Gore, Kemp Styles Are Worlds Apart

By Marc Watts and Bob Franken/CNN

MIAMI (Oct. 8) -- On the surface, Al Gore and Jack Kemp have very different styles. Kemp is known for a jump-out-of-his-skin energy, while Gore pokes fun at himself as stiff, wooden and deadpan.

Yet their vice presidential debate Wednesday night in St. Petersburg is an evenly matched affair, because despite Gore's persona, he has proven himself an effective advocate in the past, like in his face-off with businessman Ross Perot over NAFTA.

Kemp makes fun of his own rapid-fire delivery. "I've got my answers down to three minutes apiece... One answer I went for four minutes without using a verb," he told reporters.

Sen. Judd Gregg (R-N.H.), who's playing Gore in Kemp's debate practice, describes Kemp this way: "Well, he does like to talk and he has more ideas in 10 seconds than most of us have in a day and he likes to express them in very flamboyant and colorful language and it takes him a while sometimes to get everything off his mind."

It is impossible to forget Kemp was an NFL quarterback. Kemp sees to that. If he doesn't pepper the debate with football metaphors, it would be unusual. He calls Bob Dole the quarterback and himself the blocker.

But his handlers are always watching to make sure Kemp doesn't stray too far from the Dole playbook. Kemp goes to some lengths to say a campaign is not a battle to the death between mortal enemies. But clearly he savors the political joust.

Back in 1988, before his presidential campaign collapsed, Kemp mixed it up in a Texas debate with George Bush. The two men talked over each other, while the moderator tried to regain control.

What Kemp really likes to talk about are the pocketbook issues, everything from tax cuts to enterprise zones. He is a champion of supply-side economics, arguing that lower taxes actually mean more government revenue because they put more money in everyone's pocket.

His coaches say Kemp doesn't need heavy practice. Still they have spent the last few days in mock debates, getting ready. Look for Dole's blocking back Kemp to try and bring down Clinton by flattening his toughest defender -- Gore.

The vice president arrived in the St. Petersburg area Saturday for some pre-debate campaigning. And for a politician who has developed a solid reputation of being stiff, he certainly knows how to stir up a crowd sometimes, with the deadpan Macarena bit he introduced at the Democratic convention in August.

The crowds may like Gore's Macarena, but he doesn't dance on the issues. Just ask former Vice President Dan Quayle and Admiral James Stockdale, his rivals in the 1992 vice presidential debate.

"I expect when he gets up on that stage on Wednesday night that he will be speaking to the issues, speaking to the accomplishments of the Clinton/Gore Administration for the past four years and he will do it eloquently," said former Democratic vice presidential candidate Geraldine Ferraro. "And then, of course, if all else fails he can do the Macarena."

Gore can also fire off the tough question. In 1988, as a senator, he first raised what became known as the "Willie Horton issue" with Michael Dukakis during a primary debate.

"Governor Dukakis, you've been the principal advocate and defender of a program in Massachusetts that has just been canceled over your objections by the legislature, that provided for weekend passes for convicted criminals, including those convicted of first-degree murder who were serving life sentences without parole," Gore said. "Eleven of them decided their two-week passes were not long enough and left. Two of them committed other murders, while they were on their passes. If you were elected president, would you advocate a similar program for federal penitentiaries?"(448K WAV sound)

Gore says he's not nervous about debating Kemp and offered this pre-debate assessment. "One thing Jack Kemp and I agree on is that I will be the heavy underdog in this debate," Gore said. (96K WAV sound)

Political scientist Darryl Paulson of the University of South Florida says don't be fooled by that.

"He has been very clever in some ways in developing this image as a person who is boring and laid back and somewhat stiff, and yet you saw his speech at the convention," Paulson said. "He's anything but that."

And no one on the other side is taking Gore for granted.

"He genuinely believes in a set of core ideals and beliefs," said Dole communications director John Buckley. "There's nothing contrived about him. It's genuine."

Gore has spent most of his time in Florida sequestered with advisers practicing for the debate. Former New York congressman Tom Downey is playing the role of Kemp.

On the campaign trail, Gore touts the accomplishments of the White House and attacks the Republican ticket in a partisan manner so the president doesn't have to. That's the traditional role of a vice-presidential candidate. And the betting here is that's a tactic Gore will likely use Wednesday night.

Gore, Kemp Styles Are Worlds Apart

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