EW YORK - With a new poll showing him with a big lead toward fulfilling his White House dream, Texas Governor George W. Bush returned yesterday to his theme of expanding ''the American Dream to every willing heart.''
A day after reaching out to minorities with speeches in New York and Washington, the presumptive Republican presidential nominee arranged to go to Detroit to again discuss sharing the nation's record prosperity, this time by pushing welfare-to-work programs.
Bush was to travel to Cleveland today to talk about vocational programs before returning home to Austin, Texas.
The USA Today/CNN/Gallup Poll showed Bush opened up a lead over Democratic rival Al Gore, 52 percent to 39 percent.
The telephone survey of 1,020 adults was conducted Friday through Sunday and carried a margin of error of three percentage points.
While the Bush and Gore campaigns publicly caution that plenty can happen before election day, more than four months off, the survey clearly buoyed Bush supporters.
In being introduced at a dinner of one of the nation's oldest and most conservative civil rights groups Monday night, Bush was likened to three former US presidents.
''He has the charisma and charm of FDR [Franklin Delano Roosevelt], ... the fortitude of Abe Lincoln, ... and the technical and managerial and political skills ... of President George Bush,'' said Roy Innis, head of the Congress of Racial Equality.
While critics charge his record as Texas governor does not support his claims to be a ''compassionate conservative,'' he has managed to draw significant support from blacks, Hispanics, and other minorities.
Polls show most minorities support Gore. But Bush has managed to make inroads into this traditionally Democratic voting bloc as he hammers away at upgrading schools, cutting taxes, and expanding opportunities.
In Washington on Monday, Bush delivered a well-received speech to the League of United Latin American Citizens where he called for making the Immigration and Naturalization Service more people friendly.
In speaking before the CORE Monday night, Bush said the robust economy should be used as a tool to help raise the quality of life for all.
''As leader of my party, I'm going to do my part,'' he said. ''I'm going to ask all Americans to stand up and work side by side and make this a reality.''
