GOP Attacks Gore's Credibility

To Doubts About His Education Agenda

(CBS)  The CBS News Political Unit is tracking the latest campaign commercials. Jane Ruvelson checks out another attack ad from the Republican National Committee.

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The Ad:
The RNC has launched Let's See, a 30-second spot critical of both Al Gore's involvement in the 1996 fund-raising scandal and an aspect of his education agenda. The ad will run in Michigan and Pennsylvania and may be introduced in other battleground states in the upcoming weeks. The RNC has not disclosed the size of the media buy.

Audio:
Female narrator (voice over): Al Gore's promising campaign finance reform? Can I believe him? Because of Gore's last fund-raising campaign 22 people have been indicted, 12 convicted, 70 took the Fifth Amendment and 18 witnesses fled the country. Now Al Gore's promising more accountability in our schools. And that sounds good - until you find out he doesn't require any real testing. And no testing means no accountability. Just more politics from Al Gore.

Visual:
Let's See uses images of televisions showing Gore giving a campaign speech, speaking from the White House podium and making his convention address. Key text from the announcer's voice-over appears on screen.

Fact Check:
Let's See is misleading. The ad refers to people involved with Clinton/Gore campaign events, not Gore's own presidential campaign, and even a $50 million investigation wasn't able to find Gore responsible for the convictions or indictments. Additionally, the RNC's assertion that his education plan "doesn't require any real testing" is off the mark - as indicated in the RNC's very own materials. According to the RNC, Gore would require states to test students in elementary, middle, and high school and participate in a quadrennial national assessment exam.

The Strategy:
For the third time in two weeks, the Republicans are questioning Al Gore's credibility. However, new to the mix is an allegation that Gore's education proposals are less than believable. Education had been considered an area of Bush strength, but recent polls suggest more of the public trusts Gore with the issue. Let's See attempts to tie doubts associated with Gore's political history to his future performance in handling education.