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| DOWN TO THE WIRE | |
 October 25, 2000  |
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Four governors share their perspectives on the deadlocked presidential race.
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MARGARET WARNER: And we get that perspective from the
governors of four states where the campaign is particularly hard- fought
right now: Two Democrats-- Gray Davis of California, and Tom Vilsack
of Iowa; and two Republicans-- Tommy Thompson of Wisconsin, and Tom
Ridge of Pennsylvania. Welcome, gentlemen. Governor Davis, why do you think this year we have the closest presidential race in decades? |
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| The closest presidential race in decades | |||||||||||
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MARGARET WARNER: But Governor Ridge, usually at this point in a campaign, less than two weeks to go, one candidate is essentially doing victory laps around the country. And is time, nobody seems to have the momentum. Just when it appears one is getting a little, the other one comes forward. What do you think is really happening?
MARGARET WARNER: All right. Governor Vilsack, I'm going to see if I can get you to take a crack at this national picture, because another interesting thing that's happening not only are the national polls very tight, the battlefield of states keeps expanding. I mean, people are not coming to a final decision. Why do you think that is? GOV. TOM VILSACK: Well, I think it is reflective of modern day politics and the tremendous amount of information that people can get on a daily basis concerning the campaign and the issues. I mean, just yesterday we found out about the Texas education system that perhaps it is not what it was cracked up to be. As voters learn more information about the candidates, about their records and about the positions, they have a tendency to change. So I think it is a reflection of the opportunity to access information on the Internet, through television, through radio, through commercials, through direct mail, through phones. It is not surprising to me that people are going back and forth on this. But I will tell you, I agree with Gray Davis. The fact is we've had eight years of enormous prosperity, 22 million new jobs, the lowest crime rate in 27 years, the best environmental record in 25 years, the greatest support for public education in 30 years and an expansion of health care for children, all of which I think played to Al Gore's strengths. |
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| Gore and Bush: lacking in appeal? | |||||||||||
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MARGARET WARNER: But then the question would be, Governor Vilsack, with all of those conditions ordinarily, the Vice President would have been able to close the deal a long time ago. So why hasn't he?
MARGARET WARNER: Governor Thompson, pick up on point that Governor Vilsack made. Do you think that the closeness does say something about the amazing amount of information that Americans have? GOV. TOMMY THOMPSON: Well there is no question about that, Margaret. First thank you for having us on the program. But, sure there is a lot of information. But there's no question that this race is going to come right down to the finish line, and both candidates have done a very good job of getting their message out. But the truth of the matter is that Al Gore is trying to scare the American public. He's trying to get people like the Democrats always do at the last end, trying to scare people into the voting booth. It is just not going to work this year. In education, Texas has become a leader under George W. Bush. And all the experts, the National Education Goals Panel has indicated that Texas is a leader. George Bush has led in so many areas. And people just don't trust Al Gore. And they don't want to continue and the reason that it is so close is that people really want a new direction. If they didn't want a new direction, Al Gore would be winning by overwhelming amounts. But because they don't trust Al Gore, they feel that they want a new leader, and that leader is going to be George W. Bush, and the momentum is swinging in Wisconsin like it is in Pennsylvania -- two target states that are going to help George Bush carry the election. MARGARET WARNER: All right, but, Governor Thompson, if the public really wanted a change and they didn't trust the other guy, Governor Bush would have it in the bag by now. Why doesn't he?
