Countdown to Iowa vote

Al Gore was challenged on the Lewinsky affair

By the BBC's Philippa Thomas in Iowa  

Candidates are gearing up for the first big vote in America's election 2000.

  On Monday, voters in the Midwest state of Iowa have their say on who should represent the Republicans and who should be the Democrat's man in the contest to succeed Bill Clinton. 

  On the right, it is looking rather obvious. Texas governor George W Bush is streets ahead. 

  On the left, support is split, with former senator Bill Bradley putting up a serious challenge to the Vice President, Al Gore.

  Can he win?

  In a last push before the caucuses, the candidates have spent weeks trawling the roads of this chilly farmbelt state, canvassing the undecided.

  The people of Iowa are getting up close and personal with the men who would be president.   

Gore condemned the president's behavior

Vice President Al Gore is confident, with good reason. He has been in training for this challenge for years, even decades. 

  But there is one awkward question that keeps coming up. If Al Gore wins the Democratic nomination, can he beat his likely Republican opponents?

  At a town-hall style meeting, one member of the audience said: "I think the Democrats need to nominate somebody that can win the election, and I'm concerned that your ability to win the election is reduced by your association with the Clinton scandal."

  Mr Gore was quick to condemn President Clinton's behaviour with Monica Lewinsky as inexcusable and reprehensible.  

Iowa voters have confounded predictions

But Al Gore is not about to break his ties with Bill.

  "He's my friend. I have worked closely with him. It has been a privilege to help him lead this country and in the process we have become genuinely good friends," he added.

  Values and experience

  Of course there is also the fact that the Clinton-Gore administration has presided over seven years of growth, a time of record-breaking prosperity for middle-class Americans.

  And many in this audience, like students BJ Van Waus and Anne Heuze, believe that record deserves some reward.   

Ron Corbett senses that both sides want to restore respect

"He really seemed generally care about the American people, and he has a clear sense of direction for where he wants American society to go," BJ said.

  And Anne added: "The one thing I think [Mr Gore] has over [Mr Bradley] is that he has experience there. He has seen what works, and he has seen what doesn't work. He has seen what the American people have wanted over the past eight years."

  But others are concerned. Crystal Colbert is a first time voter and she stresses that character counts.

  "I think that morality should always matter and especially for the leader of the United States, it's a very important thing to have well-rounded family values," she said.

  In both party contests this year, personality traits seem to matter as much as policy details.

  That perception affects the Republican front-runner, George W Bush, who is being challenged by the straight talking Vietnam War hero Senator John McCain.

  But it does most damage to the Democrats' best hope, Al Gore, linked by some with a time of moral sleaze.

  Character question

  Ron Corbett speaks as an Iowa expert. He is the head of the Cedar Rapids Chamber of Commerce and in the past he has run Republican campaigns.

  He has the political antenna to sense a certain disaffection here.

  "I think there is a strong feeling around the country that we want a president that's going to restore some of the respect that presidency has had," Mr Corbett said.

  Bill Clinton's personal troubles have hurt him politically, but it has also damaged the image of the presidency, he said.

  "I think that is why you see both campaigns, on both sides, Republicans and Democrats, talking about it," he added.  

Libby Slappy is hoping voters stay with the familiar

We finished the day at home with Democratic loyalist Libby Slappy.

  Over dinner, she admits that Al Gore is on the defensive, but she's hoping that voters will look at the menu on offer, and stay with the familiar.

    She downplays the negative effect of Mr Gore's association with Bill Clinton.

  "While there are people who complain bitterly about Bill Clinton's lack of morals, they can't say that about Al Gore," she added.

  Unpredictable voters

  So do Iowans go with a candidate tried and trusted or decide it is time for a fresh face in the White House?

   It seems Al Gore may suffer and George W may profit, from the impact of the Clinton scandal.

  But it is dangerous to reach any conclusion yet because the voters of Iowa do love to confound predictions.