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Debating Our Destiny

The candidates react
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First Presidential Debate:
Part I, Part II, Part III

The 1988 Campaign & Debates

An Interview with President Bush

An Interview with Governor Dukakis

An Interview with Vice President Quayle

NewsHour Coverage of the 1988 Debates

 




JIM LEHRER: We're going to spend most of the rest of the program tonight examining the first Bush/Dukakis debate. We have a report from Chicago about what some voters thought, Gergen & Shields are here, as is a key staff member from each campaign. We begin with some day after remarks from the candidates, themselves. Vice President Bush appeared with Sen. Dan Quayle at a rally this afternoon in Jackson, Tennessee.

Vice President BushVICE PRESIDENT BUSH: One debate down. How did I do? All right. Stay tuned. Stay tuned now for a week from Wednesday and you're going to see some more action. This time you're going to see our man in that arena and he's going to do just fine. You watch. You know, I saw something very important, two different men, two very different approaches to how we solve the problems of America, and the question of who that man to sit at that Oval Office desk is in your hands and it's a big choice, and it's a choice in direction, and the choice you make will determine the course of America's future, because once made, there is no turning back. We cannot gamble with inexperience in that Oval Office. I loved it last night. I loved it when my opponent started talking about housing and I reminded him of the index of interest rates when we came into office, 21 1/2 percent. America does not want that anymore. We will keep on the move. And I'm going to continue that policy of peace through strength. We must never turn our defenses over to a liberal governor or a liberal Congress. We must continue to lead.

Vice President BushSen. Quayle and I, we have a solid agenda for America's future, and so when those big spenders and those big taxers out of Massachusetts want to go to Washington to try to raise our taxes, I'm going to say to them, I'm going to say to those liberal members of the Senate and the Congress, when they push and I'm President, I'm going to stop 'em. They say again, we're going to raise your taxes. I'll say no. They'll try one more time and I'll say no. And they'll try it again, and I'll say, "Read my lips. No new taxes." They can't win. He's got an enormous dilemma. He can't win unless things get worse, but things aren't going to get worse unless he wins. And so he has a tremendous problem. He keeps complaining about everything that's wrong with America, but they were the problem and we are the solution. And lastly, my opponent keeps making vague promises about the need for change. Well, America was stuck, and now we are the change.

Let's keep it moving. Let's keep America prosperous. Let's keep America strong. We came here, Dan Quayle and I, to Western Tennessee, to ask for your support, and if we can get your support, you can say that on a beautiful noon in Tennessee that you met with the next President and the next Vice President of the United States of America. Thank you all and God bless you. Thank you.

CHARLAYNE HUNTER-GAULT: Michael Dukakis was also back on the stump today. He spoke at a post debate victory rally in Cleveland, Ohio.

Gov. Michael DukakisGOV. MICHAEL DUKAKIS, Dem. Presidential Nominee: How many of you saw the debate last night? How many of you liked what you saw? How many of you thought I won? Last night we got down to the real issues in this campaign and you heard Mr. Bush and me debate health care and housing and what we're really going to do to help our kids stay away from drugs and that debt and those deficits that John Glenn talked about. You heard us tell the American people why we want to be President and you heard us offer our visions of America and you learn that the difference between George Bush and me can be measured in our answers to the problems that real people are facing all over the United States of America.

Gov. DukakisWe heard a lot of talk last night from Mr. Bush about the mainstream, but it's clear from what we heard last night that he's willing to leave American families high and dry. I want to provide basic health insurance for every working family in America, and it's about time. And what did George Bush have to say to those 37 million Americans, most of them working families, about health insurance? Not one word. I want to open up the door of college opportunity to every youngster in America who is qualified to do college work. What did George Bush have to say last night to those young people and their families? Not one word. I asked Mr. Bush to explain how he would bring down those massive federal deficits that they've given us for the past eight years without raiding the Social Security Trust Fund. And what did he say? Not one word.

Mr. Bush offers the easy way. He sees no challenges. He offers no solutions and he will lead America nowhere as President of the United States. My friends, I'm not satisfied with that and neither are you. And that's why we're here today.

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