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Gore Focuses on Economy, Bush Seeks Chance in California
U.S. Democratic presidential candidate Al Gore focused on economy and prosperity again Monday as he campaigned in the swing state of Michigan.
"With so much at stake that prosperity itself will be on the ballot," Vice President Al Gore said.
Gore and his running mate Senator Joseph Lieberman moved to wrap up a two-day bus trip through Michigan and Wisconsin, two battleground states.
"Make no mistake about it on November 7, a week from tomorrow, prosperity itself will be on the ballot and the choice will be in your hands," Gore told a gathering on the banks of Lake Michigan.
"All Americans created this prosperity and as president I will make sure it enriches all Americans," he said.
Gore vowed to maintain economic growth by keeping fiscal fundamentals sound and by balancing the budget and paying down the debt each year.
Observers here said this year's election will be one of the closest White House races since 1960.
National polls showed that Republican presidential candidate George W. Bush was slightly ahead of Gore, but Gore is leading in a number of key states.
Late Monday, Gore is heading for Oregon to campaign against Bush and Green Party presidential nominee Ralph Nader. Nader, who has got 5 percent of the support rate in some polls, could siphon off some votes from Gore in several key states. On Tuesday, Gore will campaign in California, the biggest state in the United States where Bush's support rate among the likely voters is rising in recent weeks.
Texas Governor Bush arrived in California Monday, hoping to find a chance to beat Gore in the state and get the 54 electoral votes.
A presidential candidate needs to have 270 electoral votes to win the White House race, but analysts said no candidate is sure to secure the magic number yet.
In a stop at New Mexico on his way to California, Bush told a gathering of about 2,000 people that he would unite Americans in a way Gore can't because the vice president's "vision of reform is to build a better bureaucrat."
"He is surrounded and supported by interest groups that exist to oppose reform," Bush said. "He seems guided by polls and focus groups that drain politics of its courage."
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