The front-runner in the race for the Democratic party’s presidential nomination is getting some criticism in an area few thought possible: the environment. The Great Lakes Radio Consortium’s Lester Graham reports, some environmentalists feel Vice-President Al Gore’s positions on the issues are not always backed by his record in office.
Transcript
The front-runner in the race for the Democratic Party’s presidential
nomination is getting some criticism in an area few thought possible: the
environment. Some environmentalists feel Vice-President Al Gore’s positions on the issues
are not always backed by his record in office. The Great Lakes Radio Consortium’s Lester
Graham reports:
With his 1992 best-seller Earth in the Balance, Al Gore wrote the book on
environmentalism in the 1990’s. His campaign website goes on at length
about his positions on environmental issues. But on the campaign trail and
during debates, Vice-President Gore keeps it simple.
“We have to pay attention to the quality of life with clean air and clean water, with
attention to
the environment, with smart growth, and preservation of open space. And I think that’s
critically
important.”
Instead of talking extensively about what’s seen as “his” issue, the
environment, Al Gore’s been spending more time on health care and
education.
“I’m actually a little surprised that Vice-President Gore has not been more assertive on
the environment.”
Allan J. Lichtman is a professor of history at American University and the
author of Keys to the White House.
“I think part of it may be that he is so wrapped up in the issue that he’d wind up giving
an
insider rap on this that would lose the average voter. I’ve seen environmentalists do that
and they can lose
you very quickly when they get into the intricacies of these regulatory acts. I also think
the Gore campaign
doesn’t believe that environment right now is high among the issues that are on the minds
of primary
voters.”
But some environmentalists say there’s another reason Al Gore is not
saying much about the environment. They feel the Clinton-Gore
Administration’s record on the environment is weak.
Last fall, the political action committee of an environmental group called
“Friends of the Earth” shook the Gore campaign by endorsing Bill Bradley.
Brent Blackwelder is the Friends of the Earth’s president. He says Gore’s
voting record in Congress is not as good as Bradley’s. Blackwelder adds
when Gore took on the mantle of “environmental spokesman” for the
Clinton-Gore administration, he also accepted the responsibility.
“And so, when we say the environmental enforcement record of the Clinton-Gore
Administration is atrocious, it’s not only Clinton, it’s Gore. I mean, forty-percent of
your manufacturers are in
significant violation of the Clean Air Act for the last couple of years in which
statistics are available.
Inspections under the Clean Water Act and the Coal Strip-Mining Act have been dropping
off.
enforcement staffs been cut back. This is not the record of someone that’s taking care of
the
environment.”
Other environmental groups have held off endorsing in the primary.
However, Allan Lichtman says many of them are in lock-step with Vice-
President Gore.
Still, the ‘Friends of the Earth’ Bradley endorsement had its effect.
“That certainly was a shot across the bow to Al Gore on the environmental issues and
perhaps a warning signal that maybe environmentalism is not a wedge issue between himself
and Bill
Bradley.”
Shortly after the Bradley endorsement, some of the country’s leading
environmentalists came to Gore’s defense. Among them was Robert F.
Kennedy, Jr. Kennedy is the president of the Water Keeper Alliance and an
attorney with the Natural Resources Defense Council. He says Al Gore has earned the
environmental community’s backing over his opponent, Bill
Bradley. Kennedy says that’s because Gore fought the 1994 republican
‘Contract with America.’ Kennedy feels the contract sacrificed the
nation’s natural areas for profit.
“Bill Bradley quit the senate. He went back to New Jersey, said ‘I ‘m going to make some
money.’ but, Al Gore stayed and he slugged it out toe-to-toe with Newt Gingrich.”
On the campaign trail the Vice-President Gore blames the republicans for
blocking his issues. During a New Hampshire public radio call-in show, the Vice-President defended the Clinton Administration’s slow progress on
global warming.
“The Congress has refused to support the measures we’ve proposed. I personally went to Kyoto
in Japan to help negotiate the world treaty to combat global warming and the republican congress,
especially the Senate, has refused to support that. You know, the weather’s been pretty chaotic in the last
few years, consistent with predictions of the kind of impacts global warming will have. And most people
now feel that, yeah, there’s a connection. And we have to lead the world in addressing this problem.”
The Clinton-Gore Administration has been criticized for not developing a
program to meet emissions targets under the Kyoto Treaty. Nine
environmental groups sent a letter to the White House, expressing deep
disappointment. In time magazine one environmental leader said he didn’t
question the Vice-President’s commitment against global warming, but
quote: “so far, it’s all talk and no action,” end quote.
Robert F. Kennedy, Jr. Says it’s possible the Clinton-Gore Administration
could have done more to help the environment, but he doesn’t doubt Gore’s
commitment.
“Well, you know, for Gore it’s the central issue… of his life, of his career, of his thinking.
To have a guy with those attitudes who come in on day one and understands those issues is going to put this
country at a huge advantage.”
While Gore is credited with helping to establish Superfund legislation,
raise awareness of the global warming theory, and giving the pro-
environment lobbyists access to the White House, his opponent, Bill
Bradley feels the Clinton-Gore record on the environment has
vulnerabilities.
For the Great Lakes Radio Consortium, this is Lester Graham.