[Congressional Record (Bound Edition), Volume 146 (2000), Part 14]
[House]
[Page 20664]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]



              MISLEADING STATEMENTS BY THE VICE PRESIDENT

  (Mr. BALLENGER asked and was given permission to address the House 
for 1 minute and to revise and extend his remarks.)
  Mr. BALLENGER. Mr. Speaker, do Members remember that all-American 
slogan: baseball, mom, and apple pie? We have a new campaign slogan 
today, thanks to the Vice President, the person who supposedly invented 
the Internet. It goes, dog, mother-in-law, and prescription drugs.
  This week, the Boston Globe, no member of the vast right wing 
conspiracy, and the Washington Times both reported that Gore made up an 
anecdote about the cost of drugs. Why would the Vice President mislead 
our Nation's seniors and the entire media by telling a bogus personal 
story that his mother-in-law pays three times the price for arthritis 
medicine as compared to his dog? Why would he stretch the truth on such 
an important issue that the Republican House already has taken action 
on to lower the cost of medicines by 25 percent? Why would he puff up a 
false personal story? Solely to score political points with our 
Nation's seniors?
  Whatever the motive, it is time for some straight talk, not invented 
rhetoric. America's families and senior citizens deserve no less. 
People should come before politics.

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