Strong safety net. There needs to be a safety net in america. And, yes, farmers are the first environmentalists. And when they decide not to plow a field that is vulnerable to soil erosion, that may cause them a little money, but it helps the environment. I think we ought to have an expanded conservation reserve program. And i think that the environmental benefits that come from sound management of the land all to represent a new way for farmers to get some income that will enable them, enable you to make sensible choices in crop rotation, and when you leave the land fallow and the rest. Now, i go beyond that and say i think we need much more focus, Rural Economic Development programs. I see a time when the internet based activities are more available in the rural areas than where the extra source of income that farm families used to have from shoe factories is replaced by an extra source of income from working in the information economy. So we need to do a lot of things but ought to s
Good evening from the Athletic Center at the university of massachusetts in boston, im jim lehrer of the news hour on pbs and i welcome you to the first of three 90minute debates between the democratic. Candidate for president , Vice President al gore, and the republican candidate governor george w. Bush of texas. The debates are sponsored by the commission on president ial debates and they will be conducted within formats and rules agreed toby the commission and the two campaigns. Tonight well have the candidates at podiums. No answer to a question can exceed two minutes. Rebuttals are limited to one minute. But as moderator i have the option to followup and extend any particular give and take another three and a half minutes. Even then no single answer can exceed two minutes. The candidates under their rules may not question each other directly. There will be no Opening Statements but each candidate may have up to two minutes for a closing statement. The questions and the subjects we
Welcome you to this third and final campaign 2000 debate between the democratic candidate of president , and Vice President al gore, and the republican candidate governor george w. Bush of texas, and lets welcome the candidates now. Hello. Hello, jim. Good to see you. Governor. Good to see you both. Nice to see you again. How are you all . Before proceeding tonight, we would like to observe a moment of silence in memory of governor mel carnahan of missouri along with his son and former chief of staff died in a private plane crash last night near st. Louis. A reminder, as we continue now, that these debates are sponsored by the commission on president ial debates. The formats and the rules were worked out by the commission and the two campaigns. Tonights questions will be asked by st. Louis area voters who were identified as being uncommitted by the gallup organization. Earlier today, each of them wrote a question on a small card like this. Those cards were collected and then given to m
How do you i think its difficult. Lets be honest about it, thats why we need Campaign Finance reform. Thats why i reach out to the perot voters. Theyre looking at the republican record. Whatever it is, whatever the check list was in 92, its all done with Campaign Finance reform. I worked with senator mitchell who played me in the debate warmup. We tried six or eight years ago as he appointed three people, i appointed three people to try to get Campaign Finance reform. We couldnt get it done because it wasnt enforceable. You suggested a commission, Newt Gingrich did, i did at least three our four years ago. We sent it to congress to vote it up or down. Thats how it works. Were never going to fix it by the problems because the democrats want a better veg, we want a better advantage as republicans, and thats not how its going to work. I want to touch on the tobacco thing. I want to go back to 1965. That is my first vote against tobacco companies. I said we ought to label cigarettes. I had
A 90second answer, a 60second rebuttal, and a 30second response. I will assist the candidates in adhering to those time limits with the help of a series of lights visible to both. Under their rules, the candidates are not allowed to question each other directly. I will ask the questions. There are no limitations on the subjects. The order for everything tonight was determined by coin toss. Now, to the Opening Statements and to president clinton. Mr. President. Thank you, jim. And thank you to the people of hartford, our hosts. I want to begin by saying again how much i respect senator dole and his record of Public Service and how hard i will try to make this campaign and this debate one of ideas, not insults. Four years ago i ran for president at a time of high unemployment and rising frustration. I wanted to turn this country around with a program of opportunity for all, responsibility from all, and an American Community where everybody has a role to play. I wanted a government that w