Gore on deck.

As he eyes the presidency in 2000, Al Gore casts an eye toward black America

After seven years in the background, Vice President Al Gore is ready to take center stage. A perfunctory front-runner for the Democratic presidential nomination in 2000, in recent months Gore criss-crossed the nation, speaking out on issues ranging from gun control to the Internet to Social Security. And his stiff demeanor, which once upon a time may have been looked upon as a handicap, now seems downright enticing in the wake of recent White House travails.

Following a recent Community Empowerment Conference in Edinburg, Texas, that monitored the pulse of the nation's empowerment zones, Gore spoke with BLACK ENTERPRISE Business Editor Eric Smith about small business development, small business' access to technology and the state of black America. For Gore, the time is now. The question is whether he's the man to whom African Americans should look for leadership in the next century.

Q: You just returned from a conference examining the status of the empowerment zones. How large an economic impact do you feel the zones have made in urban areas across the country?

GORE: The zones so far have performed extremely well. Most of them have attracted a lot of new private investment to the areas, and they've created jobs and provided services. Some are doing better than others. But all are doing well, and most are doing spectacularly well. That's why I'm calling again on Congress to approve full funding for the second round of empowerment zones.

Q: But what about the concerns and outright complaints of some that while the zones are attracting outside investment, they haven't helped African Americans establish an actual equity stake within the zones?

GORE: I don't think we can say that anything has really done enough until we can close the economic gap between blacks and whites in America. But we've made significant progress. To put that in context look at the fact that African American unemployment is now the lowest it's ever been in history. The New York Times recently had a report about the dramatic increase in employment opportunities for young black males. Women as well as men are finding new opportunities in the job market and to become entrepreneurs. We're trying to make capital more available with one-stop capital shops and with the Small Business Administration outreach programs to African Americans. The White House is working in partnership with the NAACP and the Urban League in minority communities. So, while much more remains to be done, we are making a lot of welcome progress.

Q: Can you give some specifics about your plans or initiatives that would actually increase access to capital for entrepreneurs and small business owners?

GORE: Working in partnership with the SBA, we've more or less deputized the NAACP and the Urban League to write up loan applications and to pre-approve loans because they have the expertise in the communities. They help us ascertain who's ready and who's not, whose business plan is likely to work and whose is likely not to work. So, this is a real breakthrough that forms a partnership in a completely new way. Of course the overall strong economy for our nation is important to continue as well, because when we quadruple the stock market in just six years' time, we're creating more opportunities up and down the line. But you have to be mindful of the fact that in past business expansions, some communities, including some parts of the African American community, have not participated in the prosperity of the rest of the country. We're not satisfied with allowing that to continue. We want to make sure that everyone participates.

Q: With the fate of Social Security still up in the air, what if anything do you propose to assist those nearing retirement age in terms of having some type of income to live on?

GORE: We can make up our mind now that we're going to reserve the budget surplus until Social Security is safe. We need to give retirement security to all those that participate in what is by far and away the most important safety net for seniors in America. We should also make pensions in private companies more portable, so that those who change jobs will be able to take their pension contributions with them. For those in the lower- to middle-income groups we need to make changes there too. For example I'm pushing for another increase in the minimum wage--a dollar an hour over the next two years.

Q: Do you have any plans to introduce more technology to low-income areas in terms of computer access and access to the Internet?

GORE: All classrooms and libraries have to be connected to the Internet. That's critical, because low-income families are obviously less likely to have computers in the home to begin with. And if these children don't have access to computers at schools, then they are not going to get the training they need to be successful in the 21st century. We currently have a proposal that we call the "E-rate" program that will make it possible for all schools to be connected and all classrooms and libraries to be connected. This is one of the most important ways to make sure that we never become a nation of information haves and have-nots.

Q: What's the status of that proposal?

GORE: We have the first phase under way right now and the Federal Communications Commission is scheduled to vote later this week on whether to expand the funding, because I think it's very important to connect these kids to the Internet with safeguards and filters as quickly as possible.

(Editor's note: Funding for the program was subsequently expanded by the FCC.)

Q: There are some African Americans who feel that the Democratic Party habitually takes their vote for granted. Since the majority of African Americans are reluctant to vote for a Republican ticket, it seems as if the Democratic Party doesn't have to work very hard for those votes. Is there anything that you feel the Democratic Party needs to do to specifically reach out to African American voters?

GORE: I think the Democratic Party has to earn the vote of African Americans. I'm doing my best to earn the vote of every African American and every American in other ethnic groups. If we're going to succeed as a nation in the 21st century, we have to tear down barriers of prejudice and division and recognize there must be equal opportunities for all. But the burden of history is such that discrimination still does exist. That's why I proposed the largest increase in the enforcement of our civil rights laws in the history of our country. We need to be aggressive in enforcing those laws, in providing opportunities, making more capital available and leveling the playing field for everyone. The ultimate goal is to bring all African Americans into the full prosperity of the United States.

Q: To that end what are you doing to help combat the Proposition 209 clones that have spread from California to states such as Washington?

GORE: rye spoken out against Prop 209 and the clones as well. We can't tolerate demagoguery and the kinds of politics of division that have done such damage to Americans in this country over the years. I want to bring Americans together so we can seize the opportunities of the future together.

QUICK FACTS ABOUT THE VICE PRESIDENT

BORN: March 31, 1948, Washington, D.C.

EDUCATION: St. Albans School, 1965; Harvard University, 1969; Vanderbilt School of Religion, 1972; Vanderbilt Law School, 1974-76

RELIGION: Baptist

MILITARY SERVICE: U.S. Army, 1969-71

MARRIED: Mary Elizabeth "Tipper" Aitcheson, 1970

CHILDREN: Karenna, 25; Kristin, 22; Sarah, 20; Albert 3d, 16

GOVERNMENT POSITIONS: U.S. Representative, 1977-1985; U.S. Senator, 1985-1993

OTHER MAJOR POSITIONS: Investigative reporter and editorial writer for The Tennessean, 1971-76

Gore began his career in public service in 1976 when he was elected as a representative from Tennessee to the U.S. Congress (1977-1985). He was elected to the U.S. Senate in 1984 and was re-elected in 1990 (1985-1993). A candidate for the Democratic nomination for President in 1988, he won more than 3 million votes and Democratic contests in seven states.