenty years -- 4.7 percent.
- Doubled the number of adoptions of abused and neglected children in Texas.
America under Clinton-Gore:
- The number of uninsured Americans increased by more than 8
million.
- Almost 70 percent of fourth graders in the highest poverty
schools cannot read at basic level.
- Teachers were victims of 1.8 million crimes at school,
including 657,000 violent crimes.
- Illegal drug use among high school seniors increased 78
percent.
- Federal prosecutions of gun-related offenses decreased by 46
percent.
- More than 12,000 U.S. soldiers are on food stamps.
- Enacted a $115 billion tax increase on Social Security enefits.
- Federal government is the nation's largest polluter, costing
taxpayers nearly $400 billion for cleanups.
- 45 convictions, 72 indictments/misdemeanor charges, and 8
imprisonments related to the 1996 campaign finance scandal, improper conduct by Clinton-Gore cabinet officials, and Whitewater.
What did Arkansas look like when Al Gore joined Bill Clinton in 1992?
- 50th in environmental policy initiatives.
- 47th in per capita state spending for education.
- 43rd in per capita spending for higher education.
- 41st in citizens living in poverty.
- 45th in children living in poverty.
- 47th in children without health insurance.
- 45th in children living in hunger.
- 43rd in infants born with low birth weight.
- 47th in personal income.
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Upcoming Primaries:
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May 19
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May 20
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May 23
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Idaho (R-28)
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May 25
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June 6
Alabama (D-63; R-44)
Montana (D-24; R-23)
New Jersey (D-124; R-54)
New Mexico (D-35; R-21)
South Dakota (D-22; R-22)
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