Quayle Campaign Speech

Vice President Dan Quayle spoke to the Economic Club of Grand Rapids on the role of the environment as an issue in the 1992 presidential campaign. Vice President Quayle noted the improvements in the nation’s environment since 1988, and labelled the environmental views of Democratic vice presidential nominee Sen. Al Gore “alarmist,” and said Sen. Gore “condemned” America at the U.N. Earth Summit in Rio in 1992. He quoted excerpts from Sen. Gore’s book Earth in the Balance to criticize the environmental views of the Democratic presidential ticket. He went on criticize the burden of frivolous lawsuits on the nation’s economy, and noted the alliance of the nation’s trial lawyers with Democratic presidential candidate Gov. Bill Clinton. Vice President Quayle responded to questions from members of the audience following their prepared remarks. close