11-06-1999

POLITICS: Al Gore Profile

Born: Carthage, Tenn., March 31, 1948


Family: Wife, Mary Elizabeth "Tipper"; daughters, Kristin,
Karenna, and


Sarah; son, Albert III


Religion: Baptist


Education: Harvard University, B.A. government (thesis on the impact of
television on the conduct of the presidency, 1947-69), 1969; attended
Vanderbilt University Graduate School of Religion, 1971-72; attended
Vanderbilt Law School, 1974-76


Military Service: Journalist in Vietnam, U.S. Army, 1969-71


Career: Reporter, Nashville Tennessean, 1971-76; U.S. Representative,
Tennessee, 6th District, 1977-85; U.S. Senator, Tennessee, 1985-93;
candidate for President, 1988; Vice President, 1993-present


Campaign Headquarters: 2410 Charlotte Ave., Nashville, TN 37203


Phone: (615) 340-2000


Web Site: www.algore2000.com


Campaign Staff: General chairman, Tony Coelho; manager, Donna Brazile;
media strategist, Carter Eskew; policy adviser, Elaine Kamarck; chief
spokesman, Chris Lehane; pollster, Harrison Hickman


Key Endorsements: 18 of 45 Democratic U.S. Senators; 90 of 211 Democratic
U.S. Representatives; seven of 17 Democratic Governors; entertainer Bill
Cosby; NBA stars Shaquille O'Neal and Jayson Williams


KEY PROPOSALS


Helping Working Families: "Our national economic prosperity should
not leave anyone behind."


Gore supports increasing the minimum wage, and he also wants to provide
"marriage penalty" relief to recipients of the earned income tax
credit, which benefits low-income workers. Under Gore's proposal, married
couples earning up to $29,000 would see an EITC increase of about $500 a
year. Furthermore, Gore wants to create new empowerment zones, which
provide tax incentives and other money for economic development in poorer
communities.


Education: "In order to stay first in the world economically, we must
become first in the world educationally."


Gore says that education is a major component of closing America's
"opportunity gap." He proposes federal grants up to $50 billion
to ensure that preschool is available to every child. He also wants to
improve teacher quality and reduce the size of schools and classrooms. In
addition, he wants to hold local school districts accountable for
improving graduation rates and lowering dropout rates. Gore believes that
there should be more choice for public schools, but opposes siphoning
public school money to private schools through vouchers.


Health Care: "We have all learned that we cannot overhaul the system
in one fell swoop. Experience has taught us that there is a way to keep
what is right, while fixing what is wrong with American health
care."


Gore wants to guarantee health-care coverage for every American child by
2005--in part by making families earning up to $41,000 a year (250% of the
poverty level) eligible for the Children's Health Insurance Program. There
are approximately 11 million uninsured children in this country. Gore also
supports guaranteeing coverage for the uninsured parents of these
children. And he wants to allow everyone between the ages of 55 and 65 to
buy into Medicare early. Gore's campaign estimates that the cost of his
total health-care proposal is $146 billion over 10 years, according to The
Washington Post.


OTHER ISSUES


Abortion: Supports federal funding for abortions, though he opposed it
during his early days in Congress. Does not object to
"partial-birth" abortions when the mother's life or health is at
stake.


Campaign Finance: Favors banning soft money contributions.


Environment: Wants to ban offshore oil drilling along the California and
Florida coasts.


Foreign Affairs: Says that America must remain engaged in world affairs.
Also supports free trade, but stresses the need to negotiate labor and
environmental protections.


Gun Control: Supports establishing a state-run system of photo licensing
for all potential handgun purchasers. Also favors banning Saturday night
specials. Would stiffen penalties for those caught selling guns to people
who are ineligible to own one, as well as those who use a gun to commit a
violent crime.


Taxes: Disagrees with the $792 billion tax cut that the GOP-led Congress
passed this year, and that President Clinton vetoed. Instead, favors
smaller, targeted cuts--such as creating tax-free educational savings
accounts, eliminating the "marriage penalty" tax, and making the
research and development tax credit permanent.


MONEY


Total receipts through 3rd quarter   $24,878,636


Total spent			     $14,556,332


Cash-on-hand			     $10,322,305


Contributions below $200       $2,476,019	10%


Contributions of $200-$999     $3,233,668	13%


Contributions of $1000+       $18,381,273	76%


PACs					0	 0


Candidate self-financing		0	 0


Other					0	 0


Top five states


California	  $3,138,568


New York	  $2,559,042


Tennessee	  $1,554,007


Illinois	  $1,348,842


Florida 	  $1,187,959


Top five occupations


Lawyers, law firms		     $3,944,202


Retired individuals		     $1,269,952


Real estate			     $1,016,834


Securities and investment	       $950,131


Civil servants, public officials       $679,811




National Journal