Gore Hits Bush on Economy, Family Issues

Al Gore seized on the latest government report of continuing economic woes Thursday to chastise the Bush Administration’s handling of the economy, and linked that record with its stance on family values.

Appearing at a Capitol Hill rally organized by women congressional leaders to condemn Bush’s record on family, women’s and children’s issues, the Democratic vice presidential candidate and Tennessee senator cited a Commerce Department report showing slower-than-expected growth in the nation’s gross domestic product as proof that the White House fiscal policy “has failed this country, has driven this country into a ditch.”

The Democratic women invited Gore to witness their release of a score card showing measures aimed at helping women, children or families that are unlikely to become law because of Bush--including a vetoed bill that would have required employers to provide unpaid family leave in medical emergencies.

“Is it because they don’t think it’s a family value for the child’s parent to be there amid the pain and suffering and confusion and fear?” Gore asked, alluding to the Administration’s insistence that it protects family values. “Or is it because their lip service to family values is totally outweighed by the thought that the wealthy, powerful and privileged might be unhappy if they had to give that employee time off?”

To illustrate the personal tragedy of Bush’s policies, several women spoke at the rally about their fight against debilitating diseases or how they risked their family’s resources to care for a sick child without job security.

“My time is running out,” said Joan Samuelson of Santa Rosa, Calif. Samuelson heads the Parkinson’s Action Network, a support group for people with the degenerative disease. “Like millions of other suffering Americans, I can’t afford another four years of the Bush Administration.”

But Gore also shifted the focus away from the narrow testimonies on women’s health rights and family leave policies to launch into a broad diatribe against White House inaction on the economy.

“New economic numbers (that) were released this morning show unfortunately over again that their promises of prosperity just around the next corner have once again proven to be false,” Gore said. “I believe very deeply that the Bush-Quayle record on the economy has failed this country, driven this country into a ditch.”

According to figures released Thursday by the Commerce Department, the gross domestic product inched forward just 1.4% between April and June, compared to 2.9% between January and March.

“The recession is not over in the sense that the unemployment numbers are not going to come down with the kind of performance Bush and Quayle have given us,” Gore said.

But mindful of his cheering and supportive audience, Gore linked his hosts’ lists of issues--including abortion rights, fetal-tissue and breast-cancer research funding and employer-sanctioned emergency medical leaves--to the national economy.

“The choice is clear,” he said. “On women’s health, on the economy, on the future of our country--do we want four more years of the same?”

Rep. Patricia Schroeder (D-Colo.), one of the rally participants, praised Gore’s linkage of the economy with family issues. “He was astute to recognize that our issues are family issues,” she said in an interview after the candidate’s speech. “We’re delighted he did that because these issues cut across the board.”