No bounce for Al Gore in polls as convention falls flat

Pollsters said Gore’s failure to get a boost was due to the Democrats’ strategy of trying to shore up their own base during the early days of the convention. "The Democrats have basically consolidated their base," said Democratic pollster Celinda Lake, who teamed with Republican pollster Ed Goeas for the tracking poll.

Calling it a "flawed strategy" Goeas said the Democrats effort to spend half of the convention catering to the party faithful, "was a true typical example of one step forward, three steps back." Bush, in contrast, got a significant boost in poll numbers during the Republican Party convention in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, two weeks ago, essentially by broadening his appeal beyond the party’s traditional conservative base.

Bush led Gore 48 percent to 37 percent in a field of four candidates, with four percent going to Green Party candidate Ralph Nader, and two percent backing Reform Party nominee Pat Buchanan. In a two-way race, Bush’s lead is nine points, 49 percent to 40 percent, according to the poll whose margin of error was plus or minus 3.1 percent.

On the opening day of the convention, President Bill Clinton took center stage while on the second night, the Democrats rolled the liberal wing including civil rights firebrand Jesse Jackson and Senator Edward Kennedy, described as "tired old lions," by Goeas.