Live Chat: David Gergen
Aug. 16, 2000 -- Has the Democratic Party given Al Gore the mandate he needs to carry him to victory in November?
ABCNEWS' Nightline gave a summary of the day's events from the Democratic Convention. After the broadcast, ABCNEWS.com viewers chatted live with David Gergen, former presidential advisor, and editor-at-large for U.S. News & World Report.
Moderator
Welcome to our conversation with David Gergen. Thanks for joining us, David.
David, what did you think of Sen. Lieberman's speech tonight?
David Gergen
Sen. Lieberman's speech was first rate. It displayed a warmth and authenticity that will be remembered long after the lines themselves. Al Gore has obviously struck people as cool, and they're not quite sure he's authentic. With Joe Lieberman, people saw that he had chosen someone to serve with him who is warm, decent and principled. That will be a plus for the ticket.
Moderator
Did President Clinton's speech on Monday night have the desired effect of establishing Al Gore as the candidate and not just Clinton's vice president?
David Gergen
Clinton's speech was most effective at telling voters the last eight years of prosperity did not come accidentally. Republicans had argued in Philadelphia that the boom was really not a product of the Clinton presidency, and Clinton helped to rebut that.
However, I am very surprised by the degree to which the Democratic speakers in prime time in the two nights since have acted as if a man named Bill Clinton barely exists. They have walked away from him much more than might have been expected after his highly effective speech on Monday night.
Troy says: Gore has served in the Senate, and eight years as VP. Why don't you think the public has a clear picture of who he is?
David Gergen
That's a very good question. In part, it's because as vice president he had to fade into the shadows and become subservient to Bill Clinton.
Even so, one might expect that he would have established his voice as a political leader before now. That's why his speech tomorrow night is so critical — perhaps the most critical event of the campaign — because for one hour he will have the attention of the country, and he can help everyone determine more fully who he is and what he believes.
Moderator
What does Al Gore need to address in his acceptance speech tomorrow at the Democratic National Convention to appeal to independent voters?
David Gergen
There is a debate among Democrats surrounding Gore: whether he should engage in a populist appeal to independents, of the kind he has waged in recent weeks when he has attacked various industries and talked about representing the people versus the powerful. There are some consultants around Gore who would like him to take the populist approach.
On the other hand, there are those who argue that he should appeal more as a New Democrat, as Clinton has done, arguing in favor of a change that is both pro-business and pro-worker.
Clinton has been known for establishing a third way in politics, and it has worked well for him. In my view, Gore would be better advised to take the latter route himself tomorrow night.
leonard says: Given the current strong state of the U.S. economy and the demonstrated (over a couple hundred years) tendency of the U.S. electorate to vote their economic interest, doesn't that bode well for Al Gore?
David Gergen
Given the five percent growth rate in the economy in the second quarter, most models from political scientists would suggest that Al Gore should be ten points ahead at this stage. The fact that he has been running behind all year suggests that he has serious work to do to win the voters' confidence. But if he does well tomorrow night — and he has often risen to the occasion in the past — it is quite possible that he will go ahead in the polls for the first time this year.
I would not be totally surprised if he's ahead by five points by Sunday. Then we would see a very close race for the rest of the fall. But it all depends on him giving a whale of a speech tomorrow night.
Jordan says: You have seen Gore in action in the White House. Can he be a decisive and persuasive domestic and world leader?
David Gergen
He can be very decisive. I've seen that on many occasions. He has a harder time being publicly persuasive. That goes again to that issue of how well he relates to people through television. His burden for the campaign is whether people can begin relating to him emotionally and not just intellectually. I should say that's his challenge, not his burden.
DieHardRepublican says: Does Lieberman seem to be waffling on his affirmative action stance? Before he was against it, but when confronted by Maxine Waters he's all for it.
David Gergen
That's a good question. He has opposed a continuation of affirmative action in some guises. Tonight he embraced the Clinton position: mend it, don't end it. My bet is that in the tumult of the convention, his stance on affirmative action will not become a major issue in the weeks ahead.
Dr. Milone says: First, I wanted to tell you how much I appreciated your fairminded statements on the Gergen-Shields segment of PBS's NewsHour with Jim Lehrer.
