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Al Gore in a Time Interview, on the EARNED INCOME TAX CREDIT (EITC). Now, this is interesting, since the EITC became law in 1975, a year BEFORE Gore was elected to Congress. (Source: Time Magazine November 1, 1999 Vol. 154 No. 18) I first questioned this quote because a reader brought the following to my attention: "Gore was the author or co-sponsor of bill S. 995, 'Working Family Tax Relief Act of 1991,' or 'A bill to amend the Internal Revenue Code of 1986 to provide tax relief for working families by providing a refundable credit in lieu of the deduction for personal exemptions for children and by increasing the earned income credit, and for other purposes.'" Then, I found out that Gore was not referring to the EITC. The full quote (which I did have linked the entire time (The Time Magazine article)) is: "[Bradley's proposals were] an old-style approach that spends a lot of money but doesn't have any new ideas. [He proposes] the expansion of the Earned Income Tax Credit. I was the author of that proposal. I wrote that, so I say, welcome aboard. That is something for which I have been the principal proponent for a long time." Gore was referring to the expansion of the EITC, not the EITC itself. In 1989, Gore did join three other members of Congress in introducing a major bill to expand the EITC. No, Al didn't claim that he and Tipper were the inspiration for "Love Story" The incorrect information being circulated: "Around midnight, after a three-city tour of Texas last month, the Vice President came wandering back to the press compartment of Air Force Two. Sliding in behind a table with the two reporters covering him that day, he picked slices of fruit from their plates and spent two hours swapping opinions about movies and telling stories about old chums like Erich Segal, who, Gore said, used Al and Tipper as models for the uptight preppy and his free-spirited girlfriend in Love Story; and Gore's Harvard roommate Tommy Lee Jones, who played the roommate of the Gore-like character in the movie version of Segal's book." (Time, 12/15/97) "Vice President Al Gore acknowledged Sunday a 'miscommunication' on his part in leading reporters to believe he and his wife were the model for the 1970s romance novel 'Love Story'." "The author, Erich Segal, told The New York Times he was 'befuddled' by the comments in the first place. He said he called Gore, and the vice president said it was a misunderstanding." (Sources: The Des Moines Register, 12/15/97; Gore concedes 'miscommunication' about 'Love Story' role) Hold it. The real information: An article the Tennessean quoted Erich Segal, the author of "Love Story" incorrectly. The Tennessean quoted Segal as saying that "Love Story" was based on both the Gores. Segal claims that he was misquoted in that article, and explained in the 12/14/97 issue of the New York Times, that the male lead, Oliver Barrett IV, was modeled after Gore and Gore's Harvard roommate, actor Tommy Lee Jones. When Gore made the comment about "Love Story", he stated that, "Segal had told some reporters in Tennessee that it was based on him and Tipper." (also from the 12/14/97 NY Times piece). Notice the actual quote is that he heard that Segal had told people that he and Tipper were the inspiration for "Love Story." And yes, Tennessean did report that, but Segal had been misquoted. So, in summary, a reporter misquoted Segal, and Gore mentioned the article where Segal had been misquoted. The incorrect information being circulated: Did you hear what Gore said recently? He was asked if he thought an atheist should be President and he said he'd rather have an atheist as President because tolerance is the more important than faith! Hold it. The real information: I have been asked by multiple people about this statement -- here is what Gore said: From Newsweek, Feb 7, 2000 Asked whether it would bother him if an atheist became president, Gore said, "No, it would not. I think that it would depend on who the person was, of course. But do I believe that someone can have an understanding of our Constitution [and] a true spirit of tolerance without affirming a particular and specialized belief in God? Yes, I do. I think that is incumbent upon anyone who affirms a respect for tolerance." Now, some may agree with Gore on his belief, and some may not. That's not the issue -- Gore did not say that he'd rather have an atheist for President, and he did not say that tolerance was more important than faith. The incorrect information being circulated: Gore implies that he began Love Canal during a visit to a New Hampshire high school on November 30, 1999 "I called for a congressional investigation and a hearing. I looked around the country for other sites like that. I found a little place in upstate New York called Love Canal. Had the first hearing on that issue," stated Gore. "That was the one that started it all. ... We made a huge difference and it was all because one high school student got involved." Now, Gore did chair hearings on the matter by the House Commerce Subcommittee on Oversight and Investigations, but that was two months after the Love Canal homes were evacuated and President Carter declared the area a national state of emergency. However, he was not the one who first drew attention to Love Canal, as he tries to claim. (Sources: http://www.junkscience.com/dec99/lovegore.htm Associated Press, Dec 1, 1999 The Providence Journal, Dec 21, 1999, page B-04) Hold it. The real information: It seems that the media took this quote (above) out of context - please see http://www.consortiumnews.com/020100a.html. Listen to the actual quote: The quote in full. This is from a show called "This American Life" on KUT Radio (90.5 FM). The media, for the most part, was not mentioning the full quote. Relevant parts were removed, which changed the interpretation. Can anyone explain HOW one is supposed to know the media botched a quote if all the mainstream media outlets are publishing the same incorrect info over and over? I always tell people to check sources, but in this case, that didn't do much good since the media botched this one. Thanks to those who informed me of this. Because there were many primary sources for this quote, I originally had it on my page as a legitimate quote. The incorrect