Al Gore has a low negro tolerence level?

greenspun.com : LUSENET : TB2K spinoff uncensored : One Thread

Congresswoman Disclaims Gore Comment

By JEFFREY McMURRAY, Associated Press Writer

WASHINGTON (AP) - A black congresswoman who asserted Vice President Al Gore has a low ``Negro tolerance level'' backed off Friday, saying the claim was in a draft statement not meant to be released.

Rep. Cynthia McKinney's office issued a statement on Aug. 29 related to a lawsuit brought by three black Secret Service agents in which she said Gore's ``Negro tolerance level has never been too high.''

``I've never known him to have more than one black person around him at any given time,'' said McKinney, D-Ga.

After a week of Associated Press efforts to reach her for comment, her office issued a new statement late Friday.

``These remarks originated in a draft of a press release that was in the editing process and were never intended for public distribution. I disclaim all of those comments,'' she said in the new statement.

The lawsuit contends black agents are passed over for promotions on Gore's security detail. The agents contend the vice president has done nothing to address the situation.

``That these black officers had no response from Gore's staff is symptomatic of a larger problem,'' McKinney's original statement said. ``Gore would like these problems to just go away, but they'll never go away if they're not addressed.''

Gore campaign spokesman Chris Lehane said the vice president had a ''25-year record of fighting for African-Americans.'' Donna Brazile, a black woman, heads Gore's campaign.

After McKinney issued her retraction, a campaign spokeswoman said it was clear the congresswoman didn't want the statement to come out and that Gore was pleased to have her support.

Secret Service spokesman Jim Mackin said 30 percent of the agents assigned to Gore's detail are minorities or women, and 18 percent are black. In addition, blacks hold 40 percent of the ``whip'' positions - senior agents who occasionally supervise the detail.

Attorney Ron Schmidt, who represents the black Secret Service agents, said he does not believe Gore is racist ``and I don't think any of the agents do.''

``But they're very concerned Gore is brushing them off. It's disconcerting for these guys to put their lives on the line for the protectee while at the same time the candidate is acting with complete indifference toward them,'' he said.

In her later statement, McKinney said the Secret Service matter still deserves ``serious attention and vigorous investigation,'' but she warned Republicans not to use the earlier statement to ``divide and confuse the voters.''

Link

Hmmm, the is this the champion of Black rights? Is this the same champion of the poor that let his tennants live in a slum until they could stand it no more and moved? The same champion of the environment that allows EPA cited mining on his property? That Al Gore?

-- Uncle Deedah (unkeed@yahoo.com), September 10, 2000

Answers

Ack! Proof read, proof read, proof read, ack.

-- Uncle Deedah (unkeed@yahoo.com), September 10, 2000.

I like gas prices hovering near $2.00 a gallon, so even this news will not waiver my commitment to Gore.

-- Wanting to pay $4 a gallon (Gore@Can.DoIt), September 10, 2000.

Moderation questions? read the FAQ