Bush for President, Inc. "Challenge the Status Quo"      (Maverick Media)

Gore 2000, Inc. "Turning"     (Century Media Group)
 

Bush for President, Inc. "Challenge the Status Quo" Announcer: Is the status quo in America's schools good enough?  Under Al Gore and Bill Clinton, national reading scores stagnated.  America's high school students place almost dead last in international math tests.  The achievement gap between poor and non-poor students remains wide.  Gore and Clinton had eight years, but they've failed.  As President, George W. Bush will challenge the status quo with a crusade to improve education.  He'll fight for reforms hailed as the most fundamental in a generation: demand high standards and accountability for students and teachers, restore local control of schools, increase funding but change the system so successful schools are rewarded and failing ones must improve.  He'll turn Head Start into a reading program and close the achievement gap that hurts those on the edges of poverty.  His goal?  Teach every child to read because there are no second rate children, no second rate dreams.  Governor George W. Bush: A Fresh Start for Education.

Gore 2000, Inc. "Turning" Announcer: George W. Bush: From South Carolina to New York, he used dirty politics to trash John McCain's record.  Now he's running attack ads against Al Gore.  Al Gore has fought to put 100,000 new teachers in the classroom; for tougher standards to make sure our children are learning; to give parents more choice in choosing public schools.  Now, for the first time, reading scores in the key grades of 4th, 8th and 12th are going up across America.  And Gore has a plan to bring revolutionary improvements to our schools: Smaller class sizes.  Higher standards for teachers and students.  Rebuilding crumbling schools.  Turning around failing schools.  Bush's Texas record?  45th in the nation in SAT scores; an accountability system so full of cheating it's under investigation; Texas ranked the 48th worst state in America to raise a child.  On the issue of education, America deserves a real debate, not more negative ads from George W. Bush.  Al Gore is ready. Is George W?

Analysis: A key objective at this stage of the campaign is to define the opponent.  Bush is seeking to be seen as a leader in education; he has emphasized education throughout his campaign.  Gore's ad paints a not-so-pretty picture of Bush's record of accomplishment in the area of education. Bush's ad "Challenge the Status Quo" levels three charges against Gore/Clinton and makes a broad assertion that "they've failed."  Most of the ad outlines the Bush approach to education.  Note that while Gore and Clinton are mentioned, at no point do images of Gore or Clinton appear in ad. Gore's ad "Turning" came out on the same day as Bush's ad, but was clearly in the works beforehand for there are many nuances and details throughout.  Overall the tone of the Gore ad is a bit snide, with overtures of a street fight.  If the Bush ad threw a few punches, the Gore ad landed some sharp and telling blows.  The negative core of Gore's ad is contained in three specific charges against Bush; these are accompanied by a video clip of Bush played in slow motion.  While Bush's ad makes several charges about the Clinton-Gore record on education; the Gore ad has perhaps more of an edge with its use of specific numbers (45th in the nation in SAT scores, 48th worst state in America to raise a child) and the "under investigation" charge hinting at some unnamed impropriety.  One of the more striking little details in the Gore ad is the promotion of "choice" in education.  Choice in education is typically Republican language; the notion of choice has not appeared in previous Gore ads.  Of course it is not broad choice Gore advocates, but "more choice in choosing public schools" (the on-screen text merely states "Give parents more choice.")  Finally, the close is noteworthy.  The question of whether Bush is ready to be president is likely to be a major Gore line of attack in the fall; here is its first appearance in an ad.  Also, note how the question is posed: "Al Gore is ready.  Is George W.?"  Dan Amundson of the Center for Media and Public Affairs points out that the closing reference is not to George W. Bush or Governor Bush but "George W."

Copyright 2000 Eric M. Appleman/Democracy in Action.