True Lies VI

A campaign season of political insincerity

THE STUMP SPEECH... "Ladies and gentlemen, the next president of the United States." "Distinguished guests ..." "Friends ..." "Loyal campaign workers ..." "As I travel all across this great nation ..." "People continually ask why I'm running." "And I always tell them the same thing." "I have a vision for America.""A kinder, gentler America." "A shining city on the hill." "A place called Hope." "It's morning in America." "I believe in change." "I'm going to throw away my prepared speech here. " "I'm going to let you see the real me." "I'm a simple public servant." "A champion of the middle-class voter." "I'm not a Washington insider.""I have not forgotten my roots." "It's time we end this beltway mentality." "It's time to end welfare as we know it." "It's time we end the imperial presidency.""I don't want less government, I want better government." "If America can send a man to the moon, we can fix our cities." "Save our forests." "Help our farmers." "Teach our children." "Stop this violence." "But health care comes first." "Reducing the deficit is my top priority." "I will not pander to special-interest groups." "I will not cave in to big-money contributors." "I am not surrounded by spinmeisters." "This is a grassroots campaign." "1 respect my opponent's abilities." "I welcome a third-party candidate." "I'm going to be like Truman." "I'm going to be the education president." "The environment president." "The foreign-policy president.""I will not be the first to go negative with my advertising." "The choice is clear." "It won't be politics as usual." "I'm running on my record." "Elect me, get her free." "I feel your pain." "It's the White House or home." "Let Nixon be Nixon. "

THE PRESS CONFERENCE ... "Good morning." "If s nice to see you all here." "I'll answer all your questions. " "But first, let me make one thing perfectly clear." "Read my lips." "The buck stops here." "It's the American people I care about." "I'm only interested in doing what's right. " "I am not running to win a popularity contest." "It's a question of character." "I stand on my record." "The facts are clear." "I already explained that." "I'm looking into the maid issue." "My position on abortion is clear." "I did not come to Washington to get rich." "It was a blind trust." "I wasn't paying attention to the investments. " "I don't see it as a conflict of interest." "I was never in that hotel room. ""I was not in the meeting." "I was not in the loop." "I'll have to check my records. " "I welcome the opportunity to clear the air." "I'll debate my opponent anywhere. " "We're working out the details." "No comment." "I already answered that question." "I'll have to get back to you on that." "To the best of my knowledge.""As far as I can remember." "I can't recall." "I'm not hiding behind the flag. ""It was a bipartisan commission." "A fact-finding tour." "Politics played no role in the decision." "I have not flip-flopped." "I have not changed my position." "I am not dissembling." "It was an honest mistake." "I believe in consensus." "I'm not asking for any favors. " "My ego is not involved." "You can follow me." "I stand behind him 1,000 percent." "There's no need for a special prosecutor." "This is not Watergate. " "I welcome the inquiry." "I'm confident I will be cleared." "I will not give credence to my opponent's allegations with an answer. " "To the best of my recollection ..." "The fingerprints prove nothing." "You can quote me on that." "It's off the record." "I'm not going to criticize the administration on that issue." "I take full responsibility." "My conscience is clear." "I don't follow the polls. ""I think our message is getting through." "I put my faith in the American people. " "I did not inhale." "I did not dodge the draft." "I wish my opponent good luck. " "Dole/Gingrich." "Democrat-war. " "I expect to win." "I've got time for only one more question." "Anonymous.""The hard way." "Triangulation. ""I am not a crook."

THE DAY AFTER ... "And so, my fellow Americans ..." "The people have spoken." "The best man won. ""I look forward to working with him in the future." "It's the dawn of a new era." "Time to heal the wounds. " "This is not the end, but a new beginning." 'We gave it our best shot." "I wouldn't do anything different." "I don't blame the press." "I'm not going to play Monday-morning quarterback. " "It's time to put aside our differences and work for the common good." "I'm not thinking about a recount." "I am not considering another run." "We're going to take a good long rest." "I'm keeping my options open. " "I'm sure Ovitz will come through on his promise of a job at Disney." "The system worked." "I believe in America." "In God we trust." "One nation indivisible." "I'd like to be remembered as a patriot. " "You won't have Nixon to kick around anymore."

BRUCE FEIRSTEIN