come to think of it,...

[MaC]

Why was this election so close?  Were Bush and Gore really evenly matched?  How come the voters were split so evenly?

[Defarge]

Bush was more charismatic, and probably should have won in a more decisive fashion.  But, according to Karl Rove, the release of the DWI documents resulted in millions of evangelical voters staying home.  And, after getting our asses kicked by Karl Rove repeatedly, I'm inclined to listen to him now.

[skybridge]

It was only close in the electorate because of a number of Bush supporters in Florida and the Supreme Court. Popular vote wise it wasn't close at all--hundreds of thousands of people more voted for Gore, presumably because they wanted the Clintonian prosperity to continue, but alas the complete opposite won out.

[Speed of Sound]

It was only close in the electorate because of a number of Bush supporters in Florida and the Supreme Court. Popular vote wise it wasn't close at all--hundreds of thousands of people more voted for Gore, presumably because they wanted the Clintonian prosperity to continue, but alas the complete opposite won out.

i nevr really liked that surplus anyway

[MaC]

still, considering the amount of popular vote is was also very close.  Most elections would have more than a million vote difference.

[skybridge]

still, considering the amount of popular vote is was also very close.  Most elections would have more than a million vote difference.

Alright. The right succeeded in convincing half the country that Clinton was an immoral sex-crazed liar and, unlike Gore who was part of that establishment, the born-again Bush would restore much needed dignity to the office.

[CARLHAYDEN]

Actually, its very simple.

That was the one presidential election since 1960 where the Democrats had a better get out the vote drive than the Republicans.

[Hammy]

It was only close in the electorate because of a number of Bush supporters in Florida and the Supreme Court. Popular vote wise it wasn't close at all--hundreds of thousands of people more voted for Gore, presumably because they wanted the Clintonian prosperity to continue, but alas the complete opposite won out.

when talking large numbers of votes, you cant say it isnt close just because the margin is in the hundreds of thousands--yes, the margin was 543,000+ votes, but that was out of over 105 million votes; the % margin was only 0.52%, the vote was Gore 48.38%, Bush 47.87%

that is a close PV total no matter how you look at it

[Secretary Polnut]

With a few exceptions like 1952 and 1988 - non-incumbent elections are pretty close - look at 1960 and 68.

The main reason why people voted for Clinton... was Clinton himself - with him gone (especially since Gore made the suicide move of distancing himself from Clinton) a lot of people went into the undecided column.

I think Gore would have won by a decent margin if he had not allowed Rove and Co. to lower the expectations of Bush around the debates.

[adam]

I would think that Gore should have ran away with this election. He was an 8-year, incumbent, vice-president of an administration that wasn't exactly unpopular. I just think that Gore "misunderestimated" Bush and wound up under campaigning.

[Beet]

Considering Bush was up 60-28 in 1999 and up by landslide proportions through much of early to mid 2000 (when the economy was indisputably booming, too), and it wasn't due to Gore's lack of name recognition, I'd say there were factors at work that aren't easily recognizable.

People were tired of Clinton after 7 years and didn't want to endorse his Vice President. Clinton was seen as corrupt because of the Lewinksy affair, and Democrats were seen as a horrible party in general. On the other hand, Bush Sr. seemed like a harmless, moderate President of the past, and his son seemed even more harmless. I think people thought of George Bush Jr. and thought he would be like a gentler, kinder version of Bush Sr. Finally, Bush was also able to take advantage of being the candidate of new ideas, much as John F Kennedy was in 1960.

[○∙◄☻¥tπ[╪AV┼cVê└]

Considering Bush was up 60-28 in 1999 and up by landslide proportions through much of early to mid 2000 (when the economy was indisputably booming, too), and it wasn't due to Gore's lack of name recognition, I'd say there were factors at work that aren't easily recognizable.

While that 60-28 poll was just crazy, Bush did consistantly lead Gore, and would have won both the popular and electoral vote if it hadn't been for the DWI story and some intense campaigning by Gore at the end. He went without sleep for a couple of days and just campaigned through the night in Florida.

[Beet]

Considering Bush was up 60-28 in 1999 and up by landslide proportions through much of early to mid 2000 (when the economy was indisputably booming, too), and it wasn't due to Gore's lack of name recognition, I'd say there were factors at work that aren't easily recognizable.

While that 60-28 poll was just crazy, Bush did consistantly lead Gore, and would have won both the popular and electoral vote if it hadn't been for the DWI story and some intense campaigning by Gore at the end. He went without sleep for a couple of days and just campaigned through the night in Florida.

Yep. One thing I like about politicians is a hunger for the job.