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Debate Pap
Bradley and Gore Get Snide

by David J. Gonzo

Jan. 6, 2000 (AmpolNS) -- NEW YORK -- Last night's Democratic Presidential Debate in New Hampshire, broadcast time-delayed by PBS and moderated by Peter Jennings, covered little new ground -- but revealed two candidates in very different states of mind. Bill Bradley seemed at the advantage, but could not escape his image of aloofness. Al Gore seemed on the defensive last night, and did not perform at the same high level as he has in past televised debates.

The been-there, done-that issues of health care, gays in the military, and campaign cash were present and accounted for. But the big surprise was topic one -- that Lewinsky matter. Bradley lit into Clinton's conduct, and Gore was also critical -- but reminded the public that there was more to this issue than personal conduct, citing partisanship as the driving force behind the scandal. Bradley almost sounded as if he were running against Clinton, not Gore; his comments were meant to cast himself as an independent outsider, but "that" topic coming up so early in the debate did not serve Bradley well.

Gore attacked Bradley repeatedly on Bradley's own health program, which would not save Medicare. Emphasizing and extending his position was indeed partly a tactical move by Gore to raise concerns among lower-income and older voters in New Hampshire, but also served to distinguish Gore's plan from Bradley's.

But Bradley, using a question from a reporter on any of Gore's comments that offended him, was able to combine health and minority issues in a clever defensive move, saying that he was offended that Gore had accused Bradley's plan of hurting Latinos and Blacks. This was a message not so much to New Hampshire as to minority voters that Gore is abusing the race card -- a tactical ploy to put Gore on the defensive. And Gore's response was emphatic, but again defensive-- part of a pattern which Bradley was setting up.

And the payoff came shortly after Gore cast himself as the underdog -- when Bradley said in a snide tone that everytime Gore casts himself as an underdog, "it brings tears to my eyes." It was mean, it was sarcastic -- and it was to our eyes surprisingly effective. Bradley was essentially saying that Gore's underdog act is not wearing well, and people in New Hampshire don't buy it. His line also got laughs -- as did Gore's retort that he hoped his New Hampshire victory would bring tears to Bradley's eyes, which also got a rise from the audience.

It was the defining moment in last night's debate -- but also a barometer of how badly Gore's campaign has been managed. Using the camouflage of the so-called big issues, Bradley had succeeded in casting Gore as the President's boy (on the Lewinsky issue), a liar (health care), and a faux underdog.

Bradley, however, did not answer very strongly when a reporter confronted him about his percieved aloofness -- instead, he seemed just as aloof as always. But Gore also stammered and stumbled in his spontaneous response to a few questions, and at times seemed as if he were trying to gain or regain his train of thought. He looked a little too clumsy for comfort.

In our eyes, Bradley took the night by a wide margin -- but Gore surprised us with his weak showing.