Gore for President Campaign Takes Shape at Oberlin

After spending enough time in the Oberlin bubble without picking up a newspaper, it is easy to forget who Ralph Nader is running against in this year's presidential election. The on-campus Gore campaign plans to remind people later this month.

"From now until October 8 we will be focusing on voter registration," junior campaign coordinator Dave Karpf said. "After that, we essentially want to educate people on what the real difference is between the candidates, so that when the time comes to make a choice, people can make an educated choice."

Karpf did not feel threatened by the on-campus Nader campaign "because I feel like we all want to see progressive change in America; it is just a choice of how we are going to get there. I don't think there is a huge difference between Nader and Gore."

The difference according to Karpf is that a vote for Gore "works for real positive change instead of thumbing our noses at it." Responding to attacks on Gore's record Karpf said, "Let's be clear. I don't think Gore is perfect, but I don't think it is worth fighting against a good candidate to make a statement. That statement is too costly."

Karpf said that debates with Nader supporters would be part of the campus Gore campaign and believes they are "important for students to make an informed decision." As well as distributing and posting flyers, Karpf plans to collaborate with groups such as the Sierra Club to strengthen the Democratic voice on campus.

The Gore campaign prioritizes keeping Republican candidate George W. Bush out of office above making the liberal statement Nader supporters promote. "Even Nader doesn't think Nader is going to win. No one who is going to get elected is as liberal as Nader." While Nader's campaign de-emphasizes the impact of Bush being elected, Karpf believes "[Bush] could do tremendous harm."

The Gore campaign aims to educate the campus on the main differences between Bush and Gore, which Karpf describes as "black and white." They intend to highlight the candidates' records on abortion and the environment, visions of the Supreme Court, and commitment to separation of church and state.

Three judges are expected to step down from the Supreme Court within the next president's term. "If you think about the Supreme Court, we're not talking about the next four years, we're talking about the next 30 or 40 years," said Karpf, adding, "Right now, Roe vs. Wade is really only held up by one vote."

The Gore campaign is prepared with concrete examples of drastic differences in the major party candidates' histories, especially in the context of the environment. "Texas had until recently the worst environmental record in the country. There were standards, but they were voluntary. I don't trust corporations to take care of the environment," Karpf said. He pointed to Gore's book, Earth in the Balance, and actions as vice president as examples of Gore's environmental integrity.

"[The Gore campaign] is especially important in Ohio. Ohio is listed as one of the top three swing states in the nation," karpf said. "If I lived in Texas, I might very well vote for Nader, but I'm not ready to give up the country for four years.

"What sort of risk are you willing to take?" Karpf asked. "The country is not something we can play around with to make a statement."