Promises specifics in speech

Gore said his convention speech Thursday night accepting his party's presidential nomination will offer specific policy proposals to contrast with the "generalities" of his Republican opponents, Bush and running mate Dick Cheney.

Vice President Al Gore speaks during a campaign appearance in Independence, Missouri

"People on the other ticket are good men. I'll never attack them personally," Gore said. "But I do think the American people deserve to know the specifics about how the American people would be affected if (Republicans) won, how the American people will be affected if (the Democrats) win."

He also suggested that Bush had glossed over the details of his plans for Social Security and Medicare in order to create a false impression of caring about the programs.

While Democrats are in the limelight this week, Bush is relaxing at his ranch in Texas. But his campaign staff was quick to respond to Gore's statements.

Bush spokesman Ari Fleischer said that Bush has given plenty of specifics on his agenda and that Gore's contention "once again shows why the vice president has a problem with credibility."

Dan Bartlett, another Bush spokesman, said Gore, as part of the Clinton administration, has had the past 7 1/2 years to work on Medicare and Social Security reform and was now at work on the "difficult task of reinventing his record of failing to."

Working toward universal health care

Gore said he would set aside a portion of the nation's budget surplus to expand Social Security and Medicare and would make use of a "lock-box" to keep funding for health care safe from other political uses.

"I believe that we have to move step-by-step toward Harry S. Truman's goal toward universal health care for all of our people, starting with a prescription drug benefit for our seniors, more help for long-term care, a better and more secure Medicare program, and full health coverage for every single child in America within the next four years," Gore said to applause.

Bush's prescription-drug plan provides government subsidies to the poorest senior citizens and promises to give the rest the right to sign up for a plan that offers coverage.

Gore's more ambitious proposal -- and more costly, at $253 billion over 10 years -- would add a Medicare prescription drug benefit, offering free coverage for low-income recipients, a monthly premium arrangement for others and catastrophic coverage for all.

On retirement savings, Gore has proposed tax incentives for investors building nest eggs over and above a guaranteed Social Security benefit.

Joe Lieberman talks with reporters during the taping of "Meet The Press" on Sunday

One elderly woman reluctant to speak into Gore's microphone fit perfectly into his script. Responding to Bush's plan to let workers divert some of their payroll taxes from Social Security into the stock market for potentially bigger retirement savings, the woman protested in a quavering voice:

"Who's going to take care of me? I don't know about investing funds."

Gore, teasing, said, "Well, couldn't you get on the Internet ... don't you think that would be fun to try to follow that every day?"

The woman replied, "I've tried to study stocks, and it's like a foreign language to me. I need to keep my Social Security."

On Tuesday, Gore will meet up with U.S. President Bill Clinton at a rally in Monroe, Michigan. The following day, the vice president will head to Los Angeles to prepare for his acceptance speech.