Third Debate Transcript: Page 11

Oct. 17 --

LEHRER: Vice President Gore?

GORE: I support the death penalty. I think that it has to beadministered not only fairly, with attention to things like DNAevidence, which I think should be used in all capital cases, but alsowith very careful attention. If, for example, somebody confesses tothe crime and somebody’s waiting on death row, there has to bealertness to say, wait a minute, have we got the wrong guy?

If the wrong guy is put to death, then that’s a double tragedy.Not only has an innocent person been executed but the real perpetratorof the crime has not been held accountable for it, and in some casesmay be still at large. But I support the death penalty in the mostheinous cases.

LEHRER: Do both of you believe that the death penalty actuallydeters crime?

Governor?

BUSH: I do, that’s the only reason to be for it. Let me finishthat — I don’t think you should support the death penalty to seekrevenge. I don’t think that’s right. I think the reason to supportthe death penalty is because it saves other people’s lives.

LEHRER: Vice President Gore?

GORE: I think it is a deterrence. I know that’s a controversialview, but I do believe it’s a deterrence.

LEHRER: All right.

Next question is for you, Vice President Gore, and Thomas Fisher(ph) will ask it.

Mr. Fisher (ph)?

QUESTION: Yes, my sixth grade class at St. Clair (ph) Schoolwanted to ask of all these promises you guys are making and all thepledges, will you keep them when you’re in office?

GORE: Yes.

(LAUGHTER)

I am a person who keeps promises. And you know, we’ve heard alot from the governor about not much being done in the last eightyears, as if the promises that I made eight years ago have not beenkept. I think the record shows otherwise.

We have gone from the biggest deficits, eight years ago, to thebiggest surpluses in history today. Instead of high unemployment, wenow have the lowest African-American unemployment, the lowest Latinounemployment ever measured, 22 million new jobs, very low unemploymentnationally. Instead of ballooning the debt and multiplying it fourtimes over, we have seen the debt actually begun to be paid down.