http://www.pbs.org/wgbh/pages/frontline/shows/choice2000/
"The Choice 2000" is a two-hour dual biography of Al Gore and George W. Bush. Filled with rich personal
detail and candid observations from wives, old friends, mentors, associates and advisors, this report explores
the personality and character of Bush and Gore, while artfully weaving together their background and careers
with touchstone events in the lives of their babyboom generation.
Culled from months of reporting and interviews, "The Choice 2000"--produced by Michael Kirk (watch a
realvideo interview) and co-written with FRONTLINE correspondent and New Yorker writer Peter J.
Boyer--focuses on what is most telling about the lives both candidates chose for themselves.
Behind Al Gore's urge to know more than the other guy and work so relentlessly was his parents' expectation
from the day he was born that he would be president. "It was always part of his parents' plan to prepare him
for the presidency." says Gore family confidant Dr. James Fleming. FRONTLINE looks at Gore's lifelong
problem--what his friends call "his wooden Apollo" image--and also chronicles his malleability on issues and
his tendency to exaggerate his accomplishments. "He did it, I think, honestly, to try to connect with the person
he was dealing with." says campaign aide Mike Kopp.
In contrast, "Georgie" Bush, as described by cousin John Ellis, was "the rebel in the family." He charted his
own course, free from familial expectations and seemed to get by easily and successfully with a likeable
personality. He was the classic frat boy in school and college, effectively avoided service in Vietnam by joining
the Texas National Guard, and took much longer than Gore to pursue a political career.
FRONTLINE explores how as both men matured, they faced turning points, misteps and controversies: their
experiences with substance abuse and drugs; their decisions to enter politics; and how they dealt with the long
shadow of their famous fathers.
George W. Bush would draw on his family name, family connections, and own personality to help bail him
out of failed ventures in the oil industry. Later, he successfully rebuilt the Texas Rangers baseball team,
becoming in the process a millionaire and celebrity. It set him on the road to win the Texas governorship in 1992. During this same period, family
expectations pushed Al Gore--a newly elected 39-year old Senator--to enter the presidential race in 1988. Soon after that defeat, a devastating injury
to his son forced him to reconsider his life and political ambitions.
"The Choice 2000" concludes with chapters tracing Bush's performance as Texas governor--his leadership and decision-making style--and Gore's
8-years as Vice President. Insiders such as Clinton advisor Dick Morris describe how White House backstage maneuverings affected Gore's first
few years in office, and later, how his own political calculations would shape his relationship with Clinton during the Lewinsky scandal.
In following the personal and political journeys of Bush and Gore, "The Choice 2000" offers a revealing portrait of the candidates, and reminds
viewers of the political times in which they lived, the decisions they made, and the events that helped shape their character.
"This film is not only the life story of two young men," says producer Kirk. "It's also about America at this moment and the choice we face--a choice
that's simply fascinating."
You can watch "The Choice 2000" in its entirety anytime using RealPlayer.
http://www.pbs.org/wgbh/pages/frontline/shows/choice2000/video/watch.html
Why does this man want to be President so much?
That's a good question. He's obsessed with it. He-- His father's story of almost being Vice President in the '56 convention, being that close, I think
that that was a big story in the Senator's mind and handed down to Al as something that he had to-- That he had to finish for his father. So in my
mind, Al has always had this drive to become President. And everything he's done has been calculated to prepare him for the Presidency... And he's
gotten into trouble sometimes because his desire to become President has gotten-- Has been so strong, it's made-- He's made bad decisions in certain
issues. He's done some things that--
Policy-wise you mean? Or give me an example?
Well, for one, smoking drugs, or smoking dope and taking drugs with me. I think if he was that aware, he wouldn't have done it. If he was really
thinking about the Presidency. He would have known. But the way we smoked pot, when he would run around the room and close all the curtains
and hide-- Turn the lights out, it was clear that he didn't want anybody to see, look in our living room and see him in there, or have the possibility of
being seen smoking pot. So I think that's the kind of thing that he did... This desire to become President is an obsession with him. And I also think
Al thinks he's better-- There's a big ego in that man. He thinks he's better than everybody else. There was no question in our relationship, he thought
he was better than me.
Before we move on, can we say something more about the pot smoking days. What was it like? You'd go to his house or you'd go to his
house? What would you do?
