People interviewed afterwards voiced mixed impressions of the eight-minute speech he gave today.

He delivered his eight-minute speech without notes, flanked by his wife, Lee, and his daughter, Andrea, a small family tableau with the Rockies in the background.

Each speaker delivers an eight-minute speech - the first two are substansive matter and the third a rebuttal speech; then both teams deliver a "reply speech" lasting four minutes, with the last word being reserved for the Proposition.

In a gracious eight-minute televised speech from his ceremonial office next to the White House, Mr. Gore said he had telephoned Gov. George W. Bush to offer his congratulations.

Nearly his entire eight-minute speech was focused on explaining his shift on the issue, by far the most time he has devoted publicly to discussing his changing position.

Each speaker delivers an eight-minute speech; then both teams deliver a "reply speech" lasting four minutes, with the last word being reserved for the Proposition.

Between the end of the first and the beginning of the last minute of an eight-minute speech, the opposing party may offer "points of information".

Neither is he unhappy here, saying Mass alongside the pope at St. Peter's and spending his days listening to eight-minute speeches from each of the 175 bishops and archbishops.

The loudest cheers during Mr. Gore' eight-minute speech came as he mentioned the actor Leonardo DiCaprio, who led the festivities.

"I've got an eight-minute speech," Johnson protested.