Gore now talks openly about these darker times, the effect they had on him and the inner strength he has emerged with. Gore doesn t just put his own feelings on display, his family also talks to the press. Not just his wife Tipper who has long been a talk show favourite, but also his eldest daughter. Gore has spent his whole life in the public eye, as the son of a Senator, Congressman and as Vice-President. Haven t people had long enough to decide if Al s a good bloke or not.
Candidates can be just as candid about their failures and bad points as well.
Amid rumours of a wild and mis-spent youth, George W. Bush admitted that as a young man he drank too much and that he has not touched a drink in 13 years. But again, this is a man who has spent his life in the public eye. There are several reasons why candidates may want to open up. In the case of George W., it is a matter of sharing some level of detail to give more credibility to his refusal to answer questions about rumours of cocaine use. Another strategy concern in providing personal information is to distract attention away from other areas that may be more embarrassing for the candidates.