MARGARET WARNER: Governor Davis, both the Republican governors have mentioned voter doubts about Al Gore, about his honesty and sincerity; and surveys do suggest that voters have doubts about both candidates. How much of those doubts, do you think there is a resistance to either one of these candidates; that that's part of the difficulty that they are having in making the sale? GOV. GRAY DAVIS: Well, it could be. But in the end, people want a President who shares their views and who has a proven track record. Al Gore has been part of the most successful economic recovery in the history of the world. And he can take some credit for enormous environmental education and health care improvements. Moreover, on issues that matter here and around the country on gun control, Al gore is for it, George Bush is against it. A woman's right to choose, Al Gore supports it strongly. George Bush signed 17 laws, no, 20 laws in Texas restricting a woman's right to choose. On education, Al Gore is opposed to vouchers; George Bush is for it. So on the issues, Al Gore is clearly resonating with Californians and I dare say most of Americans. And even though he's being outspent about $10 million to 0 since the convention out here, we still have polls showing him ahead between 5 and 7 points. |
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| Understanding voters' doubts | |||||||||||
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GOV. GRAY DAVIS: Well, it could be. But in the end, people want a president who shares their views and who has a proven track record. Al Gore has been part of the most successful economic recovery in the history of the world. And he can take some credit for enormous environmental education and health care improvements. Moreover, on issues that matter here and around the country on gun control, Al gore is for it, George Bush is against it. A woman's right to choose, Al Gore supports it strongly. George Bush signed 17 laws, no, 20 laws in Texas restricting a woman's right to choose. On education, Al Gore is opposed to vouchers; George Bush is for it. So on the issues, Al Gore is clearly resonating with Californians and I dare say most of Americans. And even though he's being outspent about $10 million to 0 since the convention out here, we still have polls showing him ahead between 5 and 7 points. MARGARET WARNER: Governor Ridge, do you want to weigh in on that in terms of the resources question? Everyone seems to be bringing it up. GOV. TOM RIDGE: Well, I think at the end of the day you shake it all out. Between national and state expenditures, the parties will be fairly equal. But I think the important thing to note the last two weeks is that the issues are sharpened. There is a clear difference in how the individuals would govern; there is a clear difference in philosophy and I believe most people have made a determination now on the issues and if you have got 10 to 12 percent undecided, they're going to be looking toward character traits, personality traits. The one thing that I find and all of the surveys across the country verify that there is a certain likeability about Governor Bush. People like him. They respect him. They can relate to him.
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| Campaigning on personal qualities | |||||||||||
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MARGARET WARNER: Okay, Governor Vilsack, do you agree with Governor Ridge that, in the end, these final uncommitted or undecided or swing voters, that it will be personal qualities that they look to? GOV. TOM VILSACK: Not necessarily. I'll tell you, I listened to Governor Ridge and Governor Thompson. I tell you, they must have had a tough, tough job the last couple of days going around talking about George Bush's record. When you are 48th in the country in terms of health care coverage for children and you're 47th in the country in SAT scores, that's a tough, tough sell. When you are trying to talk about the shell game that George Bush is talking about with reference to Social Security, it is pretty clear you can't spend $1 trillion twice and not affect and impact somebody.
MARGARET WARNER: Governor Thompson, your view on how these personal qualities are going to play out in the end and how important they are. GOV. TOMMY THOMPSON: You know, I really love my friends on the other side. You know, they always want to try and tear down. George Bush wants to talk to the American public in a straight, plain way and tell the people, you know, I want to improve education. I don't want to talk about it, I want to really get the job done. I want to reform Medicare. I want to give the senior citizen prescription drugs and I don't want to talk about it like the Democrats did in 1992 and '96 and promised it and never get it done, and only bring it up during campaigns. I want to reform and save Social Security; I want to make sure the elderly get the promises made and be able to make sure that they are kept. I want to be able to help the young people be able to save and be able to continue Social Security in a vibrant manner so you don't have to cut Social Security and raise taxes. I don't want to use it as a political dodge like the Democrats do. MARGARET WARNER: Okay. GOV. TOMMY THOMPSON: And when you put all of this together, they are going to go for George W. Bush, and that's why he's going to win. MARGARET WARNER: Governor, thank you. Governors all four, thank you all. |
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GOV.
GRAY DAVIS: Well, any time there is an open race for the presidency,
obviously a lot is at stake and people are making up their mind over
the next couple weeks. But I believe, given the enormous prosperity
that Americans have enjoyed the last eight years, the reduction in crime,
the number of people on welfare, that Americans will do the right thing,
and support Al Gore. Some sage said a long time ago, if you are crossing
-- if you have to change horses while you are crossing a stream, make
sure you get on one going in the same direction. 
GOV.
TOM RIDGE: Well, first of all, I think it is a hotly contested race.
