Al Gore Flip-Flops

Gore issue positions illustrate the evolution of a southern Democrat to a national Democrat. Republican Reagan also evolved-- from an FDR Democrat to a conservative Republican.

Political History:

• U.S. Congressman, representing a Tennessee district- 1977-1985
• U.S. Senator, representing Tennessee, 1985-1993
• Vice President under Clinton, 1993-2001

Source of all information below: National Review articles, August 14, 2000, pp. 18-49.

Abortion:

• "I am a firm supporter of the Hyde Amendment. I will continue to support efforts that are designed to prevent the use of federal funds in a manner which violates the relationship between the government and the individual protected by our Constitution.- 1980 letter."
• Gore votes for House Amendment 942, which reads: "An amendment to define 'person' as including unborn children from the moment of conception."- 1984 vote.
• "It is my deep personal conviction that abortion is wrong. I hope that some day we will see the current outrageously large number of abortions drop sharply. Let me assure you that I share your belief that innocent human life must be protected..."- 1984 letter to constituent.
• "Every time Congress has tried to play politics with a woman's right to choose-- imposing gag rules and attaching anti-choice language to any bill they can think of-- we have fought to stop them. And if they try it again, we'll stop them again."-- 1998 Gore speech.

Guns

• "I do not believe such measures [strict controls on gun sales and ownership] would keep handguns out of the hands of criminals."- 1984 statement.
• NRA statement: "Since being elected to Congress in 1976 Al Gore has been there each and every time sportsmen and gun owners have needed a friend."- 1984.
• "Senator Al Gore supports a variety of measures to loosen restrictions on interstate gun sales and to increase restrictions on the ability of authorities to inspect gun dealers' records."- 1985, CQ Almanac analysis.
• "Sen. Al Gore votes with the NRA 75 percent of the time."- NRA vote analysis, 1985-1990, cited in National Review.
• "Some want more concealed weapons-- but they can't conceal the fact that they're just doing the NRA's bidding. Some want to overturn local gun-control laws. I want to overturn the influence of the gun lobby."- 1999 speech.

Bilingual Education

• "The English language is at the core of the American culture, and, in order to make a contribution to our society, immigrants in the past accepted the chore as a necessity. Anything which requires our schools to delay the all-important process of learning the language of their new country serves only to set up additional barriers for the immigrant child."- 1981 newspaper quote, cited in National Review.
• "Some will exploit the issue of bilingual education for political gain. I believe we must support bilingual education--for educational gain."- 1999 speech to Hispanic group.

Gay Rights

• On homosexuality: "I think it is wrong. I don't pretend to understand it, but it is not just another normal optional lifestyle."- 1981 newspaper quote, cited in National Review.
• "I don't pretend to have an understanding of homosexuality that sustains a discussion of its roots... but I do not believe it is simply an acceptable alternative that society should affirm."- 1984 newspaper quote, cited in National Review.
• "I also do not think we need a bill to protect the specific category--that is, sexual preference."-- 1987 UPI quote, cited in NR.
• "The cause we celebrate tonight is not some narrow, special interest, it is really the cause that has defined this nation since its founding... It is an outrage that today, in 1998, in 40 states of our union, it is 100 percent legal to fire a hard-working employee just because they are gay or lesbian. That is profoundly wrong ... So I say to Congress: Let's give everyone who is willing to work for it a fair and equal chance to succeed. Pass the Employment Non-Discrimination Act into law."-- 1998 speech to gay rights group.