Description

Sponsored by the Commission on Presidential Debates, the event featured Vice President Al Gore of Tennessee and Gov. George W. Bush of Texas. Most critics expected the vice president to outperform the Texas governor during the debate, citing Gore’s more extensive experience with foreign affairs and domestic policy issues, as well as past debate participation. What the Democratic campaign and critics didn’t know was that Bush had secretly been prepping for the debate for the past seven months. Expectations for the vice president were high – not so much for the governor.

During Gore’s prep, he knew so much that his team wanted to take complicated policy issues and simplify them for the public. An idea of using the metaphor of a “lockbox” for social security and Medicare funds was developed during a practice session. The idea was that as long as the candidate only used the metaphor once or twice, it wouldn’t sound canned or contrived. Unfortunately, Gore referred to the lockbox seven times during the 90 minute program. He also was caught loudly sighing and rolling his eyes while Bush answered the moderator’s questions. Although polls of the viewing audience said that Gore won the debate 48% to 41%, the vice president was viewed as being arrogant and condescending in appearance. His use of the word “lockbox” was made fun of on Saturday Night Live later in the week. In hindsight, many who follow politics have pointed to the first debate as the reason Vice President Gore failed to become president.

I obtained this pamphlet at the debate while on the road covering the Bush 2000 Presidential campaign.

I also collected a poster that was created for an event in Huntington, West Virginia on October 2, 2000, the night before the first debate. It occurred only five weeks before the general election. West Virginia had leaned toward the Democratic Party during previous elections, but polls showed the candidates, George W. Bush and Al Gore, tied during the 2000 race. Bush wanted to see if he could put the state into the Republican column. Coal mining was the big industry in West Virginia, and in Bush’s speech he stressed that coal played a fundamental role in a balanced energy policy. He ended up winning the state in the general election. It was the first time a Republican had won the state since Reagan in 1984.

I saw this poster just after I left the event. Since the program was over, I took the sign down and added to the collection of campaign memorabilia.