A 10-year-old faints on stage during a Gore speech!

[KCWolfman]

GRAND RAPIDS, Iowa, Oct 13 (UPI) - In a piece of Friday the 13th bad luck,
10-year-old Blake Riffel joined Democrats onstage at a Grand Rapids rally,
where he passed out at the feet of Vice President Al Gore in front of
thousands of Iowans.

As Gore spoke, Riffel stood behind the vice president with about a dozen
other supporters who held up signs. About 10 minutes into the speech, Riffel
teetered for a moment and then fell forward, hitting the stage directly at
Gore's feet with a muffled thump that reverberated through the podium
microphone. He fainted just as Gore was taking a stab at GOP rival George W.
Bush's record on children's health care as governor of Texas

"The health care for children was assigned a much lower priority--" said
Gore, trailing off as Riffel slumped at his feet. "Do we have a doctor here
with us? I think he may have just fainted."

Gore and others on hand huddled over Riffel, who quickly woke up and
walked off stage to the cheers of some 2,500 people gathered for the outdoor
event.

"Looks like he's going to be alright," Gore said, continuing his speech.
"I believe I was just talking about health care for children."<BR>