Analysis of Clinton Speeches

Aug. 15 -- Bill Clinton reminded voters of his political charisma last night — and that’s not necessarily good news for Al Gore, analysts said.

Clinton’s speech was 80 percent touting his own achievements and 20 percent boosting Al Gore, former Clinton press secretary Dee Dee Myers said on Good Morning America. That should make the Gore people “mostly happy,” she said.

But ABCNEWS political consultant Tucker Carlson disagreed.

“Clinton made a very strong case that he was a good president, but when he got around to the time to talk about why Gore ought to be president, he essentially said, well, I had lunch with him a lot, he’s good on technology issues and that was virtually it,” Carlson said.

Whether or not it helped Gore, Minnesota Gov. Jesse Ventura called Clinton’s speech “electrifying.”

“If the Constitution … would permit him, I believe he could be elected for a third term,” Ventura, who was the Reform Party’s highest elected official before leaving the third party, told NBC’s Today show.

Gore, who watched Clinton’s speech from his hotel room, called the president’s farewell a great one. “It’s a handoff, a passing of the torch.”

Setting the Scene

As for Hillary Clinton’s speech, ABCNEWS political director Mark Halperin said she was trying to appeal to the heavily Democratic constituency in New York, juggling her Senate candidacy with explaining her support for Gore. In the end, she hewed to a more partisan line than her husband.

“She probably reinforced support with those who like her already, but there was little in her speech that would seem to appeal to swing voters, or voters already against her,” he said.

The president’s speech could have mentioned Gore earlier and more often, said ABCNEWS political consultant George Stephanopoulos. But it set the scene for Gore’s address on Thursday, he said.