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| March 31, 1948 | |
Albert Arnold Gore is born at Columbia Hospital for Women in
Washington DC. A headline in the Nashville Tennessean reads, "Well, Mr. Gore,
here HE Is--On Page 1." Al splits his childhood between the school year in
Washington DC and summers and holidays on the family farm in Carthage,
Tennessee.
· Click here to read an interview with Gore's childhood friend Steve Armistead.
· "A Boys Life in and Out of the Family Script"
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| 1952 | |
Albert Gore Sr. is elected to the Senate, having defeated the powerful
chairman of the Senate Appropriations Committee Kenneth D. McKellar.
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| 1956 |
Albert Gore Sr. refuses to sign the "Southern Manifesto," which opposed
federal efforts to desegregate schools. That same year, the Interstate Highway
Act is passed; Senator Gore helped write this major piece of legislation and
later assumed credit for it.
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| Summer 1956 |
At the 1956, Adlai Stevenson, the Democratic presidential
nominee, throws open the selection of his vice president to the convention
delegates. Senator Gore briefly challenges his Tennessee colleague Senator
Estes Kefauver for the vice presidency. Under pressure from the kingmakers of
the party and the Tennessee delegation, however, Gore Sr. withdraws his name
from consideration. He would never again be in the running for national
office.
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| Late 1950s |
Al Jr. is enrolled at St. Albans preparatory school in Washington
D.C. which he attends through his graduation from high school.
· Click here to learn more about Gore's years at St. Albans.
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| 1965 | |
Al Gore meets Mary Elizabeth "Tipper" Aitcheson at a high school
dance.
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| June 6, 1965 |
Al Gore graduates from St. Albans, where he was known for his
work ethic, competitiveness, and confidence. Referred to as a "wooden Apollo"
by one former teacher, Gore was captain of his football team, played
basketball, and was a member of the art and government clubs.
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| 1965-1969 |
Al Gore attends Harvard University, where he majors in government
and studies under Martin Peretz and Richard Neustadt. After serving as
freshman class president he withdrew from campus leadership positions. He
spent much of his free time with his friends and with Tipper, who attended
college in Boston to be close to Al.
· Click here to read more about Gore's years at Harvard.
· "On Campus Torn by 60s, Agonizing Over the Path"
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| 1968 |
Al Gore attends the Democratic National Convention in Chicago with his
father. The young Gore helps his father the Senator write an important
anti-war speech.
· Click here for more on Gore's political education during the summer of 1968.
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| June 12, 1969 |
Al graduates from Harvard with honors. He spent much of his
senior year debating whether he should serve in Vietnam. While he opposed the
war he knew that his service could help his father's reelection campaign in
Tennessee.
· Click here to read more about Gore's Vietnam dilemma
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| August 1969 |
Al Gore enlists in the U.S. Army in Newark, New Jersey, hoping
not to be recognized as a Senator's son. He spent two months in basic training
at Ft. Dix.
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| October 1969 |
Al reports to Ft. Rucker, Alabama and is assigned to be an
information officer for the U.S. Army Aviation School.
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| April 1970 | |
Gore is recognized as "post soldier of the month" at Ft.
Rucker.
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| May 19, 1970 |
Al Gore and Tipper Aitcheson are married at Washington's
National Cathedral.
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| November 1970 |
Albert Gore Sr. loses his reelection race to Congressman Bill
Brock, who was supported by President Nixon. Throughout the fall, while on
weekend leave, Al campaigned in uniform with his father, but the Senator's
anti-Vietnam stance cost him many votes in "The Volunteer State."
· Click here to read how "Gore Adapted to Army, Dad's Defeat"
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| January 1971 |
Al Gore is sent to Vietnam as an army journalist, assigned to
the 20th Engineer Brigade headquartered at Bien Hoa, an airbase
twenty miles northeast of Saigon.
· Click here to read about Gore's experience in Vietnam.
· "For Gore, Army Years Mixed Vietnam and Family Politics"
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| May 1971 |
Al Gore receives an honorable discharge from the army after he is
accepted to Vanderbilt University's Graduate School of Religion.
· Click here to read FRONTLINE's interview with Dr. Walter Harrelson about Gore's
spiritual quest during his year in divinity school.
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| 1971-1976 |
Gore works at Nashville Tennessean, where his assignments include
policy, Metro government and editorials.
· Click here to read FRONTLINE'S interview with Gore's Tennessean colleague Ken
Jost.
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| August 6, 1973 |
Al and Tipper's first child, Karenna Gore, is born.
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| February 7, 1974 |
As the result of a sting set up by the Tennessean and local
law enforcement, Al Gore breaks the story of a bribery scandal involving
Nashville councilman Morris Haddox. Haddox is indicted but acquitted in a
second trial after the first jury deadlocked.
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| 1975-1976 |
Al Gore attends Vanderbilt University Law School.
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| March 1, 1976 |
After veteran Congressman Joe Evins announced his retirement,
Gore quickly announces his candidacy for U.S. Representative from Tennessee's
Fourth District at the Smith County Courthouse in Carthage.
· Click here to read FRONTLINE'S interview with Ken Jost about Gore's first
campaign.
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| November 2, 1976 |
Al Gore is elected to Congress. After the election he
immediately begins to hold a series of town meetings across the district in
order to stay in touch with his constituents, a practice he continued
throughout his Congressional career.
· "Birth of a Candidate: Al Gore Goes into the Family Business"
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| June 5, 1977 |
Kristin Gore is born.
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| November 1978 |
Al Gore is reelected to Congress. He would be reelected twice
more in 1980 and 1982.
