[Leon Harris, Cnn Anchor:] Dick Cheney and Joe Lieberman sparred less night on energy policy, abortion, taxes, Medicare and Social Security. But the only debate of the campaign between the Republican and Democratic vice presidential candidates was rather mannerly, even congenial. And the two running mates won praise for that. One U.S. senator telling CNN the winner tonight was the American public.
[Andria Hall, Cnn Anchor:] Richard Stengel is the managing editor of Time.com, the "Time" magazine Internet site. And earlier this year, Stengel was a senior adviser for presidential candidate Bill Bradley. And he joins us now from New York with his analysis of the vice presidential debate. Mr. Stengel, these guys were so polite to one another, you got the impression that they might even go out to dinner together. You think that was all pre-orchestrated or genuine?
[Richard Stengel, Managing Editor, Time.com:] Well, I think they knew that it wasn't going to be to either of them to be critical. You know, if it was a movie if it was a high school movie, I was cast Joe Lieberman as your favorite high school teacher and Dick Cheney as the stern but kindly principal. And that's certainly the way they behaved with each other.
[Hall:] Well, they definitely got into issues. Let's take a look at some of those issues right now that are important to the American voting public. The issue of abortion, and let's hear what the two candidates had to say about that.
[Dick Cheney , Vice Presidential Candidate:] Gov. Bush and I have emphasized, while we clearly are both pro-life, that is what we believe, that we want to look for ways to try to reduce the incidence of abortion in our society. Many on the pro-choice side have said exactly the same thing. Even Bill Clinton, who has been a supporter of abortion rights, has advocated reducing abortion to make it as rare as possible.
[Sen. Joe Lieberman , Vice Presidential Candidate:] But let me say, more generally, that the significant difference here on this issue is that Al Gore and I respect and will protect a woman's right to choose, and our opponents will not. We know that this is a difficult, personal, moral, medical issue, but that is exactly why it ought to be left under our law to a woman, her doctor and her God.
[Hall:] Richard, what about their responses?
[Stengel:] Well, you know, Andria, the vice president's job is to echo the main guy, and that's basically what they're doing. I mean, they took the standard textbook Democratic and Republican positions, you know, that the Democrat is for a woman's right to choose and the Republican is basically against abortion. So I think they were trying to put it the best face on it, but basically they are echoing the positions of their party and their principles.
[Hall:] Of course, yesterday, the big news out of Yugoslavia affected their opinions. Let's see what they had to say about that.
[Cheney:] With respect to how this process has been managed most recently, we want to do everything we can to support Mr. Milosevic's departure. Certainly, though, that would not involve committing U.S. troops.
[Lieberman:] I'm very proud on this night, as it appears that Milosevic is about or has fallen, of the leadership role the United States played in the effort to stop his aggression and genocide in Bosnia and Kosovo.
[Hall:] Of course, the news out of Yugoslavia today that he has, indeed, according to recognition by Russian leaders. What do you think about their responses?
[Stengel:] You know, it's a win-win situation for both of them. In a way, Dick Cheney was both a good advocate for George W. Bush. He was also an excellent advocate for George Bush, President Bush, that is, because he in effect said that George Bush, the president, set the table for what happened in Eastern Europe. But it's good news for both of them and Dick Cheney and George W. Bush were supportive of the administration of Kosovo. It's a win-win.
[Hall:] So common ground there. And now, closer to home, the issue of Social Security.
[Cheney:] Well, the reform we would like to offer is to allow our young people to begin to take a portion of the payroll tax, 2 percent of it, and invest it in a personal retirement.
[Lieberman:] Al and I have committed to putting that Social Security surplus in a lockbox, not touching it, and that's what allows us to keep Social Security solvent to 2054. Our opponents have an idea for privatizing Social Security that will jeopardize Social Security payments to recipients.
[Hall:] Richard?
[Stengel:] Again, it is the regular boilerplate. I still wonder, by the way, what a lockbox is; that sound like something from the last century. But no, they were you know, Dick Cheney is saying, look, he's appealing to the so-called wired workers, young people who think Social Security won't be there for them, and they want to say: Look, you'll get a bigger rate of return in the market. You've already benefited from the market. And Joe Lieberman is still there's a little bit of a Mediscare thing going on there; he's appealing to seniors, to classic Democratic voters and saying: Look, nothing is going to change. It will be there for you. Don't worry.
[Hall:] And Richard, just a yes or a no, do you think the debate changed anyone's mind on how they were going to vote?
[Stengel:] No.
[Hall:] Richard Stengel, OK, from Time.com, thanks for joining us on EARLY ADDITION.