Good Morning America Transcript - Al Gore and Wife, Tipper, Discuss Campaign Statements and Issues

SHOW: GOOD MORNING AMERICA (7:00 AM ET)
November 6, 2000, Monday
HEADLINE: VICE PRESIDENT AL GORE AND WIFE, TIPPER, DISCUSS CAMPAIGN STATEMENTS AND ISSUES
ANCHORS: CHARLES GIBSON

BODY:
CHARLES GIBSON, co-host: So, with all that as set up, joining us now, Vice President Al Gore and his wife, Tipper, from one of the final stops on the campaign trail, Waterloo, Iowa. And by the way, we should mention again, we also asked Go—Governor George W. Bush to join us personally this morning, but he declined our invitation.

Mr. Vice President, 24 hours from now people are going to be voting. So what one thing can you say at this point that will totally change the political landscape?

Vice President AL GORE (Democratic Presidential Candidate): I think people want to keep our prosperity going, Charlie. They want to extend it to everyone, and they want a president who will fight for middle class families and working men and women. Tipper and I are out here in front of the John Deere plant here in Waterloo, Iowa, talking to people sometime ago as they were coming into work. And I think we've clearly got the momentum in this campaign. We're—we're moving to victory tomorrow evening.

GIBSON: This is a breathtakingly close election. Are there—can you give me three states you're going to particularly closely watch tomorrow night?

Vice Pres. GORE: Well, we're going to watch them all, but I think that Florida, Michigan, and Pennsylvania will be among those that we'll watch. Missouri and Wisconsin—you know, you don't want to—you don't want to exclude any of them, but those would be the ones that I think both campaigns are focused on right now.

GIBSON: Let me ask you both, and I'll start with you, Mr. Vice President, why is this election so close? When you look at this objectively, and as people looked at it six months ago, the incumbent party dealt a very strong hand here. We have full employment in the United States. We have unparalleled prosperity in terms of wealth created. We have low interest rates. We have low inflation. We have few perils to our nation overseas. So you were dealt a very strong hand coming into this election, and yet it's still close. Why?

Vice. Pres. GORE: Well, we started out 20-points behind. And it's close because it's taken us all year to make up that 20-point gap. And the good news is, we've—we've made up the gap. And going into Election Day 24 hours from now, we clearly have the momentum. This is going to be a great Election Day tomorrow, Charlie. But I want to encourage all of those who want a president who will fight for the average citizen and who will keep our economy moving strongly to get out to the polls and vote and take folks with them.

GIBSON: Mrs. Gore, what would you say to that question?

Ms. TIPPER GORE: Well, I think that people are busy. A lot of people are working a couple of jobs. They've got families, they've got kids, and many of them are just beginning to focus in. On a lot of close elections, like the one that elected John Kennedy 40 years ago, people just—people just didn't decide until—until the last minute. So we're looking for every vote. We're talking to people about how important it is to look for a president that will provide them experience and leadership. And I think Al Gore offers that.

GIBSON: Mr. Vice President, you have used very strong rhetoric in the last weekend of this campaign. You said in a Memphis church on Saturday, and I'm quoting you now, "I am taught that good overcomes evil, if we choose that outcome." Is this election about good vs. evil in your mind?

Vice Pres. GORE: Oh, no, Charlie. That's about civil rights and the hate crimes law, and if you look at what I said, I was saying that every single one of us, me included, has the potential for both of those things in our lives. That's what my faith tradition teaches me. And all of us have to—to decide to do what's right and to—to do the right thing in our communities and in our lives.

No, I respect my opponent. And I think that what this race is all about is whether or not we're going to have a president who will fight for the people who need somebody to stand up to the special interests when they—when their interests conflict with the public interest. I've done that for 24 years. I want to keep this economy growing strongly and make sure that it—it grows in a way that lifts up those who have been left behind.

GIBSON: You, also on the subject of civil rights, in that same address, you said that your opponent had shown indifference to the dragging death of James Byrd, the black man who was—who was dragged to death in the state of Texas. And you said that your opponent would appoint Supreme Court justices who would take us back to a time reminiscent of when Blacks were only three-fifths of a human being, going back to the original language of the Constitution. Do you really honestly think that—that Governor Bush would take us back in civil rights 225 years?

Vice Pres. GORE: No. And I didn't say that, Charlie. I said that the—his pledge to appoint strict constructionists, and his—his pledge to use Antonin Scalia and Clarence Thomas as the models for justices that he would pick would indeed impose a—a style and philosophy on the majority of the court that would put certain rights in jeopardy. In fact, most people believe that the president selected tomorrow will pick three or four, maybe even five justices of the Supreme Court. A woman's right to choose is at risk. Civil rights are hanging in the balance. The disabilities—the Americans with Disabilities Act has survived narrowly on a 5-4 vote and is coming up for another test. This election is about the Supreme Court. And the strict constructionist philosophy is not one that—that I agree with.

Now on the—on the hate crimes law, I think actually you're talking about three different speeches. But the bro—the sister of James Byrd flew from Texas to Philadelphia, and was standing on the podium with me. And she and her family have recounted the efforts that they made to try to get a hate crimes law passed and how it was killed in the Texas legislature when the governor refused to support it. I do support it. I think these crimes are different. They're aimed not at a single victim, but intended to dehumanize an entire group. And I—I think they're different, and I think that we need a commitment to civil rights enforcement. I think that—that these issues are very much a part of the election.

GIBSON: Mrs. Gore, quick question. What—what about this election has surprised you more than anything else?

Ms. GORE: Well, I think the fact that people are busy. They're deciding late, which—which we all realize, but I think it's important right now to get out the message that the job of president is a serious job. And this is a serious person who's very committed, who has leadership and responsibility in the past and has done a great—a great job, and will do a great job as president.

GIBSON: Well, Mr. Vice President, Mrs. Gore, we thank you for joining us. And, Mr. Vice President, we thank you for being so gracious as to accept our invitations so often.

Vice Pres. GORE: Glad to do it always, Charlie.

GIBSON: During this...

Vice Pres. GORE: Thanks for having us on.

GIBSON: Well, we thank you. This is an enormous undertaking when anyone runs for president. And we wish you, as we wish Governor Bush, very well. And our thanks to you.

Vice Pres. GORE: Thank you very much.

GIBSON: All the best to both of you. And thanks we say to Governor Bush and Mrs. Bush.

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