l Gore and George W. Bush dueled sharply in their first presidential debate last night over how to spend the surplus and pay for prescription drug coverage, with each man testily throwing out a blizzard of facts and figures to support his case.
Barely minutes into the 90-minute debate at the University of Massachusetts at Boston, Bush and Gore accused each other of distorting positions and misleading the public. The two men also clashed sharply on abortion, with Bush saying that he believes he would be unable to overturn government approval of an abortion pill.
As the two debated which candidate has the best plan for prescription drug coverage, Gore accused Bush of providing coverage to only 5 percent of seniors, while Gore said he would cover 100 percent.
''That is just totally false,'' an exasperated Bush interjected.
Then, when Bush charged that 50 million people won't get a tax cut under the Gore plan, the vice president interrupted: ''Not so!''
While Gore and Bush traded rhetorical jabs, hundreds of police in riot gear and 2,000-to-3,000 protesters squared off on the campus, resulting in at least six arrests, police said.
Pepper spray wafted through the air as protesters chanted behind barricades, occasionally rocking the barriers back and forth. At one point, officers rushed the crowd as it pushed against a barricade. The police swung billy clubs and batons at protesters, who waved peace signs. Also, a number of fistfights broke out among rival camps in the crowd, which accounted for at least a few of the arrests made.
The protesters, some of whom objected to the exclusion of third party candidates Ralph Nader and Patrick J. Buchanan from the debate, chanted slogans against the Democratic and Republican candidates and the Commission on Presidential Debates.
Inside the hall, one of the strongest clashes occurred over Gore's oft-stated charge that the bulk of Bush's tax cut would disproportionately benefit the wealthy.
Bush's plan, Gore said, would ''spend more money on tax cuts for the wealthiest one percent than all of the new spending he proposes for education, health care, prescription drugs, and national defense all combined. I think those are the wrong priorities.''
Bush disagreed, pounding away on his theme that Gore's plan would increase the bureaucracy and ''empower the government'' instead of the people.
The two men also drew a clear distinction between their views on abortion. Bush, asked whether he would try to overturn the government's approval last week of the RU-486 abortion pill, did not answer the question directly. Instead, Bush, who is seeking to appeal to both abortion opponents and supporters, said: ''I don't think a president can do that ... I think once the decision is made it is made.''
Bush then expressed his concern about abortion in general, saying of RU-486: ''I am worried that will cause more Americans to have abortions. I think what the next president should do is promote a culture of life in America.''
Gore, by contrast, strongly declared his support of the abortion pill and charged that Bush would appoint perhaps four new members of the Supreme Court who would oppose abortion. Gore then sought to turn Bush's central argument - that he trusts the people to make better decisions than the government - against the governor.
''He trusts the government to order the government to do what what he thinks she ought to do,'' Gore said. ''I trust women to make the decisions that affect their lives, their destinies and their bodies.''
The jabs and counterjabs occured most frequently over the competing tax plans.
''Why is that the wealthiest one percent get their tax cuts the first year, but 95 percent of seniors have to wait four or five years before they get a single penny?'' Gore asked.
''I guess my answer to that is, the man's running on `Mediscare,' trying to frighten people in the voting booth,'' Bush said.
At another point, when moderator Jim Lehrer asked Bush whether he wanted to respond to Gore's assertion that he would try to build bipartisanship, Bush prefered a short answer.
''Yeah, why haven't they done it for seven years?'' Bush said.
Throughout much of the debate, however, Bush sounded confident and in command of his agenda, repeatedly describing himself as an outsider who doesn't have a Washington mentality.
Gore made his points not only with words, but with body language, as he frequently looked askance during Bush's attack, sometimes shaking his head and sighing. The audience of about 900 people, with one-third chosen by each campaign, was much quieter than in most such debates, apparently heeding Lehrer's admonition to remain quiet throughout.
As Lehrer unsuccessfully tried to keep the candidates to the agreed-upon time limits, Bush and Gore interrupted each other to try to make their points. Bush said the vice president has been in an administration for eight years that failed to provide drug coverage and shouldn't get another chance.
''Eight years ago they campaigned on getting prescription drugs for seniors, and four years ago they campaigned on getting prescription drugs for seniors, and now they're campaigning on getting prescriptions drugs for seniors,'' Bush said. ''It seems like they can't get it done.''
The topic finally turned to foreign policy more than a half an hour into the debate, and Gore flexed his muscles, volunteering the difficult-to-pronouce name of the Serbian opposition candidate - Kostunica - within seconds. The vice president also voiced his support for the political ousting of Serbian leader Slobodan Milosevic, although he said he would not use force.
Bush, on the other hand, said he would encourage Russia to help resolve the Serbian election. In doing so, he handed Gore an opportunity to play off a topic that is perceived as a weakness for Bush. Gore, sounding at once complimentary and condescending, chided Bush for suggesting the Russians would help remove Milosevic from office.
