Vice Pres. Al Gore is catching flak for announcing a $5 million aid package for the troubled New England fishing industry, but neglecting to mention that the aid was not new but rather that it had been approved almost a year previously. Gore’s office said he was simply making a “formal official announcement” that the aid was available, but he called and apologized to Sen. John Kerry (D-Mass.), who led the effort by New England lawmakers to push the package through Congress. Meanwhile, GOP presidential contender George W. Bush is trying to shore up his own green credentials and is getting decidedly mixed reviews.
