“I stand here tonight as my own man” — with those words Al Gore accepted the Democratic party’s nomination and the election campaign began in earnest. First order of business for Gore — Revelation: “I want you to know me for who I truly am.”
The Al Gore on display last night was an engagingly square guy with a big heart and a big brain. He was also recognizably — a Democrat — in the old fashioned sense, staking out his territory as the champion of working families, guaranteeing the continuation of New Deal/New Frontier/War on Poverty programs, and promising to fight against big corporations and special interests. He was also recognizably a new Democrat — promising tax cuts for the middle class.
The speech played well in the hall — but will it play well in the rest of the country? Election 2000 is truly underway.
(Hosted by Michael Goldfarb)
Guests:
Nicholas Lemann, Staff Writer for The New Yorker
Jack Beatty, Senior Editor at The Atlantic Monthly
David Maraniss, Washington Post reporter and co-author of The Prince of Tennessee.