Posted on 06/23/2004 11:59:51 AM PDT by RWR8189
ARLINGTON, VA-- Today, U.S. Sen. Zell Miller (D-GA) made the following remarks during a Bush-Cheney '04 conference call:
"America's economy is strong and getting stronger. President Bush's leadership has enabled us to overcome historic challenges, and just for a few minutes this afternoon, I'd like to take a little time to put our economy in perspective.
"Back during the 1996 election, about six months out like we are today, Bill Clinton used to say, 'When you find a turtle on a fencepost, the chances are it didn't get there by accident.' He was referring at the time to an economy – an economy that bears a striking resemblance to the one we see today.
"Back then, the average monthly number of new jobs in 1996 was 233,000. Today it is 238,000. Back then, six months out before the election, the unemployment rate in 1996 was 5.6 percent. Today it is the same, 5.6 percent. During the first six months of 1996, 60 percent of new jobs paid higher than the average. Today, again, 60 percent of new jobs pay higher than the national average.
"Now there are other parallels, but there are also some figures today that are even better. In 1996, six months out before the election, 65.1% of Americans owned their own home. Today an historic 68.8% of Americans own their own home, including, by the way, for the first time ever a majority of minorities.
"The one striking difference between these years, 1996 and 2004, are the challenges that this President has had to overcome. Most economists agree that in 1992, Bill Clinton inherited a growing economy. In 2001, President Bush took on an economy that was headed into recession, a high tech bubble that burst, and terrorist attacks that struck at the heart of our economy.
"In the face of these challenges, the President's strong and steady leadership has helped our economy grow for ten straight quarters, and today our economy is growing at the fastest rate it's grown in 20 years.
"Now we hear a lot of pessimism from John Kerry about the economy when he's out on the campaign trail. While he praises the Clinton economy, he also compares our current economy to the Great Depression. Folks, I lived during the Great Depression, and this ain't it. This kind of rhetoric from Senator Kerry is disconnected with the reality of where we are. It is disconnected on what we have been through, and it also does a great disservice to the American people.
"I do not believe that the Democratic Party is going to win the hearts of Americans by appealing to their worst fears and offering up a vision of an America in decline. It's striking, for me, because I was involved in it, to recall that as President Clinton travels this country how much the message of our Democratic party has changed in just the last few years. There was a time, back then in 1996 when he was running for re-election, he was still talking about a place called 'Hope' optimistically, instead of talking pessimistically about a place called 'Nope.'"
Is Zell Miller scheduled to speak at the RNC in New York? He ought to be and so should Governor Arnold...They would draw in the democrats who are open to honest talk about the issues and that's the votes Bush needs to win!
President Bush gets more support from this Democratic Senator than he does from most of his RINO Senators, how sad!
One thing for sure, the rat party has changed the past few years, and it has not been for the better. They are getting worse by the day.
My bet, yes and yes, count on it.
After Nov 2nd they'll be called Bush Democrats.
Oh.OH..OH!!!.you have a GREAT mind...
It'll be very intyeresting to see if Miller endores the Republican in the GA senate race against Majette..more soi if Cain is the candidate..
It'll be very intyeresting to see if Miller endorses the Republican in the GA senate race against Majette..more soi if Cain is the candidate..
That would be a great convention speech. In 2000, they had a black state legislator from Florida who switched parties give a speech about how the Democrats left him. Zell would be a much more high profile version of that speech.
I just love this guy, Zell Miller. If you have not read his book, get it and read it.
Now if we could just get some of the Republican senators in the Senate to get out in front of the cameras and on the campaign trail and get the truth out about thsi administrations real position on the prison abuse issue to put a stop to the dems screaming about Bush and Rumsfeld torturing the prisoners.
I would like to see the President get firm with the press and talk more to the People about this issue rather than hear Kennedy,Biden, Leahy, and all of the other loud mouths out there who are lying and misrepresenting the facts.
I knwow the press does not want this to go away, but the WH need to do a better job in getting on top of this story.
Zell would do this better than most.
I thought the old saying was "turd on a fencepost". Fits for Clinton.
Get Ed Koch to speak too!
Your voice of reason was badly needed on this thread!
I sure hope so. Boy would the convention be great with Zell and Arnold at the mic!
Kerry and the Democrats have been taking too many lying lessons from the clintons and their enablers (of which they are the main cheering section).
They don't know the difference any more between 'true' and 'false'!
BTTT
Speaking of Koch, I just got finished reading a book he wrote in the early 80's about his first term and a half in office. I have to say, he's the strangest Democrat I've ever seen. All he talks about in the book is staring down unions, cutting budgets and supporting Isreal.
Sure, he also is in favor of special gay rights, (and he probably is gay), but other then that, he seemed to be a moderate Republican. Also had a few nice things to say about Reagan and a bunch of bad things to say about Carter, and keep in mind, this book came out in 82!
If more Democrats were like him, I might actually vote for one every now and then. I'd still vote R most of the time, but at least there would be a choice. As of now, I'd vote for the D if the R was caught raping a 12 year old. Other then that, the D's are always worse.
Zell Miller bump
"...They would draw in the democrats who are open to honest talk about the issues ..."
- - -
There are very, very few of these, and they are not worth the effort.
Victory in November will have little do do with converting anyone;
it will be about energizing the base and voter turnout.
Zell Miller bump
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