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I might argue that it was clinton's brush

Yea Gore had the sense to drink plenty of tea and leave the room :>} In spite of how we feel about the man he is a political master taught by a political master. His dad was among the worst or best depending on point of view and taught him well. Jack Kemp learned that little quirk about Al also in 96 when he was left speachless.

Something tells me Gore is not finihed politically either. People have too short of memories these days. If it comes back down to a Bush vs Gore campaign we are in trouble the next time unless the GOP puts some fast and far distance between it and the Dems on policy. Gore will either make the GOP swing further left or look like liars.

He will as well if elected not waste one second expanding on the mistakes in programs and leglislation the GOP has pushed for. The new and improved Gore faith based programs, the Gore Home Land Defense, the Gore Fast track trade, and the list goes on. This should make any conservative stop and ask are we headed in the right direction? I put Hillary as every bit as dangerous and pretty much the same type campaign would be ran by her. The GOP has given the DEMs virtually every thing they need to destroy them in 2004 unless they do some quick 180's and change direction.

We can agree on the lack of conservatism in the GOP---and lament it---but you must be realistic. There is no way any of this is going to "hurt" the Republicans in the fall. AT WORST, they will keep the House and lose 1-2 seats in the Senate. More likely, they will substantially (10+ seats) increase their margin in the House and eke out a 2-3 seat margin in the Senate. In 2004, I think Bush will utterly crush any Dem. Any Dem.

I would like to think that "conservative principles win out if clearly articulated." But I don't know that since 1995 that is true and here his why:

1) the single biggest (perceived) domestic problem, welfare reform, was pretty much solved by the GOP (and Clinton took credit.)

2) rightly or wrongly, immigration has NOT caught on as a "fire alarm" issue with Americans, both because there are large numbers of Hispanics and other immigrants already here, and also because many see restrictions on immigrants as involving civil rights infractions. Just talking politics now, not "rightness," I don't see how the GOP makes a WINNING argument of immigration. Ever.

3) taxes are high, but no high enough to make people rebel, an the economy is limping along, but isn't where it was in 1979. Therefore, I don't see that people are in the mood for a giant tax-cutting upheaval. I wish they were, but again, we need to be realistic, not look at the world with rose-colored glasses.

4) the GOP lost the argument for smaller government BIG TIME in 1995. I personally think that OK City bombing pulled the rug right out from under the "Contract with America." You can even say that Clinton's sex/perjury crisis finished the job by re-focusing the nation on him for 5 years.

The bottom line is that unfortunately, and I hate to say thisI think the U.S. is highly "moderate" right now and I DON'T KNOW that "hard" conservatives can win a lot of races. Look at who is "popular": Guliani, Liddy Dole, sort of soft Republicans (and I wouldn't say "RHINOs" but close). Not a good situation.