News (Media Awareness Project) - Wire: Gingrich Assails Clinton On Drugs |
| Title: | Wire: Gingrich Assails Clinton On Drugs |
| Published On: | 1997-06-09 |
| Source: | Assoociated Press June 4 |
| Fetched On: | 2008-09-08 15:28:25 |
Gingrich Assails Clinton On Drugs
WASHINGTON (AP) House Speaker Newt Gingrich said Wednesday he was
disappointed that President Clinton didn't appeal to young people to stay
away from drugs during an appearance on cable television this week.
Gingrich, RGa., who talks often about his desire for a drugfree society,
said Clinton's ``casual disregard'' in the hourlong documentary Tuesday
night on the VH1 music channel was ``an opportunity wasted.''
He said teen drug use has more than doubled since 1992.
``Silence sends a message,'' Gingrich wrote Wednesday in a letter to Clinton.
``And your silence on teen drug use ... sent a powerful, unintended message
to young people that drug use isn't that big a deal.''
The program, ``Bill Clinton: Rock `n' Roll President,'' featured the
50yearold Clinton musing about his life and the music in it.
White House spokesman Mike McCurry said Gingrich ``well knows the president's
commitments on discouraging drug use among young people'' and that the
speaker's letter may have been written by an ``overeager staffer.''
He also said VH1 is geared to an audience that is older than most viewers of
MTV, another musicbased cable television channel.
``When the president was most recently on MTV, he had a lot to say about
drugs and drug use,'' McCurry said. ``He has been talking frequently and
often about the importance of discouraging drug use among younger people.''
Last month, Clinton rebuked the fashion industry for advertisements that
feature models who appear to be strung out on heroin.
But Gingrich recalled Clinton's 1992 campaign appearance on MTV, when he
joked about smoking marijuana in college, and suggested that was reason
enough to make an antidrug appeal in this latest cable appearance.
``You did not say a single word about the tragic consequences of drug use, or
the terrible toll drugs have taken on music stars, from the overdoses of the
1960s to the current heroin fad in the entertainment industry,'' he said.
``Your casual disregard for the issue was an opportunity wasted.''
WASHINGTON (AP) House Speaker Newt Gingrich said Wednesday he was
disappointed that President Clinton didn't appeal to young people to stay
away from drugs during an appearance on cable television this week.
Gingrich, RGa., who talks often about his desire for a drugfree society,
said Clinton's ``casual disregard'' in the hourlong documentary Tuesday
night on the VH1 music channel was ``an opportunity wasted.''
He said teen drug use has more than doubled since 1992.
``Silence sends a message,'' Gingrich wrote Wednesday in a letter to Clinton.
``And your silence on teen drug use ... sent a powerful, unintended message
to young people that drug use isn't that big a deal.''
The program, ``Bill Clinton: Rock `n' Roll President,'' featured the
50yearold Clinton musing about his life and the music in it.
White House spokesman Mike McCurry said Gingrich ``well knows the president's
commitments on discouraging drug use among young people'' and that the
speaker's letter may have been written by an ``overeager staffer.''
He also said VH1 is geared to an audience that is older than most viewers of
MTV, another musicbased cable television channel.
``When the president was most recently on MTV, he had a lot to say about
drugs and drug use,'' McCurry said. ``He has been talking frequently and
often about the importance of discouraging drug use among younger people.''
Last month, Clinton rebuked the fashion industry for advertisements that
feature models who appear to be strung out on heroin.
But Gingrich recalled Clinton's 1992 campaign appearance on MTV, when he
joked about smoking marijuana in college, and suggested that was reason
enough to make an antidrug appeal in this latest cable appearance.
``You did not say a single word about the tragic consequences of drug use, or
the terrible toll drugs have taken on music stars, from the overdoses of the
1960s to the current heroin fad in the entertainment industry,'' he said.
``Your casual disregard for the issue was an opportunity wasted.''
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