(Washington, D.C.) White House guards sounded the alarm early this morning
when a rented Ryder truck was found parked in some bushes near the Rose
Garden. The truck appeared to be locked and abandoned.
In an effort to minimize potential damage and loss of lives, residents
within a radius of one mile were awakened and told to evacuate immediately.
Secret Service Officers rushed to the scene and this city's bomb squad was
called in as consultants. Members of the Hazardous Materials Management
Team (HAZMAT) hurried to the location as well. Bomb-sniffing dogs from the
Metro Police SWAT Team indicated there were no explosives present.
Eventually, the mystery was solved when the truck was traced to Vice
President Al Gore. Mr. Gore opened the cargo area and the contents of the
truck were revealed to be the Gore family's furniture, furnishings,
appliances and personal effects.
Late last night, when Mr. Gore attended a formal dinner to benefit
environmental standards, it was feared he would choke to death as he
addressed the assembly. Thinking perhaps a piece of meat had lodged in his
windpipe, the US Surgeon General applied the Heimlich maneuver, but to no
avail. Later, officials decided the Vice President was simply choking on
his words as he was saying, "I fully support President Clinton and believe
he has been sincere and honest with the American public." |
