Vice President Gore took command in the 15-plus minute period before the town meeting went on air, suggesting that the two candidates take questions from the audience. When the program finally did go on air, the first question asked of Gore was a doozy, a question about cynicism due to "the behavior of the Republican-dominated Congress, but also the behavior of some members of your administration."  Gore was surprisingly blunt in his response to the broadly worded question stating that, "I understand the disappointment and anger that you feel toward President Clinton, and I felt it myself."  Gore made a point of contention over the cost of Bradley's health care plan, referring to an analysis by the Emory School of Public Health that put its cost at $1.2 trillion.  Asked about the biggest mistake he'd made in his political career, Gore pointed to "my choice of words when I claimed to have taken the lead in the Congress in creating the Internet."  During the forum Gore sought to connect with the questioners, frequently asking for personal details (for example "How old is your child?" "Tell me about your family.")

While the town meeting was going on in the Moore Theater, the Gore campaign took rapid response to new levels.  Before the forum started, the Gore team had distributed a two-page "Facts to Consider: A Debate Watching Guide."  Nothing unusual in that.  During the debate itself, however, Gore press aides filtered among the 300-odd reporters in the media filing center handing out near-instant responses to at least four of Bradley's statements.  (The "Reality Checks" challenged Bradley on the cost of his health care plan, his support for campaign finance reform, the retirement age for Medicare and his support of education vouchers). The post-forum Gore spin team included three cabinet secretaries--Bill Richardson (Energy), Alexis Herman (Labor) and Richard Riley (Education). Gore himself stayed in the Moore Theater for an hour and a half after the town meeting, taking many more questions from the town meeting attendees.  Not until 11 p.m. did he make a post-debate stop to greet supporters waiting at the Gore 2000 Hanover field office.

Taking Questions Long After the Town Meeting Has Ended