Mullings A Political Cyber Column By Rich Galen

�

Click here for the Secret Decoder Ring to this issue!

The Cheney Bounce

Friday, July 28, 2000

From Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
The Republican National Convention

As a technician of politics, I was impressed with the speed, the breadth, and the virulence of the attacks the Gore campaign unleashed on Dick Cheney seconds after he was announced as George W.'s Vice Presidential pick.

As a fan of George W.'s, I am impressed with the CNN/Gallup poll released yesterday which shows Bush/Cheney now leading Gore/Nobody by 14 percentage points in a head-to-head race.

The night of the Cheney announcement Gallup went into the field and found the lead had expanded from about four points to about eight - 49-41.

As of yesterday, the Gallup poll had Bush at 54 percent to Gore's 40 percent.

We all know about the phenomenon of the Post-Convention Bounce - which accounts for a candidate's sudden rise in the polls following four days of adoration.

The GOP convention starts on Monday. This is Friday. George W. has established a new phenomenon: The PRE-Convention Bounce, or as Republican National Chairman, Jim Nicholson put it: The Cheney Bounce.

The Gore campaign launched the political equivalent of every Minuteman missile in its arsenal. Every liberal Senator and Member of Congress; every pro-choice, anti-gun, environmentalist, or gay-rights organization which could elbow its way in front of a camera, microphone, or reporter's notebook was trotted out to make Dick Cheney seem like the worst person to walk the planet since World War II.

It didn't work.

Regular readers know that I have been trying out the theory that the country is ready to move beyond a style of politics in which every issue is presented in the most partisan possible light. And anyone who disagrees with your position is attacked in the most personal possible manner. It has not been enough to win the argument, you needed to destroy your opponent.

Now come these two men - Bush and Cheney - who are no strangers to difficult campaigns, who are not afraid of tough fights, who hold strong views on important issues, but who seem to be essentially good people; an essential goodness which, notwithstanding the concentrated effort on behalf of the Gore campaign to define them otherwise, is getting through to the American people.

One last thing from yesterday's poll. Here's the second paragraph from Keating Holland's CNN web page story: "� Bush is seen as better than Gore at handling the economy, international affairs, national defense, the gun issue, the budget surplus, and taxes." That is a pretty good litany of issues.

Click here to read the CNN/Gallup poll.

The question now for the Gore campaign is: "Where do we go from here?" Here's a Mullings suggestion: Select Senator Bob Graham of Florida to be the Vice Presidential nominee. Try to win Florida and cobble together enough states to make Electoral College arithmetic come out right for you.

New subject: Here in Philadelphia the First Union Center - where the actual floor activities will be taking place, is on the edge of town. The Convention Center which IS downtown is host to a number of dinners, the platform committee hearings, and Political Fest.

Like most Big Time Political Operatives I scoffed at the notion of Political Fest which is only for political dorks. I was not going to be caught gawking at a bunch of stupid displays. But, on my way to a meeting, I took a look yesterday afternoon. And it was really neat.

There is a mock-up of Air Force One you can walk through. A full scale Presidential Limousine you can peek into. A mock-up of the Oval Office you can stroll past. A television anchor position you can report from. A kid's area they can read in together with a wall they can paint on. Live music you can dance, or just listen to. An exhibit of first ladies' inaugural gowns you can look at. And another hour-or-so worth of things to enjoy.

Current Issue | Secret Decoder Ring | Past Issues | Email Rich | Rich Who?