I think it's going to be that way until the very end and all the states
that are represented on your program tonight. But I'll tell you a little
bit about the momentum in Pennsylvania. And since the end of September,
it is swinging definitely in Governor Bush's direction. They like Governor
Bush. They view Vice President Gore as lacking in credibility, three
different Al Gores showed up at three different debates. Pennsylvania
likes the tax cut proposal that Governor Bush has put forward. The only
thing they have to show is they work and they know they are all going
to get it under the Vice President's plan, you are going to have to
check with your accountant. And if you do things the way that Al Gore
wants it, you'll be able to get a tax cut. We like Governor Bush's education
proposal because we have 501 local school districts. Vice President
Gore spent the past eight years promoting symbols. We want to give you
some teachers; we want to fix your roofs. But Governor Bush has been
talking about empowering teachers more flexibility at the local level,
more money, higher standards. So I think it is hotly contested around
the country and will be to the end. But I'm going to tell you in Pennsylvania,
the momentum is coming Governor Bush's way. 
GOV.
TOM VILSACK: Well, there's a significant difference between the resources
that the two parties have put into this campaign. I mean, it is true
that the presidential candidates have matching funds, but the Republican
Party had a great deal more in terms of resources in this period of
time from mid September to mid October. In my state, for example, there
were significantly more Bush ads on television than there were Gore
ads. That make as difference. People pay attention to those ads. Now,
what we're beginning to see in the waning days of this campaign is an
evening out of the media, and I think that's why you are seeing a shift
back to Vice President Gore.
GOV.
TOMMY THOMPSON: Well, challengers always have the most difficult time
because they have the power of the White House. And they have all the
opportunities on a daily basis for the last four years, to get their
message out. A challenger has a much more difficult time. He has to
build his organization. He has to raise the money. And I disagree with
Tom Vilsack from Iowa. The Democrats have a lot more money. They have
got a lot more special interest money coming in on targeted desperation
ads that are trying to tear down George Bush's record. George Bush doesn't
want to go into that; he doesn't want that cynicism. He wants to be
positive; he wants to deliver on Social Security and Medicare and education
-- something that the Democrats have talked about for eight years and
have failed to live up to their promises in any one of these areas.
MARGARET
WARNER: Governor Davis, both the Republican governors have mentioned
voter doubts about Al Gore, about his honesty and sincerity; and surveys
do suggest that voters have doubts about both candidates. How much of
those doubts, do you think there is a resistance to either one of these
candidates; that that's part of the difficulty that they are having
in making the sale? 
One
of the incredible differences in terms of approach during the three
debates was that you had a Vice President, you were not sure which one
was going to show up. But he was very preachy; he was occasionally aggressive.
Sometimes he was petulant; sometimes he was irksome. You did not quite
know who he was going to be and what he was going to do. But Governor
Bush is a pretty plainspoken guy; and the fact that 29 of his colleagues
who know him well, we know his record in Texas. We know his heart. We
have been barnstorming for reform around the country for the past three
days. People are responding very well to that. And I think at the end
of the day in a hotly contested election, the fact is that the people
that remain undecided, they are going to be driven by the fact that
Governor Bush is someone they respect. He did very well in the foreign
policy area on the debates; he's got a track record in Texas in spite
of the gross, gross distortions, particularly this recent education
study that comes out and not surprisingly, 12 hours later it is part
of a commercial. Someone wonders about the origin and the relationship
between the study and the campaign. Having said that, Governor Bush
will prevail in a tight race. 
There
is no question that at the end of the day what people are going to say
to themselves is this: When I go to bed at night, when I put my children
to sleep at night, what kind of person do I want in the White House?
Do I want somebody that's still going to be up after my light's out,
somebody who's going to be working in the Oval Office, someone who understands
the issues, someone who is serious about the issues, someone who has
a depth of understanding about the issues -- or do I want someone who
has a superficial understanding of the issues? And I think that's the
reason why Americans as this election draws to a close, are beginning
to go to Al Gore because they realize that Al Gore is going to keep
the light on in the Oval Office at night. He's going to continue to
work. He's going to be serious about their problems. And he has been,
as Gray Davis indicated, part of an administration that has made a difference
in education, has made a difference in health care, has made our community
safer, our environment cleaner and he's going to continue to do that
work. 
I
want to be straightforward with the American public; I want to break
down the cynicism. And that's why George Bush is going to win this election.
People know that George Bush will tell the truth. They can't say the
same thing about Al Gore. They never know which Al Gore is going to
show up. Is the one that's hot, the one that's mad, the one that's petulant
-- is it the one that's going to tell the truth this time? Or is he
going to try - you know -- and exaggerate the truth like he has and
on so many occasions been caught? People don't trust Al Gore.