In 1998, they painted Republican Ellen Sauerbray as a racist and got Democrat Parris Glendenning re-elected governor of Maryland. The charge was utterly false, but Ms. Sauerbray was slow to respond. Mr. Bush better not be when Mr. Gore insinuates he's bad for blacks because he opposed instructing South Carolina to take the Confederate flag off its Capitol. Karl Rove, Mr. Bush's chief strategist, says the Bush camp is braced for the assault and prepared to counterattack. After President Clinton, the country wants change.
People crave moral leadership.
Compromised by the alliance with Mr. Clinton, Mr. Gore can't provide either. He's become a reactionary liberal, opposing serious reform of Social Security, Medicare, the military, education, and the federal bureaucracy. Mr. Gore will argue Mr. Bush is too big a risk to take. If George W. Bush comes across as a safe choice, as Ronald Reagan did in 1980, he'll win. Bill Clinton has paved the way.