Sierra Club Endorses Gore for President
The Sierra Club, one of America’s oldest and most respected environmental groups, has thrown its weight behind Vice President Al Gore in his campaign for President. In its formal endorsement of Gore today, the Sierra Club called Gore the "best chance" to beat Republican candidate George W. Bush, which the group criticized as "anti-environmental."
The Sierra Club, one of America’s oldest and most respected environmental groups, has thrown its weight behind Vice President Al Gore in his campaign for president. In its formal endorsement of Gore today, the Sierra Club called Gore the "best chance" to beat Republican candidate George W. Bush, which the group criticized as "anti-environmental."
"The Sierra Club endorses Vice President Gore because he is committed to cutting air and water pollution and protecting our nation's treasured forests and wildlands," said Dr. Robert Cox, Sierra Club's volunteer president. "As vice president, Al Gore helped strengthen clean air health standards, sped clean up of Superfund toxic waste sites, reduced automobile tailpipe pollution, and protected America's spectacular landscapes. This is the kind of leadership the American people are seeking in our next president.
"Governor Bush, on the other hand, has said that if he's elected, he will weaken toxic-waste clean-up standards, allow oil drilling in the Arctic Refuge, and increase logging in National Forests," Cox continued. "When it comes to protecting our environment, Al Gore is by far our best shot at a president committed to a sustainable future, tested as a political leader, and qualified to lead America into the next century."
The Gore endorsement capped a six-month process in which the grassroots organization surveyed each of its chapters and thousands of its volunteer leaders. Thirty-nine chapters, representing 413,854 members, favored a Gore endorsement. One chapter, with 3,006 members, supported an endorsement for Ralph Nader, the Green Party candidate. Another 16 chapters, with 138,236 members, did not respond.
The Sierra Club Board of Directors voted to endorse Gore with 12 in favor, two against and one abstention.
The Board recognized consumer advocate Ralph Nader's record of work for the environment, but emphasized the urgency of defeating Texas Governor George W. Bush as an additional reason for endorsing Vice-President Gore.
"Our members looked at the records of all the candidates," said Cox. "We looked at their positions, their records and their experience. Al Gore is our overwhelming choice."
The Sierra Club, with more than 600,000 members, is the nation's oldest and largest grassroots environmental organization.
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RELATED LINKS:
Earth in the Balance
The Morning After Earth Day: Practical Environmental Politics
"The Sierra Club endorses Vice President Gore because he is committed to cutting air and water pollution and protecting our nation's treasured forests and wildlands," said Dr. Robert Cox, Sierra Club's volunteer president. "As vice president, Al Gore helped strengthen clean air health standards, sped clean up of Superfund toxic waste sites, reduced automobile tailpipe pollution, and protected America's spectacular landscapes. This is the kind of leadership the American people are seeking in our next president.
"Governor Bush, on the other hand, has said that if he's elected, he will weaken toxic-waste clean-up standards, allow oil drilling in the Arctic Refuge, and increase logging in National Forests," Cox continued. "When it comes to protecting our environment, Al Gore is by far our best shot at a president committed to a sustainable future, tested as a political leader, and qualified to lead America into the next century."
The Gore endorsement capped a six-month process in which the grassroots organization surveyed each of its chapters and thousands of its volunteer leaders. Thirty-nine chapters, representing 413,854 members, favored a Gore endorsement. One chapter, with 3,006 members, supported an endorsement for Ralph Nader, the Green Party candidate. Another 16 chapters, with 138,236 members, did not respond.
The Sierra Club Board of Directors voted to endorse Gore with 12 in favor, two against and one abstention.
The Board recognized consumer advocate Ralph Nader's record of work for the environment, but emphasized the urgency of defeating Texas Governor George W. Bush as an additional reason for endorsing Vice-President Gore.
"Our members looked at the records of all the candidates," said Cox. "We looked at their positions, their records and their experience. Al Gore is our overwhelming choice."
The Sierra Club, with more than 600,000 members, is the nation's oldest and largest grassroots environmental organization.
----------
RELATED LINKS:
Earth in the Balance
The Morning After Earth Day: Practical Environmental Politics
