The Media And The 2000 Campaign Essay

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The Media And The 2000 Campaign Essay, Research Paper For much of the 2000 campaign for the Presidency, Vice President Al Gore has been seen the candidate who will win this year?s Presidential Election. The polls show Gore as leading, political analysts have been saying ?Gore all the way,? and most of the general public seem to be in agreement that Gore will succeed President Bill Clinton. But recently, the past two Presidential debates have seemed to abolish the idea that Vice President Al Gore will easily be elected President over Texas Governor George W. Bush. Al Gore known as an assertive, well-spoken, intellect with plenty of political experience has been both praised and criticized for his approach to debates. Everyone knows that Gore is a very intelligent, energetic,

and liberal candidate; but many lack appreciation for the way he plays down his counterparts. Gore comes across on televison as an arrogant person, who uses very aggressive tactics in exposing his opponents vulnerabilities. His preparation and approach to the debates is impeccable, this can be credited to the fact that he has been involved in such debates since 1988. On the front page of the October 2, 2000 The Washington Post, Ceci Connolly and Dan Balz depict the two candidates and their respective styles of debating. The two journalists give a general overview of what to expect from these two candidates in the upcoming Presidential Debates. Connolly mentions that restraint would have to be Gore?s top challenge, insinuating that he would have to refrain from lashing his

opponent too frequently, which could make him appear tasteless to the audience. Even though Gore?s approach sometimes rubs his opponents the wrong way, Connolly does agree with most that Gore is a successful debater. She states, ?For all of the criticism of Gore?s robotic style, discipline has been a key element of his debating style.? On the other platform George W. Bush seems to have different strategies and tendencies in his debating technique. Dan Balz believes Bush is inconsistent, however, his largest weapon is the fact that he is underestimated. Bush being more of a newcomer to the national debate scene more so than Gore, tends to seem nervous and flustered when on stage. According to other political observers Bush is not as knowledgeable as Gore; he is not prone to go

into great details, but he does however communicate with people at a much more understandable level than Gore. Although inconsistent, Balz believes that Bush has risen to the occasion at the time of previous debates(Republican Primaries), and believes Bush can prove himself in the upcoming Presidential Debates. He predicts that Bush could prove to be a formidable opponent for the Vice President. Following the first Presidential Debate, Dan Balz and Terry M. Neal of The Washington Post reported the debate in an article on October 4, 2000. In a debate full of clashing, noticeable body language, and critique the morning headline read ?Gore, Bush Clash Sharply On Issues in First Debate?. The article describes in detail the events of the debate, but also leaves you with a good mental

image of each candidate. The two journalist give a good description of the emotional state of Bush and his campaign staff prior to the debate, where they portray him almost to be immature, and persistent in taking cheap shots at Al Gore. Referring to Gore, ?We?re ready for Jekyll or Hyde,? said Mark McKinnon a member of the Bush team. The quote shows the party?s willingness to insult Gore behind the scenes, but Bush isn?t prepared enough to do so in the big show. However, the two journalists mention Gore and his days leading up to the debate, but do not give specifics or direct quotes concerning Bush, almost as if they are protecting the Vice President. By portraying Bush in such a manner, the paper makes Gore look more laid back and experienced, possibly winning him votes. In