He uncovered evidence that Bush sidestepped duty in the Air National Guard for months during 1972 and 1973, and wrote the story that embarrassed Gore for exaggerating the cost of medicine for his dog. Others say covering the campaigns up close is the only way to get a fix on the candidates. They are in the business of glorifying the candidate. From a candidate's perspective, the task is sometimes as simple as getting people's attention. There are always potential landmines in the candidate's own words.
Careful control is the goal of the campaign.
This was never more evident than in our president-elect's most unkind description of a New York Times reporter that was not intended for broadcast. National campaigns are fine-tuned to appeal to independent voters who ultimately decide the winner. Key words are repeated like mantras. Gore and Bush rushed eagerly toward the center, homing in on issues of taxes, Social Security, and education that appeal to an economically comfortable but worried group of voters. Rachel Gorlin is a political strategist and Democratic political consultant who has seen image building from the inside.