Third Debate Transcript: Page 9

Oct. 17 --

QUESTION: It seems that when we hear about issues of thiscampaign, it’s usually Medicare, Social Security or prescriptiondrugs. As a college professor, I hear a lot of apathy amongst youngpeople …

GORE: Yes.

QUESTION: … who feel that there are no issues directed tothem.

GORE: Yes.

QUESTION: And they don’t plan to vote. How do you address that?

GORE: We’ve got to change it. I spend a good deal of timetalking to young people. And in my standard speech out there on thestump, I usually end my speech by saying I want to ask you forsomething and I want to direct it especially to the young people inthe audience.

And I want to tell you what I tell them: Sometimes peoplewho are very idealistic and have great dreams, as young people do, areapt to stay at arm’s length from the political process because theythink their good hearts might be brittle, and if they invest theirhopes and allow themselves to believe, then they’re going to be letdown and disappointed.

But thank goodness we’ve always had enough people who have beenwilling in every generation to push past the fear of a broken heartand become deeply involved in forming a more perfect union. We’reAmerica. And we believe in our future, and we know we have theability to shape our future.

Now, we’ve got to address one of the — one of the biggestthreats to our democracy and that is the current campaign financingsystem. And I know they say it doesn’t rank anywhere on the polls. Idon’t believe — I don’t believe that’s a fair measure.

I’m telling you, I will make it — I will make the McCain-Feingold campaign finance reform bill the very first measure that Isend to the Congress as president.

Governor Bush opposes it. I wish that he would consider changinghis mind on that because I think that the special interests have toomuch power, and we need to give our democracy back to the Americanpeople.