| Al Gore's Favorite Bible Verse: John 16:3 | |||
|
| |||
| Netlore Archive: According to this forwarded email, presidential candidate Al Gore declared that his favorite Bible verse is John 16:3 | |||
| |||
Email example contributed by Angela H., 16 July 1999:
|
Subject: Anything for Votes Anything for Votes Al Gore gave a big speech this week about how his faith is so "important" to him. In this attempt to convince the American people why we should consider him for president, he announced that his favorite Bible verse is John 16:3. Of course, the speech writer meant John 3:16, but nobody in the Gore camp was familiar enough with Scripture to catch the error. Do you know what John 16:3 says? "And they will do this because they have not known the Father or me." Coincidence? |
Comments: Al Gore gave no such speech. There is no public statement on record anywhere in which candidate Gore divulged his "favorite Bible verse." The laugh isn't on Gore or his supporters, but rather on the legions of credulous folks — including radio commentator Paul Harvey — who have taken it seriously enough to pass it along.
Ironically, the elder George Bush did make precisely this verbal gaffe while speaking to a religous broadcasters' conference in 1990, according to newspaper columnist cal Thomas, who documented the incident in his book, "Blinded by Might: Can the Religious Right Save America."
Update: This same embarrassing error has been attributed to President G.W. Bush in emails circulating since July 2004.
Sources and further reading:
Does Gore Stand by All the Misstatements He Never Made?
Pittsburgh Post-Gazette, 3 September 2000Verses, Foiled Again
Urban Legends Reference Pages
Last updated: 07/29/04
