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Bill Press is co-host of CNN's Crossfire. He is providing exclusive analysis to CNN allpolitics.com during the election season.
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Bill Press: Gore and Lieberman set new campaign agenda
August 18, 2000
Web posted at: 4:42 p.m. EDT (2042 GMT)
By Bill Press/CNN
Even if he is still behind the polls after Los Angeles, Al Gore has succeeded
in changing
the agenda for the presidential campaign of 2000.
In Philadelphia, George Bush tried to set his own agenda: tie the sins of
Bill Clinton to Al
GoreÕs tail; and paint Republicans as the party of family values and
morality, contrasted to
those free-living, free-loving, amoral, if not immor
al Democrats.
Al Gore met that head-on. He named Joe Lieberman as his running mate.
Checkmate!
Lieberman is Mr. Morality in the United States Senate. And the embodiment of
disgust
with ClintonÕs Oval Office pranks.
BushÕs campaign plan immediately collapsed, leaving an empty canvas for Gore
to paint a
new one. He did so, Thursday night in Los Angeles.
On the podium, Gore is no Clinton. Nobody is. But he gave the best speech
IÕve ever
heard him give. He certainly gave a much more powerful and more substantive
speech
than George Bush.
Gore had three challenges Thursday night: to energize the delegates in the
audience,
introduce himself to the American people, and set forth a new campaign. He
met all three.
First, in the most dramatic moment of the evening, Gore declared his
independence from
Clinton - whose name he mentioned only once in 51 minutes. Yes, I served with
Bill
Clinton for 8 years and, yes, IÕm proud of it, Gore told the world, but from
now on heÕs
his own: ÒI stand here tonight as my own man, and I want you to know me for
who I truly
am.Ó
Gore next told his own story, and it is a compelling one: a family man,
Vietnam vet,
theological student, investigative reporter. HeÕs a man dedicated to public
service, with
extensive experience as Congressman, Senator and Vice-President. No doubt heÕs
qualified to be president, compared to that young whippersnapper from
Midland, Texas.
Then Gore laid out the battle plan for the campaign: ÒWe are for the people,
they are for
the powerful.Ó In combative words reminiscent of Harry Truman, Gore vowed to
take on
the special interests. He would fight against the big tobacco companies to
keep cigarettes
out of the hands of teenagers. Fight against big drug companies to provide
seniors on
Medicare with prescription drug benefits. Fight against the HMOÕs for a
patients bill of
rights. And, Gore promised, he would fight against all corporate interests by
making
campaign finance reform his top priority and the McCain-Feingold legislation
the first bill
he sends to Congress.
True, those battles are already being waged by the Clinton Administration.
But Gore also
added a few goals of his own: providing universal preschool for all kids by
the year 2010;
making college tuition payments tax-deductible; and doubling federal spending
on medical
research. He also broke with Clinton by vowing to sign legislation ending the
marriage
income tax penalty - the same legislation Bill Clinton vetoed just two weeks
ago.
Gore also left no doubt whoÕs in charge. So what if Joe Lieberman is soft on
school
vouchers? There will be no federal funds to private religious schools under
his
administration, Gore said. Delegates roared with approval. The camera didnÕt
show the
reaction on LiebermanÕs face.
ItÕs a whole new campaign after Los Angeles, with a whole new set of issues.
ItÕs no
longer a referendum on Bill Clinton. ItÕs now Al GoreÕs party and Al GoreÕs
platform.
As Gore has reshaped the debate, Republicans are for the big corporations,
Democrats are
for working families. That gives voters a stark contrast and a clear choice
for November.
MORE STORIES:
Monday, August 14, 2000
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