''Being as they have not yet been willing to recognize Kostunica as the lawful winner of the election, I'm not sure it's right for us to invite the president of Russia to mediate this dispute,'' Gore said.
''Obviously, we wouldn't use the Russians if they didn't agree with our answer,'' Bush replied.
''Well, they don't,'' Gore shot back.
The debate at the university took place inside the Clark Athletic Center, which had been transformed into a massive television studio, with red carpet laid on the floors, bright lighting hung overhead, and the air conditioning set at 65 degrees so that neither candidate would be likely to sweat. It was a moment of pride for the 13,000-student commuter school, a moment that almost never happened because Bush initially objected to the setting, with some aides upset that the event was cohosted by the adjacent John F. Kennedy Library.
As the debate began, the two presidential candidates stood behind a twin set of lecterns, set about 6 feet apart, with moderator Lehrer of PBS seated at a half-moon table with his back to the audience of about 900 people. But the real audience was watching on television in what was expected to be the most-viewed political event of the year. Between 50 million and 97 million people were expected to watch, based on ratings of past debates.
With Bush and Gore statistically tied in several polls, the debate was a potential turning point in the campaign. The vast majority of Americans have already made up their minds about the candidates, so both men were aiming to attract the relatively small number of undecided voters, perhaps a few percent of the electorate that could truly vote either way. The undecided voters tend to be independents, women, and suburbanites.
The Commission on Presidential Debates, headed by former chairmen of the two major political parties, invited only Gore and Bush to the nationally televised event. Under commission rules, Green Party nominee Nader and Reform Party candidate Buchanan were not invited because they did not garner 15 percent of the vote in five selected polls.
The absence of Nader, in particular, drew the ire of thousands of protesters assembled near the debate site. Although Nader was not invited, he is a factor in the campaign, particularly for Gore. In several states, including Oregon and Minnesota, Nader could draw more than 5 percent of the vote, which could be enough to tip the result in Bush's favor. Gore has been eager to appeal to Nader's supporters, boosting his credentials as an environmentalist and proclaiming himself a fighter ''for the people, not the powerful.''
A Washington Post/ABC News poll released yesterday said the race was statistically tied, with Gore at 48 percent, Bush at 46 percent, Nader at 3 percent, and Buchanan at 1 percent. The margin of error was 3 percent.
As if saving his words for the debate, Gore broke from his debate camp early yesterday in Florida with nary a comment for waiting reporters. He also remained in his cabin aboard Air Force II.
The vice president practiced over the weekend at a marine research facility under a model of a shark, and aides were seen loading it - and a mule harness that is a good-luck symbol for the campaign - aboard the vice presidential aircraft.
As the motorcade left the Colony Beach and Tennis Resort, where Gore plans to return next week to prepare for his second debate with Bush, a couple held up a painted bedsheet.
It read, ''It's game day; go get 'em.''
When Gore arrived at Logan International Airport, his airplane parked near Bush's aircraft, and the vice president was photographed with Bush's plane in the background as he descended the staircase.
Bush flew into Boston from Huntington, W.Va., after a quiet day of campaigning Monday that ended before sunset.
''I'm ready to go,'' the governor of Texas said before boarding his campaign plane, giving supporters a thumbs up. Bush's communications director, Karen Hughes, said he was in good spirits, calling him ''pretty calm.''
Bush arrived at Logan Airport shortly after noon and was greeted on the tarmac by his senior advisers, Karl Rove and Mark McKinnon, who had flown in earlier. The Bush campaign temporarily transformed the Logan Hilton Hotel into its headquarters, setting up shop in conference rooms.
Bush waited until after the debate to stage a public event, reserving the afternoon for exercising and taking a nap. Hughes said the governor did not do any last-minute cramming, and Bush, speaking to reporters, said not to expect any tricks.
''Tonight is not the night for gimmicks,'' Bush said. ''Tonight's the night to talk about heart, compassion, and vision.''
Once the candidates and their entourages finally arrived at the debate site, passing screaming protesters who lined the route down Morrissey Boulevard, eager spokespeople, and hundreds upon hundreds of reporters who filled the campus ice hockey rink, which was packed with workstations and television sets.
Under a dome and the glaring lights, lawmakers competed for attention and air time, shouting above the din. A mob of camera crews held up Senator John F. Kerry for half an hour. Governor George E. Pataki of New York held court on a neighboring staircase. The Rev. Jesse Jackson strolled the aisles. ''Does anyone want to talk to Jeanne Shaheen, the governor of New Hampshire?'' one aide shouted, peddling his candidate.
The debate schedule continues with a face-off between the vice presidential candidates on Thursday in Kentucky, as well as two more presidential meetings, on Oct. 11 in Winston-Salem, N.C., and on Oct. 17 in St. Louis.
Glen Johnson of the Globe Staff, traveling with Gore, contributed to this report.
Texas Gov. George W. Bush, right, and Vice President Al Gore make their points during Tuesday's debate. (AP photo)