Al Gore in Living History, by Hillary Rodham Clinton

On Budget & Economy: 1993: Tie-break vote on budget; also passed House by 1 vote

The great budget battle finally ended in August, with the passage of Bill's economic plan. Before the vote, I had spoken with wavering Democrats. One Republican Congresswoman called me to explain that she agreed with the President's goal to tame the deficit but had been ordered by her leadership to vote no regardless of her convictions. In the end, not a single Republican voted for the balanced budget package. It squeaked through the House by one vote, and Vice President Gore in his official role as President of the Senate had to vote to break a 50-50 vote tie. Several courageous Democrats, who did what they believed to be in America's long-term interests, lost in the next election.

The plan wasn't everything the Administration had wanted, but it signaled the return of fiscal responsibility for the government and the beginning of an economic turnaround for the country. To pay for these reforms, the plan raised taxes on gasoline and on highest-income Americans.

Source: Living History, by Hillary Rodham Clinton, p.179 Nov 1, 2003

On Government Reform: ReGo made federal government smallest since 1960s

The GOP rallying cry against big government was meant to undermine people's trust in the efficacy of widely accepted federal programs like Social Security, Medicare and public education. Through an initiative known as "Reinventing Government," headed by V.P. Gore, the federal government was smaller than it had been since the Kennedy Administration. I knew that any continuing federal role had to be demonstrably effective, putting more police on the street, for example, or more teachers in the classroom. Source: Living History, by Hillary Rodham Clinton, p.380-381 Nov 1, 2003

On Principles & Values: Impeachment was a great disservice to a great president

[In the impeachment scandal], Al and Tipper Gore were as shocked and hurt as everybody else when Bill admitted his wrongdoing, but both were supportive throughout the ordeal, personally and politically.

On Dec. 11 and 12, the Judiciary Committee voted along party lines to refer 4 articles of impeachment to the full House for a vote. Two articles were defeated, two were adopted. Bill was impeached for perjury and obstruction of justice. He would now be put on trial in the Senate.

After the impeachmen vote, a delegation of Democrats rode buses from the Capitol to the White House in a show of solidarity with the President. I inked arms with Bill as we walked out of the Oval Office to meet them in the Rose Garden. Al Gore gave a moving statement of support, calling the House vote on impeachment "a great disservice to a man I believe will be regarded in the history books as one of our greatest Presidents." Al's approval rating, like mine, soared. The American people had figured out what was going on

Source: Living History, by Hillary Rodham Clinton, p.487 & 490 Nov 1, 2003

The above quotations are from Living History, by Hillary Rodham Clinton. Click here for main summary page. Click here for a profile of Al Gore. Click here for Al Gore on all issues.
*Al Gore on other issues:*
Abortion Budget/Economy Civil Rights Corporations Crime Drugs Education Energy/Oil Environment Families Foreign Policy Free Trade	Govt. Reform Gun Control Health Care Homeland Security Immigration Jobs Principles/Values Social Security Tax Reform Technology/Infrastructure War/Iraq/Mideast Welfare/Poverty
Please consider a donation to OnTheIssues.org! Click for details -- or send donations to: 1770 Mass Ave. #630, Cambridge MA 02140 E-mail: submit@OnTheIssues.org (We rely on your support!)

Page last updated: Feb 14, 2019