(5 of 5)
Now that they've swallowed hard and dug in for a fight, the Bushies are taking some comfort from history: given the fact that they are running against an incumbent in a good economy, they are actually exceeding expectations. "He should be killing us," a top adviser says of Gore. "But he can't do any better than a tiny lead. We're still in very good shape." On the other hand, the Democrats take comfort in more recent history: Gore has already been through three tough presidential campaigns, and Bush, they believe, struggles in rough water. His judgment can falter, his wisecracks can backfire, and the combination looks unready for prime time. As John Raffaelli, a top Democratic consultant put it, "The thing we're learning about old George is that once he gets under pressure, he goes negative quick. The bull----about changing the tone evaporates when he ain't winning."
--Reported by James Carney with Bush, Tamala M. Edwards with Gore, John F. Dickerson and Michael Duffy/Washington and Eric Pooley/New York
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