ELECTION 2004

• Cheney, Edwards trade sharp barbs • Case Western U. cashes in on occasion • Cheney, Edwards spar over Iraq, truth-telling in their debate • Campus becomes nearly carnival • Excerpts from Tuesday's vice presidential debate LOCAL • Old warriors disagree, but they do so amiably • Stand-in Portman center of attention • School election offers glimpse for future voters • Election 2004 section

TRANSCRIPT

• Go online for the complete debate transcript

Republican Bob Dole ran against Bill Clinton at the height of the 1990s culture wars, when social issues were a divisive factor.

But the former U.S. senators say they have never seen political bitterness as they have in the presidential race between Republican President George W. Bush and Democratic Sen. John Kerry.

Dole, who is from Kansas, and McGovern, of South Dakota, were here Tuesday as the featured speakers for Northern Kentucky University's Fifth Annual Alumni Lecture Series.

The two met with reporters and students before the evening lecture at Regents Hall, where about 500 people heard them banter amiably about politics today.

The friendly exchange between Dole and McGovern differed greatly from the tone of this year's presidential campaign.

"This campaign did not invent the bitter attack," McGovern said at Tuesday's press conference. "That's been going on since the days of George Washington.

"In my campaign it was done, but it was done more cleverly with a little more sophistication," he said. "But I think frankly it wasn't the kind of slugfest we seem to be getting now."

Dole said one of the biggest changes is how much more intense media coverage of the campaign has become, even since he ran just eight years ago. That coverage, he said, helps fuel negative campaigning.

"You got more cable, more radio, more written press, you got the Internet, you got - I don't know what they are - something called bloggers," Dole said. "The ads are negative, and it's almost gotten to the point where if I can destroy my opponent before he destroys me, I win.

Senate Majority Leader Bob Dole jokes with Senator George McGovern about the seating arrangements at Northern Kentucky University. (Enquirer photo/SARAH CONARD)

"That's sort of a sad commentary, but I don't know how we change it," he said.

McGovern said since he ran for president, both parties have taken a hard turn to the right.

"The Republican Party has moved much further to the right than they were 30 years ago," McGovern said. "Rather than a leftward drift in the Democratic Party, which we are sometimes accused of, I think that we've also moved toward the right - ending the welfare program, increasing military spending, toughening up on crime and so on.

"I don't think there is any left wing in the true sense of that word," McGovern said.

Dole said he sees more of a drift by Republicans toward the middle, though conservatives still have a loud and effective voice.

"I've often wondered if Richard Nixon could get the nomination in our party today," said Dole, who was chairman of the Republican National Committee during the 1972 election. "Whether it was welfare reform or going to China, it was sort of a progressive, positive" agenda.

"Abortion wasn't an issue then, guns weren't an issue then," he said. "You heard very little about social issues, which to me is probably a good thing, a healthy thing for both parties. Those things are pretty hard to legislate."

As far as who will win this year's presidential election? These men agreed.

"Whoever wins Ohio," Dole said.

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Reid Forgrave contributed to this report.