[Congressional Record (Bound Edition), Volume 146 (2000), Part 16]
[House]
[Page 22883]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]



     UNITED STATES SENATOR JOE LIEBERMAN MISSES GOLDEN OPPORTUNITY

  (Mr. COMBEST asked and was given permission to address the House for 
1 minute and to revise and extend his remarks.)
  Mr. COMBEST. Madam Speaker, last week, the Democratic candidate for 
Vice President made a brief stop in Odessa, Texas, in my district. He 
arrived with an agenda to embarrass our hometown son, Governor George 
Bush. He tried to cast Odessa in a bad light by making false claims 
against one of our most ardent businesses, the Huntsman Corporation.
  The Huntsman plant is a business anchor to the Permian Basin, 
employing over 700 hard-working men and women. It is a good corporate 
citizen and an asset to our community. I am sorely disappointed that 
their campaign would exploit our town for political gain.
  The folks of Odessa and Midland were ready to accommodate their 
guests. However, the candidate snubbed officials from both cities, 
including the chambers of commerce, mayors, and even the chairman of 
the Democratic Party. Our local media was also kept at arms' length. 
Only the candidate's handpicked media could cover the story, with only 
biased facts.
  We in politics fully understand the staged media events and photo-
ops, but the Senator's treatment of these kind folks, whom I am honored 
to represent, was truly uncalled for and out of line. His visit was a 
missed opportunity for him to meet the real success story in the 
Permian Basin, the people.

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