Democratic Convention: The Women Who Made Al Gore

Pauline raised a tough, pragmatic politician, but it took a life-altering family crisis to make Al see how much he had to learn from Tipper

By Karen Tumulty Monday, Aug. 21, 2000

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    The night of the New Hampshire primary, it looked for a while as though Al might have lost it after all. His strategists gathered at a Manchester Holiday Inn, where they were no longer sure they were throwing a victory party, and prospected for signs of hope in the gloomy exit numbers. But with the polls closed and nothing left to be done about it, Tipper turned her attention to tossing a Nerf football back and forth with campaign aides. As strategist Shrum rushed over with the latest results, she asked offhandedly, "In case we need it, do you have a concession speech ready?"

    Which was precisely the kind of practical advice Pauline would have had. And in large part because of Tipper, the speech never became necessary.

    --With reporting by Tamala M. Edwards

    For more behind-the-scenes photographs of the Gores, go to time.com/Gore

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