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Vice President
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Jennifer O'Connor's Subject Files
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[Tobacco]
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we Uerion - tedger
Jackson, MS
Karen JKETTON
June 4, 96
Front Page
Jen O'Conn
Blowing no smoke
Kinny
OF
THE
PRESIDENT
UNITED
STATE
STATE
Brian Albert Broom The Clarion-Ledger
Speaking at Jackson International Airport, Vice President AI Gore "Just Say No To Cancer Joe," and commends them for their commit-
points to school children wearing anti-smoking T-shirts that read,
ment to abstinence from smoking.
Vice president speaks out against smoking
AI Gore tells Jackson
died in 1984 from lung cancer.
a fifth-grader at Oak Grove Ele-
"The tobacco companies spend
"I loved her more than life itself,"
mentary, said she could relate to
billions and billions to put ad-
audience of his sister's
Gore said of his sibling, who was
Gore's story about his sister. "A lot
vertisements out specifically tar-
death from lung cancer.
married to Greenville lawyer Frank
of people in my family have died
geted at young people," he said.
Hunger, now a Clinton administra-
from smoking-related lung cancer.
Said Paula Ivey of Starkville,
By Mac Gordon
tion official in Washington.
I want to tell everyone not to
state president of Parents and
Clarion-Ledger Staff Writer
Gore's story about his sister
smoke, because I don't want that
Teacher Association: "We have got
Vice President Al Gore on Mon-
he recalled holding her hand at her
to happen to them," Prude said.
to work with the convenience stores
day told of personal family tragedy
final breath - was especially poi-
Gore, introduced by Mississippi
who put up the advertisements and
in warning Mississippi youth
gnant because more than half of
Attorney General Mike Moore,
make them obey the law if we want
about the dangers of smoking.
the estimated crowd of 300 people
used the Jackson stop to promote
to make a difference." Mississippi
His main thesis during a 15-
were youngsters in anti-tobacco
President Clinton's anti-smoking
has a law limiting youths' access to
minute talk under a broiling sun at
clubs like "Tar Wars" and
campaign as well as the duo's re-
tobacco products, but critics say it
Jackson International Airport:
"Smoke-Free Class of 2000." And
election bid this year. He told the
goes largely unenforced.
"Smoking is bad for you."
his sister, he said, was 13 when she
youth from across the state that
Gore should know: His sister,
started smoking, the age of many
smoking kills 400,000 Americans
Staff writer Melanie Simpson
Nancy Gore Hunger, who lived
in attendance.
every year and "they get hooked
contributed to this story.
most of her adult life in Greenville,
Eleven-year-old Jessica Prude,
when they are your age.'
Gore links GOP, tobacco, 1B
Page B1
Gore calls tobacco industry GOP pawn
The vice president comes to Jackson.
attended a Democratic Party fund-raiser at the Flora
home of Jackson lawyer David Nutt after the airport
to speak out against smoking.
appearance. The fund-raiser was $25,000 per couple.
About 300 people, including teenagers involved in
By Mac Gordon
the fight against tobacco and a bevy of current and
Clarion-Ledger Staff Writer
former public officials in the state, came to the airport
Mississippi Attorney General Mike Moore's tobac-
to get a rare personal glimpse of the nation's second-
co lawsuit will be successful and Gov. Kirk Fordice
ranking leader.
"is wrong" to try to stop it, Vice President Al Gore
But thousands more were affected by Gore's visit:
said Monday.
Security personnel stopped after-5 p.m. rush-hour
Gore, during a combination anti-tobacco and polit-
traffic along I-55 north and on Lakeland Drive as the
ical campaign stop in Jackson, also assailed the to-
Gore entourage made its way to Nutt's home. Police
bacco industry as pawns of the Republican Party.
even stopped traffic on interstate ramps to help en-
"The tobacco industry has become by far the lead-
sure Gore's safety.
ing source of money for the Republican National
Republicans, however, were not safe from the tongue-
"The Republican
Committee. The Republican Party has made the con-
lashing that Gore delivered after his official talk.
Party does what-
scious decision to accept so much money from the to-
"The Republican Party does whatever the tobacco
ever the tobacco
bacco companies - and so much more from them
companies tell them to do. If the tobacco companies
than any other source - it has become almost a whol-
say jump, they say, 'How high?' I think it is morally
companies tell
ly owned subsidiary of the tobacco industry," Gore
and ethically wrong, because it results in kids like
them to do."
said at the Jackson International Airport.
these becoming addicted and being killed by tobac-
The vice president from neighboring Tennessee,
co," Gore said.
Vice President
who came here to promote President Clinton's anti-
See SMOKE, 2B
Al Gore
smoking campaign and their 1996 re-election quest,
Vice President assails smoking, 1A
a
nurse's
assistant
at St. Dominic assistant, died of cancer
nurse's BRANDON - Winnie Marie Ball, 72, a
Saturday
at
her
leased
of
died
homemaker,
B
72
heart
handing
nis
Smoke
From 1B
"The evidence is indisputable.
Cancer Society's Jackson office said
Yet, they (Republicans) continue
"it never hurts" to have someone of
taking the money," Gore said.
