Gore Mentions Reagan Connection in Bid for Foreign Policy Points
Al Gore’s campaign is releasing at least three new ads focusing on topics from his opponent’s environmental plans to the nation’s economy. Some of the new ads are tailored to specific battleground states. This spot highlights his record on defense and foreign policy.
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For the record:
12:00 a.m. Oct. 19, 2000 For the Record
Los Angeles Times Thursday October 19, 2000 Home Edition Part A Part A Page 3 National Desk 1 inches; 29 words Type of Material: Correction
Al Gore--A graphic in Wednesday’s Times incorrectly said Democratic presidential nominee Al Gore was a U.S. senator when he voted in 1983 to fund the MX missile system. He was a member of the House at the time.
Producer
The Campaign Company, composed of media consultant Carter Eskew and principals from two firms, Squier Knapp Dunn and Shrum Devine Donilon.
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The Script
Announcer: “As a young congressman, he saw the impending danger of global warming. Worked with President Reagan to modernize our ballistic missile forces. Broke with his own party to support the Persian Gulf War. As vice president, he cast the deciding vote to put our nation on the path to a strong economy. He’s been a leader in working to deactivate nearly 5,000 nuclear warheads in the former Soviet Union. Tested by the toughest problems facing America and the world. Ready to lead. Al Gore.”
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The Pictures
Picture of Gore as a congressman. Gore, wearing a shirt and tie, talking. Gore, speaking at a lectern in front of an American flag. Close-up of Gore, looking into the distance.
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Accuracy
It’s true that Gore and some other Senate Democrats agreed in 1983 to back the Reagan administration’s plan to fund the MX missile program. But Gore was a vocal opponent of Reagan’s major defense proposal, the “Star Wars” missile defense system. Republicans say the process to reduce the Soviet Union’s nuclear arsenal began in 1991, before he became vice president. But Gore has served as co-chairman of the U.S.-Russia Bilateral Commission dealing with the issue.
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Scorecard
By invoking Reagan, Gore is trying to show he has a record of bipartisanship and to counter Bush’s mantra of being “a uniter, not a divider.” The ad also seeks to portray Gore as an experienced foreign policy hand after Bush won credit from pundits for his responses to foreign policy questions at the second presidential debate. Moreover, the ad comes at a time when tensions are flaring in the Middle East and in the wake of an attack that killed 17 U.S. sailors in Yemen.
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Read archives of Ad Watch and recent campaign commercials at https://www.latimes.com/adwatch
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