We smoked a lot of grass. Far more than he's acknowledged... Al and Tipper would come over, and the first thing Al would do, usually, to check
outdoors, look out the windows, roll down the shades. You know, ask me if I had any marijuana and joints. I always had. I had good connections in
San Francisco, so I always had the best dope in town and I never charged him for it. I always gave it away. We had a sort of a motto in the hippie
culture that you shared your dope...
Why did he like to smoke dope? Did it relax him? Did it make him more--
I think it relaxed him, but you wouldn't notice it if you looked at him. He was still a pretty stiff person. He wouldn't loosen up and crack a lot of
jokes and get silly. That's not-- First off, that's not Al. He's a very serious person. I mean, everyone keeps saying-- I keep reading, "Well, you got to
see Al when he lets his hair down. He's really funny." Well, occasionally he does-- But it really isn't Al. Al is a very serious guy and he's always
thinking about serious issues and about serious matters. And I think the marijuana stimulated that, stimulated our conversations about different
things, political things.
At that time, I think, if I can remember correctly, he was for the legalization of marijuana as I was, as was everybody in America who smoked grass.
College kids. But the stories that are out now about Al not smoking very much grass just aren't true. We smoked a lot of grass, and he smoked a lot
of grass. He didn't just try it a few times.
What's the first time you guys smoked dope together?
I think we first smoked grass-- I think my reputation preceded me as this sort of legendary hippie who had been with the Grateful Dead from San
Francisco. We had a lot of grass. And Al sought it out. I think he wanted good grass. I think that's what he wanted. And I always had it, and I was
always giving it away. We probably first smoked grass when he first came back from Vietnam. Maybe before he went. And we continued to smoke
on a constant basis. And when I say constant, I don't mean every day, but we smoked several times a week.
We would smoke at his farm, we would smoke in the car. We would smoke-- I remember one big long drive to Memphis to get a certain kind of
barbecue for a lunch we were having...and smoking grass all the way down and all the way back in the car. I remember going to beer parties at my
neighbor's house and Al always hitting me up for joints... I was his source. Mainly because he always knew I always had grass on me. I always had
a rolled joint, usually shoved behind my ear. And I always was willing to share it with my friends. So Al knew I could get him high...
"The Choice 2000" is a two-hour dual biography of Al Gore and George W. Bush. Filled with rich personal
detail and candid observations from wives, old friends, mentors, associates and advisors, this report explores
the personality and character of Bush and Gore, while artfully weaving together their background and careers
with touchstone events in the lives of their babyboom generation.
Culled from months of reporting and interviews, "The Choice 2000"--produced by Michael Kirk (watch a
realvideo interview) and co-written with FRONTLINE correspondent and New Yorker writer Peter J.
Boyer--focuses on what is most telling about the lives both candidates chose for themselves.
Behind Al Gore's urge to know more than the other guy and work so relentlessly was his parents' expectation
from the day he was born that he would be president. "It was always part of his parents' plan to prepare him
for the presidency." says Gore family confidant Dr. James Fleming. FRONTLINE looks at Gore's lifelong
problem--what his friends call "his wooden Apollo" image--and also chronicles his malleability on issues and
his tendency to exaggerate his accomplishments. "He did it, I think, honestly, to try to connect with the person
he was dealing with." says campaign aide Mike Kopp.
In contrast, "Georgie" Bush, as described by cousin John Ellis, was "the rebel in the family." He charted his
own course, free from familial expectations and seemed to get by easily and successfully with a likeable
personality. He was the classic frat boy in school and college, effectively avoided service in Vietnam by joining
the Texas National Guard, and took much longer than Gore to pursue a political career.
FRONTLINE explores how as both men matured, they faced turning points, misteps and controversies: their
experiences with substance abuse and drugs; their decisions to enter politics; and how they dealt with the long
shadow of their famous fathers.
George W. Bush would draw on his family name, family connections, and own personality to help bail him
out of failed ventures in the oil industry. Later, he successfully rebuilt the Texas Rangers baseball team,
becoming in the process a millionaire and celebrity. It set him on the road to win the Texas governorship in 1992. During this same period, family
expectations pushed Al Gore--a newly elected 39-year old Senator--to enter the presidential race in 1988. Soon after that defeat, a devastating injury
to his son forced him to reconsider his life and political ambitions.
