Clinton Declares A Debate Victory

KNOXVILLE (AllPolitics, Oct. 10) -- Back home in Tennessee, Vice President Al Gore took a victory lap Thursday. Gore arrived separately, then jogged over to the president's plane, so he and his boss could emerge from Air Force One together and triumphant, following Wednesday night's vice presidential debate.

White House spin masters from the top down were quick to hail Gore's performance a winner. "Last night it was Al Gore who sacked the quarterback," President Bill Clinton joked to an appreciative crowd.

Clinton campaigners eagerly seized on Kemp's comment in the match-up that personal attacks are beneath Bob Dole, saying that will make it more difficult for Dole, or others working on his behalf, to launch character attacks.

Said Clinton-Gore campaign press secretary Joe Lockhart, "I think if Senator Dole decides now to launch a personal, negative attack, he's going to have three people to run against: the president, the vice president and his own running mate."

But the day's campaigning, at least in Tennessee, was really intended to let Gore take a bow for Wednesday night's performance and also for his four years as a loyal and effective lieutenant.

A new high-technology initiative Mr. Clinton unveiled in Knoxville is one of Gore's specialties. It's a $100-million down payment on a five-year program to rally top communications executives to the cause of hooking up all schools to the Internet by the end of the century.

Tennessee can't seem to keep the candidates away this year. It's a battleground state, and of course, Gore's home turf. He's been here 11 times since January, the president five times. Clinton has a lead in the polls, but Dole's not making it easy. He's made the trip to these parts 17 times since March.

This story originally appeared on CNN's "Inside Politics."

Clinton Declares A Debate Victory

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