The Great Debate Debate

By Melissa August; Val Castronovo; Matthew Cooper; Lisa McLaughlin; Julie Rawe; Alain Sanders; Flora Tartakovsky; Chris Taylor and Josh Tyrangiel

Al GORE: (on Super Tuesday) "I will challenge the Republican nominee to join with me...in banning soft money [and] debating twice a week..." March 7

GEORGE W. BUSH: (to USA Today) "This is Al Gore's attempt to try to force people to forget what's gone on in the past." March 8

GORE: (to the New York Times) "[Bush should join] me in making this campaign the first in American history where there was no soft money...He would be freer to join in debates." March 11

BUSH: (campaigning) "The best time to debate is when people are paying attention...America is now going to go into a little hibernation period when it comes to politics." March 13

GORE: (via e-mail) "I challenge you to accept my proposal that we both reject the use of soft money to run issue ads...I also challenge you to take a further step. Let's agree to forgo all campaign advertising and instead agree to a regular series of debates on the major issues facing the country." March 14

BUSH: (via e-mail) "Both you and I have made a number of campaign finance reform proposals. But before we debate these changes, it is important for Americans to know whether the current campaign finance laws have been obeyed...Thank you for your e-mail. This Internet of yours is a wonderful invention." March 15