Stockton Ca: A enthusiastic crowd estimated between 2000 and 4000 was on hand Aug. 2, to hear the Democratic Vice Presidential candidate, Senator Al Gore proclaim the future prosperity under Clinton and Gore leadership “It is time for the leadership to pass to another generation, one that offers an alternative for change.” Saying that people had turned away from both the message and the democratic process he urged the crowd to actively participate in the coming elections.

Taking off his suit coat and, figuratively rolling up his sleeves, he said, “We have had enough of “Do nothing’ republicans, with no ideas, and no initiatives. In this country, criminals have the right to see a lawyer, and families ought to have the right to see a Doctor,” he said to emphasize the Clinton aim for national health care. Taking another jab at the often lobbed criticism of  tax and spend’ democrats he spoke of the plan to force “deadbeat dads’ to pay the child support that is now frequently a tax payer burden because it forces women and children onto the welfare rolls.

Deriding Bush’s claims as the “Education President’ got an strong response from the many teachers and concerned parents in the crowd, Our greatest natural resource is our people, Education makes the people the strength of the nation. We must put people first”. Bush was also criticized for his attitude toward the ‘regular working family’. San Joaquin County has 16% unemployment, twice the national average but nothing is being done to address the problem, Bush’s claim of an experienced hand at the helm is no reason for re-election said Gore as he only half jokingly commented on Bush’s recent statements about answering midnight calls about world events. “If the average family from Stockton calls the White house, they get “this line is not in service at this time” or a “busy signal’. Gore then led the enthusiastic crowd in a call and response that ended with the audience thundering, “ It’s time for Bush and Quayle to go.”

He said, “all of us together realize deep down that our country is in trouble… We do not have all the answers to every single problem that our country is facing, You know that and we know that. But we have a new approach, And we have a new agenda. And we have a determination to put people first. And we represent change in this country, It’s a contrast to the other side, ladies and gentlemen, and the choice is clear,

Gore denounced plans by the Bush campaign to run re-election commercials only on TV programs compatible with the “family valves ideals” touted by the administration, and said TV stations should apply a ‘lie detector test’ before accepting the spots.

Saying that the Republicans have no solutions to the current economic distress he said, “You’d think they’d be meeting with their economic advisers and shaking up their cabinet and coming up with a new set of proposal to   and fix the problems, instead of just throwing mud and saying we’re going to have to stoop even lower. That’s why people are fed up with politics.”

Article extracted from this publication >> Aug 14, 1992