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Al Gore was the last sitting vice president to run for president, and his debate against George W. Bush was full of sighs and lockboxes and lessons for Harris, writes John Casey.
You have a law school graduate and sitting vice president running against an opponent who many deride as a moron, to put it mildly. As the VP, you are linked to your boss, the president, and you have to find some way of highlighting the good that you did in his administration, with carving out a niche of your own.
Though you’ve been vice president for years, voters still don’t know who you are, and that's because that is an outcome of the vice presidency, to not overshadow the president. You are supremely smart, and known for having an impeccable grasp of the facts. You’re charismatic, telegenic, well-spoken, and a formidable candidate for the presidency.
The election is a nail-biter, with polls swinging back and forth to each candidate. Experts, pundits, and pollsters predict a razor-thin margin separating the winner from the loser.
The same things surrounding the candidacy of former Vice President Al Gore and his race against former President George W. Bush in 2000, can be said about the current nominee Vice President Kamala Harris and her opponent former President Donald Trump.
Clearly there are major differences between all of the candidates — most especially Bush and Trump — say what you want about “W” but he did believe fervently in democracy.
Now, as Harris heads into her much-anticipated debate against Trump, there are echoes of what was expected of Gore back in 2000. He was going to clean Bush’s clock, wipe the floor with him, and knock him out in the first round; however, the debate didn’t turn out that way. Immediately following the debate, it appeared that Gore had won because he was better read on the issues; however, it was Bush’s poll numbers that spiked post-debate.
The pundits who said Gore came back the next day were not so sure. Gore came off as one of those know-it-all kids from school, who couldn’t control his emotions, couldn’t keep his mouth shut, and seemingly talked down to average viewers.
For some fun, if that’s what you want to call it, I went back and watched parts of that debate, and I think there are lessons to be learned from Gore’s performance for Vice President Harris.
Here’s what Vice President Harris needs to do in her match against Trump:
Gore famously sighed throughout his debate with Bush - when you watch it again, it is laughable, especially how Bush reacted. Further, Gore was so animated — negatively —shaking his head while Bush was speaking.
Sure, Harris will probably want to do more than sigh while Trump lies, and lies and lies. How do you comport yourself when the guy standing only six feet away, is nonsensical and dishonest? Harris is best served by keeping her head down, writing notes (or at least pretending to), and not paying any attention to Trump while he yammers.
Think about this. If she doesn’t engage with Trump’s taunts, and lies, and ignores him, it might be Trump who does more than sigh. Being ignored is something Trump cannot stand. While Trump might try to comport himself, he is most likely the one to lose his cool.
Re-watching the Gore v. Bush debate, I did a few eye rolls, and they were mostly at Gore who just could not help himself by continually asking for more time, an opportunity to rebut Bush, and ask for things that were out of the agreed upon format.
The sense you got, and the question you ask yourself is, “Well, if Gore is running a meeting in the White House, would anyone else get a chance to speak, or challenge him?”
Harris is wicked smart, and I have no doubt that she’ll maintain her composure throughout the debate. Trump is going to try and rattle her, which might make her feel like she needs to respond, say more, or fact-check him.
When you watch Gore answer the questions, he inexplicably doesn’t try to relate to the average voter. As I was watching, I forgot how Gore came off as lecturing instead of informing. I don’t think Harris is the type of person who will sound like a pompous college professor.
Gore grew up in wealth and in politics as his father was a U.S. Senator. Harris, as we all know, worked at McDonalds, and had to pull herself up by her bootstraps.
So, the reason why I talk about Gore’s egotism is because Harris can swing this the opposite way. She doesn’t have to tell people how difficult and expensive it is for child care, but rather talk about her own experience seeing how costs affect communities. She needs to show her humility through her lived experience, and then go into explaining how her policies will help. Gore just told you he had all the answers without telling you why.
Plus, Gore sounded so monotone.
Does everyone remember “lockbox”? Along with those infamous sighs, Gore kept repeating that he’d put social security and Medicare in a “lockbox.” In 2000, there wasn’t such a thing as Memes and social media reactions that panned the candidates, instead all eyes were on Saturday Night Live.
I went back and watched Darrell Hammond (Al Gore) and Will Ferrell `(George W. Bush) hilariously spoof the two candidates during the debate. Their impressions were spot on, and Hammond’s repeating over and over and over ways to define the lockbox.
Today, we have Memes that will take care of parodies in an instant. Plus, SNL doesn’t debut until September 28 this year, a lifetime away from today.
Harris doesn’t need to get cute or come up with buzz-worthy terms like “lockbox.” Trump will likely dominate social media with any number of exaggerations, lies and wild, crazy and off-the-wall stories. Ironically, Hammond as Gore talked about a woman who was attacked by a shark. If Harris is lucky, Trump will retell his buffoonish story comparing a shark attack to electrocution.
It sounds so cliche, I know, but in this case, it’s oh-so-true. Gore was trying to be someone else, or maybe that’s who he really is. In any event, Harris doesn’t need to be reprogrammed by aides to do this debate. She’s fine just the way she is. And if she wants to laugh at the size of Trump's hands, or at his shark story, she should go right ahead!
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