Almost 3,000 people turned out to the Iowa Democratic Party fund-raiser Saturday in Des Moines to see a rare joint appearance by the top two contenders for the Democratic nomination, former Sen. Bill Bradley and Vice President Al Gore.

Bradley and Gore were both given a chance to address the largest crowd ever to attend the Jefferson-Jackson Day Dinner, held at the Polk County Convention Complex.

Iowa Democratic Party Chairman Rob Tully cited “having two of the best presidential candidates” as one of the reasons for the record-breaking turnout, with revenue from the dinner expected to be half a million dollars.

Supporters chanted “Bradley” and “One, two, three, four, we love Al Gore,” as the candidates circled the dining room shaking hands and posing for pictures.

The two greeted each other briefly before the dinner, and as Bradley and Gore shook hands, Gore said, “Welcome to Iowa.”

Gore continued to try to shake his stiff stereotype by stepping away from the podium and addressing Bradley both directly and indirectly during his speech. Gore eluded that Bradley is not a committed Democrat because he left politics when the going got tough for the party.

“I’ve never turned my back on the Democratic Party,” Gore said.

Bradley left the U.S. Senate in 1996, after Democrats lost control of Congress in 1994.

Gore suggested that he and Bradley have weekly debates.

“Let’s have a debate on agriculture right here in Iowa. What about it, Bill?” Gore asked. “It gives us a chance to demonstrate to the Republicans and really show the American people how a campaign should be run.”

Bradley did not commit to the debates, but he included in his speech an analogy to the Mark McGwire/Sammy Sosa home run competition, describing how he and Gore should work together.

“I know that our politics can also be that good, but it’s really up to us,” Bradley said. “Why can’t it be Vice President Al Gore pushing Bill Bradley and Bill Bradley pushing Al Gore to be the best that we can be, so that national interest will benefit?”

Each of the candidates addressed topics central to his campaign.

Bradley talked about the importance of helping out family farmers and improving gun control laws. Implementing a national system of gun registration and licensing was one of Bradley’s suggestions.

Bradley said he hoped Americans would continue to break down the barriers of race.

“We have to move forward on racial unity in this country,” he said. “We have done big things before, and we can do those big things again.”

Gore voiced his stance on a variety of issues.

“The progress we’ve made for civil rights in this century is only the beginning,” Gore said. “We need to come together across the divisions that have been used to separate us.”

Gore said these divisions still exist, which is why he supports affirmative action and the passing of a hate crimes law.

“I feel very passionate about these issues,” Gore said.

Both candidates expressed their faith in democracy and the importance of electing a Democrat as the next president.

“We all know that there are places in our lives that politics can’t reach,” Bradley said. “But just as we know that, we also believe as Democrats that government can help provide Americans with the tools to achieve that happiness.”

Gore led the audience in a cheer of “Republicans are wrong on everything,” and he said Congress should use the budget surplus to save Social Security and fix Medicare before handing out a tax cut supported largely by Republicans.

“There are children in America that have unlimited potential that may or may not be unlocked depending on the 2000 election,” Gore said. “Decisions we are talking about in this race will determine whether we are moving in the right direction or the wrong direction.”