"The Choice 2000" concludes with chapters tracing Bush's performance as Texas governor--his leadership and decision-making style--and Gore's
8-years as Vice President. Insiders such as Clinton advisor Dick Morris describe how White House backstage maneuverings affected Gore's first
few years in office, and later, how his own political calculations would shape his relationship with Clinton during the Lewinsky scandal.
In following the personal and political journeys of Bush and Gore, "The Choice 2000" offers a revealing portrait of the candidates, and reminds
viewers of the political times in which they lived, the decisions they made, and the events that helped shape their character.
"This film is not only the life story of two young men," says producer Kirk. "It's also about America at this moment and the choice we face--a choice
that's simply fascinating."
You can watch "The Choice 2000" in its entirety anytime using RealPlayer.
http://www.pbs.org/wgbh/pages/frontline/shows/choice2000/video/watch.html
Why does this man want to be President so much?
That's a good question. He's obsessed with it. He-- His father's story of almost being Vice President in the '56 convention, being that close, I think
that that was a big story in the Senator's mind and handed down to Al as something that he had to-- That he had to finish for his father. So in my
mind, Al has always had this drive to become President. And everything he's done has been calculated to prepare him for the Presidency... And he's
gotten into trouble sometimes because his desire to become President has gotten-- Has been so strong, it's made-- He's made bad decisions in certain
issues. He's done some things that--
Policy-wise you mean? Or give me an example?
Well, for one, smoking drugs, or smoking dope and taking drugs with me. I think if he was that aware, he wouldn't have done it. If he was really
thinking about the Presidency. He would have known. But the way we smoked pot, when he would run around the room and close all the curtains
and hide-- Turn the lights out, it was clear that he didn't want anybody to see, look in our living room and see him in there, or have the possibility of
being seen smoking pot. So I think that's the kind of thing that he did... This desire to become President is an obsession with him. And I also think
Al thinks he's better-- There's a big ego in that man. He thinks he's better than everybody else. There was no question in our relationship, he thought
he was better than me.
Before we move on, can we say something more about the pot smoking days. What was it like? You'd go to his house or you'd go to his
house? What would you do?
We smoked a lot of grass. Far more than he's acknowledged... Al and Tipper would come over, and the first thing Al would do, usually, to check
outdoors, look out the windows, roll down the shades. You know, ask me if I had any marijuana and joints. I always had. I had good connections in
San Francisco, so I always had the best dope in town and I never charged him for it. I always gave it away. We had a sort of a motto in the hippie
culture that you shared your dope...
Why did he like to smoke dope? Did it relax him? Did it make him more--
I think it relaxed him, but you wouldn't notice it if you looked at him. He was still a pretty stiff person. He wouldn't loosen up and crack a lot of
jokes and get silly. That's not-- First off, that's not Al. He's a very serious person. I mean, everyone keeps saying-- I keep reading, "Well, you got to
see Al when he lets his hair down. He's really funny." Well, occasionally he does-- But it really isn't Al. Al is a very serious guy and he's always
thinking about serious issues and about serious matters. And I think the marijuana stimulated that, stimulated our conversations about different
things, political things.
At that time, I think, if I can remember correctly, he was for the legalization of marijuana as I was, as was everybody in America who smoked grass.
College kids. But the stories that are out now about Al not smoking very much grass just aren't true. We smoked a lot of grass, and he smoked a lot
of grass. He didn't just try it a few times.
What's the first time you guys smoked dope together?
I think we first smoked grass-- I think my reputation preceded me as this sort of legendary hippie who had been with the Grateful Dead from San
Francisco. We had a lot of grass. And Al sought it out. I think he wanted good grass. I think that's what he wanted. And I always had it, and I was
always giving it away. We probably first smoked grass when he first came back from Vietnam. Maybe before he went. And we continued to smoke
on a constant basis. And when I say constant, I don't mean every day, but we smoked several times a week.
We would smoke at his farm, we would smoke in the car. We would smoke-- I remember one big long drive to Memphis to get a certain kind of
barbecue for a lunch we were having...and smoking grass all the way down and all the way back in the car. I remember going to beer parties at my
neighbor's house and Al always hitting me up for joints... I was his source. Mainly because he always knew I always had grass on me. I always had
a rolled joint, usually shoved behind my ear. And I always was willing to share it with my friends. So Al knew I could get him high...