Al Gore: Address to the 1996 Democratic National Convention

Al Gore’s political career as a senator and vice president occurred during an important shift in the American electorate’s attitudes and voting habits. Following the “Reagan revolution” of the 1980s most voters, including those who identified themselves as Democrats, became more conservative, favoring a smaller federal government. Groomed for politics from an early age, Gore molded himself as a different kind of Democrat, one whose agenda would resonate with centrist voters. His Address to the 1996 Democratic National Convention illustrates Gore’s self-deprecating humor and emphasizes his achievements as vice president, with an eye toward his own possible run for the presidency in the next election.