1996 Clinton VS. Dole

"Desperate"

Transcript

Museum of the Moving Image
The Living Room Candidate
"Desperate," Clinton, 1996

MALE NARRATOR: Bob Dole. Desperate Attacks.

President Clinton restricted foreign lobbying, fought four years for campaign finance reform.

[TEXT: Lifetime ban on foreign lobbying by top officials]

MALE NARRATOR: Dole and the Republicans took $2.4 million from foreign interests.

[TEXT: 2.4 million from foreign interests]

MALE NARRATOR: Foreign oil, foreign tobacco, foreign drug companies.

[TEXT: $216,579 foreign oil; $400,000 foregin tobacco; $485,350 foreign drug companies]

MALE NARRATOR: A top Dole aide fined $6 million for a Hong Kong fund-raising scheme.

[TEXT (from newspaper headline): Ex-Aide to Dole Campaigne Admits Illegal Contributions]

MALE NARRATOR: An independent watchdog cites Dole as the senator "most responsible for blocking any serious campaign finance reform."

[TEXT: Dole is "most responsible for bblocking any serious campaign finance reform..."]

MALE NARRATOR: Bob Dole; wrong to turn to desperate attacks.

TEXT: Bob Dole: Wrong in the past. Wrong for our future]

Credits

"Desperate," Clinton/Gore '96 General Committee, 1996

Maker: The November 5 Group

Original air date: 10/21/96

From Museum of the Moving Image, The Living Room Candidate: Presidential Campaign Commercials 1952-2012.
www.livingroomcandidate.org/commercials/1996/desperate (accessed May 21, 2025).

Share

To link to or forward this video via email, copy and
paste this URL:

Save

1996 Clinton Dole Results

Thanks to a robust economy and the absence of divisive foreign-policy issues in the presidential election, Bill Clinton enjoyed a relatively trouble-free ride on his way to becoming the first Democrat since Franklin Roosevelt to be elected to a second full term. Clinton’s victory represented an impressive political comeback. In 1994, Republicans had won control of both houses. Wielding enormous influence, House Speaker Newt Gingrich had forged the Republicans' "Contract with America," a conservative legislative agenda. During intense budget battles between the president and Congress, the federal government was shut down twice. Clinton blamed this on the Republicans, which enabled him to position himself in the center and portray the Republicans as extremists. The Clinton campaign repeatedly linked his opponent Bob Dole to Gingrich, while championing mainstream causes such as the Family Leave Act, college tuition credits, and a ratings system for television. Dole tried, without much success, to use the "character issue" to his advantage. Yet the public showed little interest in Clinton scandals such as "Whitewater," "Filegate," and "Travelgate," and allegations of campaign-finance abuse.

Click on thumbnail to view video
Democrat
Republican
 
Next Century Accomplishment Signed Drums Surgeon First Time The Facts Tell School Desperate
The Story The Plan Pants on Fire From the Heart Classroom Too Late Fool The Threat Riady Stripes