Gore's stature available to discuss
Fordice is away on a trade mis-
anti-tobacco activity.
sion. Philip Gaines, who represents
Dotson said Moore was to be
Fordice in his petition challenging
commended for his tobacco lawsuit
Moore's authority to pursue his to-
and wished state government would
bacco lawsuit, said, "The governor's
give him more help.
case against Mike Moore has to do
"We want our governor to get on
with constitutional issues and sep-
that bandwagon," Dotson said of
aration of powers and allocation of
Fordice.
executive authority and doesn't
"Attorney generals across the
have anything to do with teen smok-
country are supporting the lawsuit's
ing. The tobacco litigation of Mike
activities, but we also want more en-
Moore is coincidental to that suit."
forcement laws," Dotson said. "We
Moore, who shared center stage
have a youth access (to tobacco) law
with Gore, said the federal govern-
in Mississippi, and we are looking
ment has been supportive of his
at more ways to enforce it."
case seeking to recover tax dollars
About 50 members of the
spent on tobacco-related illnesses.
"Smoke-Free Class of 2000," rising
It's state government's adminis-
ninth-graders who will graduate
trator, Fordice, who's giving Moore
from high school in the spring of
fits: Fordice has asked the state Su-
2000, were on hand to greet Gore.
preme Court to order Moore to drop
The organization - which has
the lawsuit because Fordice's approv-
about 35,000 members from across
al wasn't sought before it was filed.
the state - is sponsored by cancer,
"No one understands where the
heart and lung advocacy groups in
governor is coming from - why he is
Mississippi.
the only governor in America trying to
Tom Hall of Oxford, a veteran Re-
stop the tobacco litigation," Moore
publican leader in north Mississip-
said. "It's always the first question
pi, said Gore's visit was important
people outside the state asked me:
because - party politics aside - he
'Why is your governor suing you?' I
is, after all, the vice president.
fd
really don't have a good answer.
'Anytime we can get the presi-
hi
"The governor is not going to win.
dent or vice president to come here,
I think our Supreme Court will take
we have the opportunity to sell them
dv
a vote for kids over big tobacco,"
on how good a state Mississippi is,"
Sp
Moore said.
Hall said.
ete
State Democratic Chairman
Despite his GOP loyalties, Hall
N
Johnnie Walls of Greenville said
men
also tried to look positively at the
BN
form
Fordice's railing against the tobacco
rumor about Moore's chances of
son
lawsuit is helping the litigation. "I
joining a second Clinton adminis-
He
think it shows the attorney general
tration - if there is one.
is on the right track," Walls said.
"It would be a plus for the state to
Second District U.S. Rep. Bennie
have a Mississippian in a position
Thompson greeted Gore at the air-
like that - just like when Mike Espy
port and said it is fitting he chose
was secretary of agriculture," Hall
Mississippi to make his speech.
said. "There are a lot of Republicans
"Clearly at this point, tobacco is a
who would like to see Mike Moore go
major initiative," Thompson said.
to the moon --- anything to kick him
"And the fact that Mississippi led
out of what he's doing now."
the way in litigation against tobacco
companies is significant, now that it
Staff writers Beverly Pettigrew
has caught on around the nation."
Kraft and Melanie Simpson con-
Pam Dotson of the American
tributed to this report.
un
place
Vance
the
100%
file
Talking Points
Vice President Al Gore
Tolories farmae
Anti Smoking Event
MS
Jackson, MS
June 3, 1996
(ACKNOWLEDGMENTS FROM ADVANCE)
I would like to start today by thanking these young people behind me -- the Tar Wars
group
The Smoke-free Class of 2000
and the 5th grade classes from Oak Grove
Elementary School in Hattiesburg, Cedars Elementary in Vicksburg, and the CREATE
class from Biloxi (Bill-UHX-ee).
I want to thank them because they are the reason we are here.
President Clinton and I have a vision for these young people, and young people across the
country. We want them to grow up in an America that is stronger and in an America that
offers more opportunity than any other time in our history.
An America that is stronger means providing opportunity -- an economy that is growing
an environment that is cleaner and healthier
schools that are filled with computers
and the latest technologies
and streets that are safe.
But most of all
an America that is stronger
means Americans who are stronger.
For us to lead the world, we need to be healthy enough to make the most of our own lives.
And that's what the anti-smoking campaign is all about.
The President and I know first-hand of the dangers of smoking. My sister died of lung
cancer a fairly young age. And the President also lost his mother to smoking.
But tragically, there are millions of other families who have also lost loved ones or had to
deal with the devastating effects of smoking.
Smoking is the leading cause of preventable death in the United States -- tobacco
products are responsible for more than 400,000 deaths each year. In fact, cigarettes kill
more Americans each year than AIDS, alcohol, car accidents, murders, suicides, illegal
drugs and fires
combined.
That is why it is so disheartening to see smoking among young people going up. Each
and every day, 3,000 young people become regular smokers. Nearly 1,000 of them will
eventually die as a result of their smoking
their lives will be cut short on average by 12
to 15 years.
But if the young people behind me teach us anything, it is this: we have to turn this
around. And we're going to turn this around.
We're going to turn this around because we have parents, teachers, religious leaders,
private citizens and public officials, like Attorney General Mike Moore, who are
concerned and ready to act.
We're going to turn this around because we have a President like Bill Clinton. He is
putting into effect a policy that will help keep tobacco out of young people's hands.
Through the Children's Tobacco Initiative and the Synar Regulation, which demands that
states do their part, we are going to reduce smoking by children by 50 percent within
seven years.
You know, people have told President Clinton that his anti-smoking stance is bad
politically. "Don't do it," they say. "Politically, it's wrong."
But the President is determined to do what is right. And we should all be proud that we
have a leader in this country who is guided by such principles.
Most of all, we're going to turn this around because we have young people who are not
giving into peer pressure young people who are taking responsibility. The people
behind me know that sometimes it is not enough taking a leadership role to make sure
that other kids don't fall into the smoking trap. And let me say to all of you, I admire the
stand you're taking and the lessons you're teaching.
Keep up the good work.