information being circulated: Al Gore gave a speech on June 1, 1999, about how his faith is so important to him. Well, the funny part is, he said his favorite Bible verse is John 16:3. Of course the speech writer meant 3:16 but wasn't familiar enough to catch the error. John 16:3 says, "And they will do this because they have not known the Father or me." This would be an understandable gaffe, except for the fact that during EVERY single televised football game there is ALWAYS someone in the end zone with a sign reading "John 3:16." Given the text of the actual verse cited by Algore (John 16:3), it is probably one of the best verses in the Scriptures to describe the activities of the Clinton/Gore administration. Hold it The real information: The above "quote" has been in circulation since summer, 1999. Now, whoever made up this blunder does get an award for creativity, however, there is no evidence that Al Gore ever said this. I have received numerous e-mails about this quote and it's being spread as fact, when it isn't. Check out this URL: http://www.snopes.com/quotes/algore.htm I tend to believe the information at http://www.snopes.com/quotes/algore.htm because no one has ever been able to find an actual source for this statement, even after it's been passed around to just about every person on the darn Internet. This leads me to believe that he never said this. THESE ARE NOT GORE QUOTES, PEOPLE!! Check out the recent Pittsburgh Post-Gazette article about these quotes! (and I'm even quoted in it :) ) I have received at least 20 e-mails with the following quotes, attributed to Al Gore. I have also seen them posted all over the Internet on various message boards. MANY OF THESE ARE QUAYLE QUOTES, PEOPLE! (The people who really look intelligent are those who proclaim on their web site "WOW! If you thought Quayle said stupid things, just check out what GORE said!" and then list all these Quayle quotes. Way to go, people.) I remember seeing these statements attributed to Dan Quayle ages ago. In addition, Rush Limbaugh stated on July 12, 1999 that he had received hundreds of e-mails from people forwarding the phony Gore quotes. He said someone has taken Dan Quayle quotes and attributed them to Gore. Now, whether Quayle actually said all of these things either is up for debate, since many of these quotes do not have proper sources. For instance, the following quote regarding Latin America is completely incorrect. "I was recently on a tour of Latin America, and the only regret I have was that I didn't study Latin harder in school so I could converse with those people." But, Quayle did say many of the statements below. (Sorry Dan). Gore didn't. Don't believe it? Then why are there no sources when these quotes are attributed to Gore, but there ARE sources when attributed to Quayle? See this page: Quayle Quotes. In any case, the following quotes ARE NOT GORE QUOTES! EVERYONE - STOP CIRCULATING THESE! The circulation of fake quotes discredits conservatives. The Quayle/Gore quotes: "If we don't succeed, we run the risk of failure." -- Al Gore "Democrats understand the importance of bondage between a mother and child." -- Vice President Al Gore "Welcome to President Clinton, Mrs. Clinton, and my fellow astronauts." -- Vice President Al Gore "Mars is essentially in the same orbit... Mars is somewhat the same distance from the Sun, which is very important. We have seen pictures where there are canals, we believe, and water. If there is water, that means there is oxygen. If oxygen, that means we can breathe." -- Vice President Al Gore, 8/11/94 "What a waste it is to lose one's mind. Or not to have a mind is being very wasteful. How true that is." -- Vice President Al Gore "The Holocaust was an obscene period in our nation's history. I mean in this century's history. But we all lived in this century. I didn't live in this century." -- Vice President Al Gore, 9/15/95 "I believe we are on an irreversible trend toward more freedom and democracy - but that could change." -- Vice President Al Gore, 5/22/98 "One word sums up probably the responsibility of any vice president, and that one word is 'to be prepared.'" -- Vice President Al Gore, 12/6/93 "Verbosity leads to unclear, inarticulate things." -- Vice President Al Gore, 11/30/96 "I have made good judgments in the past. I have made good judgments in the future." -- Vice President Al Gore "The future will be better tomorrow." -- Vice President Al Gore "We're going to have the best-educated American people in the world." -- Vice President Al Gore, 9/21/97 "People that are really very weird can get into sensitive positions and have a tremendous impact on history." -- Vice President Al Gore "I stand by all the misstatements that I've made." -- Vice President Al Gore to Sam Donaldson, 8/17/93 "We have a firm commitment to NATO, we are a *part* of NATO. We have a firm commitment to Europe. We are a *part* of Europe." -- Vice President Al Gore "Public speaking is very easy." -- Vice President Al Gore to reporters in 10/95 "I am not part of the problem. I am a Democrat." -- Vice President Al Gore "A low voter turnout is an indication of fewer people going to the polls." -- Vice President Al Gore "When I have been asked who caused the riots and the killing in L.A., my answer has been direct and simple: Who is to blame for the riots? The rioters are to blame. Who is to blame for the killings? The killers are to blame. -- Al Gore "Illegitimacy is something we should talk about in terms of not having it." -- Vice President Al Gore, 5/20/996 "We are ready for any unforeseen event that may or may not occur." -- Vice President Al Gore, 9/22/97 "For NASA, space is still a high priority." -- Vice President Al Gore, 9/5/93 "Quite frankly, teachers are the only profession that teach our children." -- Vice President Al Gore, 9/18/95 "The American people would not want to know of any misquotes that Al Gore may or may not make." --Vice President Al Gore "We're all capable of mistakes, but I do not care to enlighten you on the mistakes we may or may not have made." --Vice President Al Gore "It isn't pollution that's harming the environment. It's the impurities in our air and water that are doing it." -- Vice President Al Gore "[It's] time for the human race to enter the solar system." -- Vice President Al Gore |
Real Gore Quotes |