September

Sept. 10: Perot picks author and economist Pat Choate as his running mate.

Sept. 17: The bipartisan Commission on Presidential Debates decides to exclude Perot from this fall's series of presidential debates, saying only Clinton and Dole have a realistic chance of winning. The move angers Perot, as well as other third-party candidates, including libertarian Browne and Natural Law Party candidate John Hagelin.

Sept. 19: In Chico, Calif., Dole leans on an unsecured railing to shake hand with supporters and pitches headlong into the crowd. His fall is broken by news photographers. Related Link: Quick Time Movie

Sept. 21: The Clinton and Dole campaigns agree to a schedule of two presidential debates, without Perot. There will also be one vice presidential debate.

Sept. 23: Perot files a federal lawsuit against the debates commission. The following week the court rules against him.

October

Oct. 6: In their first debate, Clinton and Dole spar over the economy, education, Medicare and tax cuts. Dole calls Clinton a liberal, but Clinton says "that's what their party always drags out when they get in a tight race." Related Link: AllPolitics' The Debates '96

Oct. 9: Common Cause alleges massive violations of "soft money" rules by both parties and asks for a criminal investigation. Related Link: Follow The Money

Al Gore and Jack Kemp argue over tax policy, the economy's health and help for America's inner cities in a low-key debate. Afterward, some Republicans think Kemp wasn't aggressive enough, while humorists have fun lampooning Gore's oh-so-precise e-nun-ci-a-tion. Related Link: AllPolitics' The Debates '96

Oct. 13: Republicans berate Clinton and the Democrats over contributions they took from members of a Indonesian banking family. Later, fund-raiser John Huang is relieved of money-raising duties.

Oct. 15: After avoiding a direct attack in the first debate, Dole takes off the gloves in a San Diego-area speech, saying Clinton has failed the test of public ethics. The tone of the campaign suddenly turns much harsher. Related Link: Transcript of Dole's Speech

Oct. 16: In their final face-off before the Nov. 5 election, Dole criticizes the Clinton Administration's ethical lapses, but Clinton studiously ignores his rival's attacks. Related Link: AllPolitics' The Debates '96

Oct. 17: In another embarrassment for Democrats, residents of a Los Angeles-area Buddhist temple are listed as giving more than $140,000 to the Democratic party. The Wall Street Journal reports one of the donors, who runs a branch of the temple in Texas, as saying she was given $5,000 in cash and was asked to write a check to the Democratic party so the real donor's name would not have to be listed.

Oct. 24: Huang, the man at the center of the Indonesian and Buddhist temple fund-raising controversies, goes missing. Later, a judge orders the Democratic National Committee, where Huang works, to order him back to work so he can be served with a subpoena in a civil suit.

Oct. 25: With time running out, Dole steps up the fervor of his attacks, both on Clinton and a news media that he claims hasn't been energetic enough about investigating Clinton Administration scandals. In a speech, Dole asks: "When will the American people rise up and say, 'Forget the media in America! We're going to make up our minds. You're not going to make up our minds.'"

Oct. 29: Democratic fund-raiser Huang finally shows up to give a deposition. He brushes past reporters, ignoring their questions.

Oct. 30: Dole seizes on new economic statistics indicating a slower growing economy, saying it's "disastrous news for American workers and businesses."

November

Nov. 1: Under fire, Clinton decides to address the campaign finance controversy. But he won't answer reporters questions, instead delivering a speech in Santa Barbara, Calif. Clinton echoes Dole's call earlier in the day to ban contributions from non-U.S. citizens. Dole ridicules Clinton's last-minute focus on campaign finance reform. "What we have seen from this administration in the last few weeks is the reason we need campaign finance reform," Dole says.

Dole begins a 96-hour, non-stop campaign tour, with appearances at midnight diners and airplane hangers. On the campaign plane, he passes out toothbrushes and deodorant to reporters.