Gore's Convention Bounce(posted August 19, 2000)
The good news for Al Gore is that he is getting his much anticipated bounce out of the Democratic convention. Following a speech that wowed convention delegates and showed a passionate and commanding side rarely seen in public, the vice president has turned what was a 17-point advantage for George W. Bush into a competitive race.
However, there are two cautionary tales that have come out of the polling numbers. By emphasizing populist themes of interest to liberal activists, Gore shored up his base, but did so in a way that complicates his appeals to the center, where the race ultimately will be won or lost.
In addition, national polls indicate that some of his rise is due to a big bounce upward in the Northeast following the placement of Connecticut Senator Joseph Lieberman on the ticket. Unfortunately from Gore's standpoint, Bush maintains a big lead in the crucial battleground states in the Midwest and several Western states (California, Oregon, and Washington) are very close. In that respect, the national numbers mask regional variations that should be of concern to the Democratic Vice President.
