Gore’s performance a hit among Nevada delegates

Benjamin Grove

Friday, Aug. 18, 2000 | 10:32 a.m.

LOS ANGELES -- Nevada delegates to the Democratic National Convention agreed with numerous party analysts who said presidential nominee Al Gore on Thursday gave "the speech of his life."

"He did that by telling the country about who he is, where he comes from and what are the values that he believes in," Sen. Richard Bryan, D-Nev., said.

Bryan conceded the speech may have been overly broad. "Complete," Bryan joked.

Rep. Shelley Berkley, D-Nev., said the candidate who has been dogged throughout his career by labels like "wooden" showed heart.

"He had passion. He set forth a great agenda for the American people," Berkley said.

Berkley was invited by party officials to stand just off-stage with other dignitaries. She stood next to and chatted with Kathleen Kennedy Townsend and Rep. John Lewis.

"We were nodding at each other," Berkley said. "It was a very enthusiastic backstage group." The Staples Center crowd looked like "pandemonium," she said. Gore's reference to protecting a woman's right to an abortion seemed to draw the longest applause from the convention floor, Berkley said.

Berkley crowded onto the stage briefly for the balloon drop after the speech, but quickly exited when the packed throng got to be too much, she said.

The speech had a little something for everyone, delegates said.

"I believe it was a vision for young people, young families, a vision for moving ahead," said Russell Davis, at 28 one of the three youngest delegates from Nevada. He said as a young husband he was impressed with Gore's ideas on education, especially higher education, and health care.

Davis' wife is a second grade teacher, so he appreciated Gore's reference to teachers.

"I know my wife was sitting at home going, 'Yeah!' "

Ellen Nakamura, 36, struggling with an armful of Gore signs after the speech said Gore was "inclusive."

"I think I saw history in the making," she said.

Rosa Mendoza said the biographical video introduction to the speech hit a nerve with the crowd.

"From that point on, and everyone around me seemed to agree, we felt closer to him and more comfortable than ever before," Mendoza said.

Local labor activist Ed Zimmer, carrying the Nevada signpost from the convention floor as a souvenir, pledged to energize workers to campaign.

And former Las Vegas Mayor Jan Laverty Jones said Gore drew clear lines in the sand between Democrats and Republicans and was adequately seasoned with specifics. She said Bush's speech was full of empty rhetoric; Gore offered more details and seemed to be "going back to party roots."

"He came off as earnest," Jones said.

Her only criticism: Gore talked too fast.

Sen. Harry Reid, D-Nev., said Gore had a good delivery, looked comfortable and said the speech's "content was excellent."

Gore's lofty words didn't promise too much, Reid said.

"He's a policy guy," Reid said. "He loves being in government, loves talking about policy. George Bush is the opposite."

Gore and Reid are old friends who have served together in Congress for years; Reid supported his race for the Democratic nomination for president in 1988.

Reid also made a speech Thursday, one of a parade of speakers who addressed the convention arena before Gore took the stage. His Secret Service detail here for the convention code named him Vegas.

"They could have come up with something more original," Reid said.

Reid ran into another friend at the Staples Center Thursday: Grateful Dead drummer Mickey Hart. Hart performed with a group that introduced Tipper Gore.

The odd couple -- '60s-era musician and Mormon lawmaker -- have been friends since Hart testified before Congress on a music issue years ago, but they haven't seen each other in months.

"He's active now in preserving sounds from around the world for the Smithsonian," Reid said.