By
The Associated Press
PHILADELPHIA - Rallying support in the final 48 hours of the presidential campaign, Al Gore charged that George W. Bush would "squander the surplus" on a mistaken tax cut for the wealthy. Bush told his troops not to believe the "scare tactics" from the other side.
"The question on the ballot is prosperity itself. The question on the ballot is what should we do with this prosperity," Democrat Gore told a rally yesterday in downtown Philadelphia.
The crowd erupted into a chorus of "Boos" when Gore said his Republican rival would "squander the surplus" on a giant tax cut for the wealthy, and questioned his commitment to seniors.
"You're way ahead of me," Gore said.
Bush, who was spending the day in Florida, where the contest is tight although his brother is governor, dismissed the comments. Polls show Gore running strongly in Florida.
"I'm sure you've heard of all the scare tactics," Bush said at an airport rally in West Palm Beach. "Somebody who tries to scare people into the voting booth must not be very confident about his own positions."
At another point, he said: "They can try to scare ... but we have a chance on November 7 to purge this country of the old-style politics, the old way of politics."
Most national polls give a slight edge to Bush, but Gore is running strong in some big battleground states and the two are often crossing paths as they contest the same states.
Pennsylvania and Michigan are key to Gore's strategy, while he hopes to steal an unexpected victory in Florida that would hurt Bush by grabbing that state's 25 electoral votes.
Both candidates began the day at church.
"This election comes down to a very few states," Gore said yesterday at one of two appearances at black churches in Philadelphia. "I need your help on Tuesday."
Bush and his wife Laura attended services at St. Andrews church in Jacksonville.
"Great way to start off the stretch run," he told reporters before entering. "No politics, just prayer and reflection."
Afterward, shaking hands with the Rev. Gretchen Van Aken, she told Bush: "Remember, the Lord himself chooses the right man."
Bush also prayed and had breakfast with the Rev. Billy Graham, who all but endorsed him.
Florida Gov. Jeb Bush also pitched in, telling yesterday talk-show interviewers his brother will win Florida because "he has a message that people really believe in."
Gore's mission was to energize his political base with appearances before blacks and union leaders. His selection of campaign venues showed his electoral betting.
Gore urged black congregations to "feel the hope" and warned they have the most at stake.
"There's a choice on Tuesday between two very different pathways into the future," he said.
The Democrat also was headed yesterday to Detroit, Wisconsin and Iowa.
He planned to wrap the campaign with 30 straight hours on the stump, starting with coffee early today with workers at a John Deere plant in Waterloo, Iowa and ending in his hometown of Carthage, Tenn., where he'll vote tomorrow.
In between, the schedule takes him to St. Louis; Flint, Mich.; Miami and Tampa, Fla.
After Florida, Bush was rallying the troops today in Chattanooga, Tenn.; Green Bay, Wis.; Davenport, Iowa; and Bentonville, Ark.; before returning home to Austin, Texas.
While Gore campaigned yesterday in the East and Midwest, running mate Joseph Lieberman covered the West with visits to New Mexico, Nevada, Oregon and Washington state.
He urged activists in Albuquerque, N.M., to stress the differences between Bush and Gore.
"The difference is between night and day, and Al Gore is the day," Lieberman said. "It's the last lap, and with your help it will be a victory lap to the White House."
Bush running mate Dick Cheney was in California and Nevada.
There was little subtlety in the campaign's close. Bush was making his core argument that voters are ready for a change after eight years of controversy under President Clinton, while Gore was saying voters should keep the prosperity started under the administration going.
Under those themes, Bush argues that Gore can't be trusted and Gore warns that Bush cares only for the wealthy. Both are seeking to project an air of confidence, claiming campaign momentum in the race's final hours even as they took nothing for granted.