· "In Congress, Gore Selected Issues Ready for Prime Time"
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| January 7, 1979 |
Sarah Gore is born.
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| March 19, 1979 |
Gore delivers the first televised speech from House floor.
During his years in Congress, Gore--known for his adoption of high-profile
issues--was sometimes called "Prime Time Al."
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| March 1982 | |
Al Gore introduces a comprehensive arms control proposal in
Congress. His proposal serves as an example of Gore's tendency to master the
details of complicated issues, including arms control, technology, and the
environment.
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| October 19, 1982 |
Albert Arnold Gore III is born.
1983 - Upon learning Tennessee Senator Howard Baker would not seek reelection,
Gore declares his Senate candidacy.
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| July 11, 1984 |
Al Gore's sister Nancy LaFon Gore Hunger dies after a battle
with lung cancer. At the 1996 Democratic National Convention. Gore would
deliver an emotional speech about his sister's cancer battle.
· Click here to read FRONTLINE'S interview with family friend James Fleming on
Gore's relationship with his sister, her illness, and how it affected the
family.
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| November 6, 1984 |
Gore is elected to the U.S. Senate with more than 60% of the
vote.
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| Spring 1985 |
Tipper Gore and Susan Baker (wife of Treasury Secretary James
Baker) form the Parents Music Resource Center (PMRC) and begin a controversial
crusade for parental guidelines on explicit content in the music industry.
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| June 29, 1987 |
Gore formally announces his campaign for the presidency on the
steps of the Smith County Courthouse in Carthage. He would first face
questions about marijuana use during this campaign.
· Click here to read FRONTLINE'S interview with Arlie Schardt, Gore's press
secretary in the 1988 campaign.
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| March 8, 1988 |
As one of the nation's youngest presidential candidates, Gore
wins five states in the Super Tuesday primaries (Arkansas, Kentucky, North
Carolina, Oklahoma and Tennessee.) His almost successful strategy involved
skipping the Iowa caucus in order to concentrate his efforts on the South.
April 1988 - After a poor showing in New York Gore drops out of the
presidential race. He vows to erase his fundraising debt and returns to the
Senate.
· Click here to read more about the 1988 campaign.
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| April 3, 1989 |
Albert Gore III is struck by a car and seriously injured while
leaving a Baltimore Orioles game. Al and Tipper stayed by his side as Albert
III remained in the hospital for three weeks. In the aftermath of the
accident, Al began work on a book about one of his passionate political causes,
the environment.
· Click here to read more.
· "Career in the Balance, Gore Focused His Energy on a Book"
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| November 6, 1990 | |
Gore is reelected to Senate.
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| January 12, 1991 |
Gore is one of ten Democratic Senators who votes in favor of
the Gulf War.
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| August 1991 |
Gore announces he will not run for the presidency in 1992 in
order to spend more time with his family.
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| January 22, 1992 |
Gore publishes Earth in the Balance. The book debuts
in 13th place on New York Times bestseller list.
· Click here for an excerpt from Earth in the Balance.
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| July 9, 1992 |
Bill Clinton announces the selection of Gore as his
vice-presidential running mate, suddenly returning Gore to the national
stage.
· Click here to read more about the 1992 campaign.
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| November 3, 1992 |
Bill Clinton is elected president. Clinton and Gore create
a working partnership that establishes Gore as one of the most powerful vice
presidents in U.S. history.
· Click here to read FRONTLINE'S interview with Dick Morris, where he analyzes
the Clinton/Gore relationship.
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| August 6, 1993 |
As the president of the Senate, Gore casts the tie-breaking
vote to pass Clinton's major economic plan.
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| November 9, 1993 |
On Larry King Live Gore debates Ross Perot over NAFTA.
Gore's strong performance helps to change public opinion and ensure passage of
the bill.
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| Fall 1995-Spring 1996 |
Gore makes seventy-one fundraising phone calls for
the Clinton/Gore reelection campaign from the White House. In an infamous
March 1997 press conference he contends that "no controlling legal authority"
prohibited him from making the calls.
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| April 29, 1996 |
Gore attends fundraiser at Hsi Lai Buddhist Temple. He later
states he believed it to be a community outreach event.
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| August 28, 1996 |
Gore gives an emotional speech at Democratic National
Convention recalling his sister Nancy's death from cancer. He is later
criticized for exploiting his sister's death to capitalize on the current
anti-tobacco political atmosphere.
· Click here to read FRONTLINE'S interview with Dick Morris, where he discusses
Gore's preparation for this speech.
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| November 5, 1996 |
The Clinton/Gore ticket is easily reelected.
1998 - Gore supports President Clinton throughout the Monica Lewinsky scandal
and impeachment process.
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| Nov. 24, 1998 |
Attorney General Janet Reno announces she will not appoint an
independent counsel to investigate Gore's fundraising for reelection
campaign.
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| December 5, 1998 |
Albert Gore Sr. dies of natural causes at home in
Carthage.
June 16, 1999 - Speaking from the steps of the courthouse in Carthage,
Tennessee--the same place he announced his first campaign for Congress in
1976--Al Gore announces his candidacy for the Democratic presidential
nomination.
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| September 1999 |
In an attempt to steady a faltering campaign, Gore moves his
campaign headquarters from Washington D.C. to Nashville.
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| January 24, 2000 | |
Gore wins the Iowa caucus. One week later, he defeats Bill
Bradley in the New Hampshire primary, effectively ending the only challenge to
his nomination.
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| August 8, 2000 |
Gore announces the selection of Connecticut Senator Joseph
Lieberman as his vice-presidential running mate.
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| August 17, 2000 |
Al Gore accepts his party's presidential nomination at the
Democratic National Convention in Los Angeles.
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