FREE ESSAY ON GORE - BUSH DEBATE RESULTS

GORE - BUSH DEBATE RESULTS

Bradley
October 23, 2000
Gore- Bush Debate Results
George W. Bush and Al Gore are the two major candidates in this November's election.
There have already been three debates between the candidates and they have been
campaigning for over 8 months. The polls have showed that the race is head to head and
will most likely come down to some key battleground states, like Michigan, Wisconsin,
Florida and Missouri. Swing voters will also decide the election. As Election Day draws
closer Bush and Gore will likely look to mobilize their bases and entice swing voters to
elect them. The three debates were good forums for the candidates to discuss their issues
and show their personalities. The debates were also good at showing the candidates
strengths and weaknesses. Since the first debate you could see how each candidates
electoral strategy evolved with the situation. I will clearly explain how Bush and Gore's
party ideology has shaped their campaign strategies.
To begin, the first debate, which was done in traditional debate style, was fairly calm
and the candidates mainly stuck to the issues. When this debate aired Gore had a small
lead over Bush. After the debate Bush had a lead over Gore. Neither candidate brought up
any new issues and neither resorted to mudslinging. Also, pre-debate analysis suggested
that Al Gore should fair better in the traditional style of debate. So what happened?
What happened was, as Bush would answer his questions Gore was squirming around and
rolling his eyes while a camera was on him. It looked rather childish and was annoying
and while Gore stated that he didn't know cameras were on him I think it still hurt him
in the polls.
The second debate, which was done in a talk show style, was more interesting and the
tables had turned on the candidates. This time Gore was going into the debate with a
deficit. Both candidates fared fairly well in this debate. On the issue of health care,
Bush proposed vouchers while Gore proposed a national health care plan. Bush's voucher
ideal follows his party's (republican) ideology of keeping government small and
competitive with private corporations. National health care is a very liberal, almost
socialist idea that follows the views of the Democratic Party. Health care is also a
targeted issue towards waitress moms, a swing group found in states such as Missouri and
Kentucky. Gore's plan for every child to have health care in four years appeals to this
swing group. Gore also attacked Bush's health care record by saying Texas ranks 49th in
the U.S. for percentage of women and children with health care and 50th in the U.S. for
families with health care. Bush had little response to this but to explain that it was
improving. 
When it comes to foreign policy bush feels that we need to protect our interests as a
nation. When it comes to military action he feels we should fight for oil. Bush feels
that we don't have any interests in Africa, other than the Middle East, and that is
because of oil. These ideas, while along party lines, alienate African-Americans, a
minority group not known for voting for Republicans. Bush also said that foreign aid
should go to countries to help create markets. I think foreign aid should go to countries
that are suffering from famine and disease, even if markets are "uncreatable". Bush wants
to help create markets in Central and South America because, he says, "they are in our
Hemisphere". 
One issue Bush used to intensify his base was gun control. While he is for gun-show
background checks, and agrees with current gun law, he will use Gore's photo I.D.
proposal to mobilize and intensify his base. Also Bush handed out free trigger locks in
the state of Texas to anyone with a gun that wanted one. The record of this is very
appealing to the swing group SUV moms who prefer GOP economics but worry about the safety
of their children. On the issue of environment, Gore's goals and programs follow that of
Democratic tradition, and it is also an issue that Gore has an advantage over Bush on. In
this debate however Gore mentioned just a few points; Detroit and Gore are ready to start
producing environmentally friendly cars, which appeals to the swing group blue-collar
duos because new technology will bring new and better jobs. This group is especially
important in Michigan and Missouri where the race is extremely close. Gore also proposes
tax incentives for people who use "green" technology. Gore attempted to make an attack on
Bush by revealing his proposed oil exploration mission in the National Arctic Wildlife
Refuge, to which Bush replied didn't the Clinton\Gore administration drill into Prudhoe
Bay in Alaska". Bush's response surely motivated his base because they find his wit to be
his top asset.
On the issue of education the two have very different views. Gore feels that teachers
need to be tested, schools should remain in local control, and that schools need to be
held accountable. He feels that schools should be held accountable for student
performance on tests. Bush feels that schools need to be accountable, but he thinks if
the school isn't up to top performance then money should be taken from the school and
given to parents in the form of a voucher for private or parochial schools.
Lastly, the final debate was a town meeting style, with the audience asking questions.
This debate focused a lot on their tax plans. Gore is constantly saying that Bush's tax
plan benefits the top 1% and Bush says he's exaggerating and that his numbers are
"tricky". Gore's tax plan would need hundreds of new IRS agents, but more tax relief goes
to the middle class. The problem with the tax issue is that both plans are so complicated
you have to be an economist to understand or explain it. As the final debate drew to a
close both candidates were cautious with their answers, knowing they wouldn't get a
better opportunity to explain themselves.
In conclusion, the way Bush approaches social security, education reform, gun law reform,
abortion and foreign policy is all along traditional GOP lines. For example,
privatization of Social Security and education are republican ideas. Gore's views on the
same issues plus, environment, energy and affirmative action are all along traditional
Democratic lines. This election has been called by Ralph Nader "an election between the
same two people", which I somewhat agree with. Since the beginning of the campaign trail
Bush has been running on his charisma while Gore has been running on issues. Now, as
Election Day draws near, the differences, although slight, and possibly due to party
affiliation, now appear.