[Willie Green]

“With a Democrat in the White House during 9/11 (specifically Al Gore), would the debts have been any less, the job loss less tragic, the overall economy forecasted to be better?”

Neither Algore (nor Kerry) would have proposed a viable alternative,
but IMHO, the answer to your odd hypothetical question is "yes". In such an unlikely scenario, it's probable that congressional Republicans would've adhered more strongly to fundamental principals espoused in the Contract with America. Unfortunately, the GOP "leadership" pitched that out the window at their earliest opportunity, and America is worse off because of it.