This evening I was enjoying the convention speech by Bill Bradley, which was interrupted by an interview segment; what has happened to the full convention coverage that we used to get? Introductory rhetoric can easily be dispensed with, but thoughtful comments are surely worth presenting to the public. What can we do to persuade the media that "talking heads" are not to be preferred over real events?
David Gergen
LOL! Thank you for your compliments! I very much miss my good friend Mark Shields, but I'm happy that he has found an excellent partner in Paul Gigot.
On the substance of your question, it is true that the networks are no longer providing the full coverage they once did. But it is also true that the public is no longer watching in the same numbers.
The Democrats could have ensured that both Bill Bradley and Jesse Jackson got full coverage on the networks if they had positioned them differently in the speaking order. Had Bradley spoken at 10 p.m. ET last night, and they had saved the Kennedys until a little later, both Bradley and the Kennedys would have been covered live.
So the planners of the convention, knowing what the networks are going to do in advance, also bear some responsibility in determining just which speakers you see and which ones, like Jesse Jackson, who gave a powerful speech, do not get as much exposure.
Moderator
With all the talk about inclusion, can we expect a higher voter turnout this year among women, minorities and younger voters?
David Gergen
The early evidence, sadly, suggests that voting will be even lower this year than in 1996, which was the lowest in decades. However, if the race becomes very tight after this Democratic convention and remains close through the fall, it is possible we will see a rise in turnout. What we should worry about most is the fact that the younger generation is tuning out in droves.
Porteram says: Did Jesse Jackson help or hurt Gore with his "stay out the bushes" chant?
David Gergen
I don't think Jesse Jackson had much impact one way or the other because, as a previous questioner suggested, so few people saw his speech.
Jay says: David, can you give us more insight or examples about what you observed of Gore in the White House?
David Gergen
What you saw in that film tonight by Spike Jonze that Ted Koppel played on Nightline was a Gore who has a very dry, droll sense of humor that is often lost in his public appearances.
He also can be very thoughtful and shrewd in thinking through public policy questions. He was consistently one of Bill Clinton's best inside advisors, and I think people saw tonight in that film that Tipper Gore is not only an extremely warm woman, but remembers her roots; fame and fortune have not turned her head.
Moderator
Are there fears about the Reform and Green parties taking votes away?
David Gergen
Yes, there are obvious fears among Democrats that Ralph Nader could siphon off enough votes to cost Al Gore Michigan and other battleground states of the Midwest, perhaps even California, which would be devastating. But let's see where Nader stands a week or two after the Democratic convention, before we'll know how serious the threat remains for the fall.
Moderator
Once the convention is over, can we expect to see Gore rise in the polls much in the same way Bush did after Philadelphia?
David Gergen
I would bet that he does rise, and it is possible, as I said, that he may even go ahead for the first time. Probably the best measure of how much difference the conventionmakes will not be in the polls 72 hours after the convention ends, but in the polls taken around Labor Day. Gore may get a quick surge now, but it could dissipate over time, especially when Republicans have their moment to rebut the Democratic convention.
So we should have the true measure of the race in about two weeks' time. If Gore is then half a dozen points behind, he will be a distinct underdog in the fall. If he's within one or two points, as the Republicans expect, it is likely to be a very, very close election.
suzechris says: Can a vice-presidential candidate create enough energy and momentum to carry a ticket? Has there ever been a VP candidate with as much momentum as Joe Lieberman?
David Gergen
The last time a vice president truly helped a president win the election was in 1960, coming out of another convention in Los Angeles, when Lyndon Johnson was the vice presidential candidate with John F. Kennedy. In an extremely tight election that fall, Johnson delivered Texas to Kennedy, and that put the Democrats over the top.
It would, of course, be an interesting parallel if, coming out of the first Democratic convention in Los Angeles since 1960, Joe Lieberman were to put Al Gore over the top. Maybe he will. He certainly helped him tonight. But I suspect that, in the end, the decision will be made essentially on Gore vs. Bush.
Moderator
David Gergen, thank you for joining us tonight, and thanks to all of you who participated. Good night!