Basis for "Love Story" -and- "The Omen"

From the archive, written on the eve of the 2000 election:

The 2000 election has taken an unexpected turn with the recent revelation that Gore is the Anti-Christ. Yesterday, the Washington Post ran the headline, "Gore is Anti-Christ: ‘666' on Gore's head since childhood admits neighbor."

The Bush campaign adamantly insists it had nothing to do with the release of the story, but Chris LaHane was skeptical, "We find it highly questionable that this story would be break only three days before the election. Clearly, the Republicans have been holding this story until now in an attempt to steal this election. In fact, this story is old news."

Voters, on the other hand, did not seem fazed. "I'm not really surprised," said LaTricia Garabot in Ann Arbor, "But I'll probably still vote for him. I just don't trust Bush with Social Security."

Meanwhile, fearing a backlash if they appear to push the story too hard, conservatives were unsure how to handle the revelation that Gore, if elected President, would usher in the Apocalypse. As Karen Hughes said, "We believe that this election is about the issues, about how Governor Bush would restore honor and dignity to the White House, and not really about, well, the return of the Prince of Darkness."

Governor Bush, for his part, when asked about the story after speaking at a rally in Orlando, refused to answer questions on the subject, reiterating, "I'm a uniter, not a divider." However, when asked on the plane later that evening about rumors that his mother, Barbara Bush, is the Whore of Babylon, despite the fact that Mrs. Bush failed to disclose this during an F.B.I. questionnaire, Bush responded that his mother did not recall filling out that question on the form and that it may have been completed by an aide. "Besides," Bush added, "I've never benefitted because of my name, so I resent any implication that Satan would somehow help me just because my Mom is his consort."

Bush later admitted, however, that it may have played some part in obtaining the endorsement of billionaire Ross Perot.