[Congressional Record Volume 140, Number 70 (Wednesday, June 8, 1994)]
[Senate]
[Page S]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Printing Office [www.gpo.gov]


[Congressional Record: June 8, 1994]
From the Congressional Record Online via GPO Access [wais.access.gpo.gov]

 
                           SPITEFUL POLITICS

  Mr. DORGAN. Madam President, this weekend I was watching C-SPAN on 
television very briefly. I happened to listen to a speech at a 
political convention. It happened to be the convention of the Virginia 
Republican Party.
  At that convention, one very well-known public figure spoke. He 
referred to Democrats, liberals, and the bunch in Congress. In the 
conclusion to his speech, as he wrapped all these influences together--
Democrats, liberals, of course the President--he called on his 
colleagues to figuratively ``smash their soft teeth down their whining 
throats.'' That was the concluding line, the applause line--and it 
garnered an enormous amount of applause. The speaker at this political 
convention, which I watched this weekend, was the sitting Governor of 
Virginia.
  When I heard a Governor use that kind of language, I was reminded of 
how much politics has changed in recent years. Too many politicians now 
use incendiary language, often thoughtless language, not to inform or 
persuade, but to inflame the passions of people who are interested in 
attacking others.
  And as I listened to that speech, I was reminded of something else. I 
got it out of my desk because I have saved it.
  Several years ago, an organization was developed called GOPAC. It is 
now headed by the minority whip in the other body. It was headed by 
that same individual when this was published. There is a relationship, 
I think, between what happened several years ago and what happened this 
past weekend. GOPAC planted the seeds for what we are now seeing. They 
sent this and urged their colleagues, in describing political opponents 
on the campaign trail, to use powerful words. GOPAC suggested that 
Republican candidates use certain words to describe Democratic 
opponents. Then they set out the words. ``Contrasting words: Apply 
these words to your opponent, to their record, to their proposals, to 
their party''--referring, of course, to Democrats: ``Sick, lie, betray, 
traitor, cheat, steal, pathetic.'' The list goes on and on and on. That 
is the instruction menu sent out to colleagues.
  And here, GOPAC advised, is what you should do as a good politician 
to describe your opponent, your opponent's ideas, and your opponent's 
party. ``When you describe yourself,'' they said, ``use these words: 
Truth, courage, children, family, freedom, liberty.'' I do not have to 
go on. You see: the page is full.
  I say this to my colleagues today because I want to stress that we do 
a disservice--all of us, whatever our party may be--when we decide to 
use language that is reckless, careless, and disrespectful.
  We disagree--Republicans and Democrats, conservatives and liberals--
when we discuss public policy, and when we debate contrasting 
philosophies of where we think this country ought to go, and when we 
determine what kinds of policies will move it there. However, I hope 
that even as much as we disagree, we will respect, not disrespect, our 
opponents; that we will use words that inform, not inflame, the 
passions of debate.
  And I hope that those who say, ``Let's figuratively smash their soft 
teeth down their whining throats,'' will understand that is not good 
politics in 1994. I yield the floor.

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