Gore: Let Good Times Roll

The CBS News Political Unit is tracking the campaign commercials of the presidential hopefuls. Sean Richardson analyzes the latest effort of Democrat Al Gore.

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The Ad: Al Gore's presidential campaign has launched a new ad in New Hampshire called Going Strong. This new 30-second spot highlights the current strength of our economy and claims that Al Gore has the experience to keep it going.

Audio: "Our country's economy is on the right track: 100,000 new jobs in New Hampshire alone. America's economic strategy is working, and Al Gore has the experience and the plan to keep it going. Keep the budget balanced. Pay down the nation's debt. Use the surplus wisely to fix health care, to invest in our schools, to protect Medicare, to save Social Security. Experience that works. Al Gore. Fighting for us."

Video: The ad begins with shots of a circuit board being built and installed. The ad then cuts to a woman working in an office, with "100,000 new jobs in New Hampshire" in text on the screen. Next, we see Al Gore, dressed in blue suit, addressing an audience with the word "experience" on the screen. A series of scenes follow in which Gore is seen interacting with voters. Text is also used for emphasis: "keeping the budget balanced," "paying down the debt," and "using the surplus wisely." The ad then cuts to a woman in a wheelchair with, "to fix health care" on the screen. Next, the ad shows children in a classroom with, "to invest in schools" appearing on the screen. The ad concludes with scenes of senior citizens with the words "to protect Medicare," and "to save Social Security" on the screen.

Fact Check: No inaccuracies.

Strategy: In the 1992 presidential campaign, Clinton strategist James Carville coined the phrase, "It's the economy, stupid." Al Gore is taking a page out of Carville's play book emphasizing a subject that resonates well with almost everyone, especially voters from New Hampshire. In Going Strong, Gore attempts to capitalize on the economys strength that has rebuilt New Hampshire, after the layoffs and downsizing of the early '90s. Gore focuses on his experience in keeping the economy strong, and uses the ad to highlight areas he hopes to improve.

Bradley accused Gore of being "the elephant of negative advertising" in Thursday night's debate, but this is a clean and safe ad for Gore just five days from the New Hampshire primary. He's attempting to rise above Bradley's recent aggressiveness and focus on the issues.