Bush-Gore Match: Jabs But No Killer Blows

Neither Breaks Ahead In First Debate

Kirk Enstrom, NewsNet5 Staff Writer
October 4, 2000, 6:41 p.m. EDT

BOSTON -- Presidential candidates George W. Bush and Al Gore sparred over taxes, the environment and character, neither scoring a direct hit on the other and neither embarrassing himself in the first of three debates before Election Day.

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The issue of character was brought up late in the debate, when moderator Jim Lehrer of PBS asked Bush what character differences he had from his opponent. Bush commented on Gore's successful marriage but questioned his role in President Clinton's White House scandals.

"The man loves his wife, and I appreciate that, and I love mine," Bush said. "I think the country is saying they don't want to be let down again. It's time for a fresh start after a season of cynicism."

Gore responded that he wanted to discuss other issues. He defended his character, distancing himself from Clinton.

"You may want to focus on scandals; I want to focus on results," Gore said. "I stand as my own man, and I want you to see me as I truly am."

The two candidates clashed on several issues throughout the 90-minute debate, concentrating on tax cuts and Social Security. Bush attempted to define Gore as a big-government Democrat, while Gore said that Bush's economic plans would only help the wealthy.

"There are hardworking people in America, and I want to share that money with you," Bush said.

Bush touted his plan to give 5 percent of the budget surplus back through tax cuts, but Gore responded that it would only benefit the wealthiest Americans.

"I agree that the surplus is the American people's money," Gore said. "It's your money. That's why I feel we shouldn't give half of that to the nation's wealthiest 1 percent."

Gore said his budget would help the middle-class more than Bush's proposal, but Bush countered that it would only lead to bigger government.

"His plan will create 20,000 new bureaucrats and empower Washington. Mine will empower all Americans," Bush said.

Gore blasted Bush's Social Security plan, saying that investing some of the funds would be irresponsible.

"Social security under that approach would go bankrupt during this generation," Gore said.

Bush said that his plan would be more financially responsible than the current system. He claimed that the investments would help the Social Security fund grow faster than it can under the current system.

"The money stays in the social security system," Bush said. "I want you to get a better return on your money than the paltry 2 percent it gets today."

Bush took the offensive early, attacking Gore and the Clinton administration on their oil policy. Bush called for increasing domestic reserves of fuel by drilling in certain areas of the Alaskan wilderness.

"There's an abundant supply of coal in America," Bush said. "We need to develop our reservoirs of domestic production."

Gore said that he agreed with Bush's call for new investments in clean coal technology, but he argued that environmental concerns should take precedence over oil exploration.

"But (we can't drill) in the environmental treasures in our country," Gore said.

In light of increasing fuel costs, Bush criticized the Clinton administration's fuel policy, saying, "I would first say you should have been tackling it for the last four years."

The two also sparred on abortion, a topic that had not come up much before Tuesday's debate. Bush said he did not think a president could overturn the decision to allow RU-486, the so-called abortion drug, to be used in the United States.

While he would not say whether he would support legislation to ban RU-486, Bush said that he wanted to move the country in a direction away from abortions.

"I think a noble goal for this country is that every child born and unborn should be welcomed to life," Bush said.

Gore said that he supports a woman's right to choose, and he warned that the next president would appoint three or four Supreme Court justices, which could affect abortion rights in the future.

"(Bush) trusts the government to order a woman to do what it thinks she ought to do," Gore said. "I trust women to make the decision to do what's right for their lives and their bodies."

According to Associated Press, on the first foreign policy issue to come up, Gore and Bush agreed they would not use force to try and remove Slobodan Milosevic from power in Yugoslavia, even though they agreed he had been defeated in recent elections and should give up power.

To keep the candidates cool, university officials turned the thermostat inside the Clark Athletic Center gym well below 65 degrees.

The bipartisan group is sponsoring all four debates with the idea that they will be shown on as many TV networks as possible. Most were carrying the first one, but the Associated Press reported that NBC gave its affiliates a choice between the baseball playoffs and the debate, while FOX went with its series premiere of "Dark Angel."

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