Analysis: Bush presses his case for a fresh start; Gore focuses on policy By Ron Fournier, Associated Press, 10/03/00 BOSTON - Never mind the booming economy or Al Gore's edge in experience, George W. Bush told debate viewers, the times require "a different kind of leader." Read: not a Washington insider. Leadership was at issue Tuesday night, but the candidates had different definitions of the word. Gore argued that his experience would make him a better leader. He reminded voters how much better off they are than eight years ago. He harped on traditionally Democratic issues, such as health care and education, and backed up his points with details and specifics, hoping to make Bush look shallow by contrast. The Texas governor accused the vice president of using "phony numbers," engaging in "old-style politics" and, in the final rough-and-tumble moments of the debate, raised the specter of President Clinton's impeachment and the campaign fund-raising scandals to attack Gore's credibility. "It's time for a new look. It's time for a fresh start after a season of cynicism," Bush said. Gore was unusually restrained, having heeded research that suggests some Americans -- particularly swing voters in competitive states -- are turned off by personal attacks. "I think we ought to attack our nation's problems and not attack each other," the vice president said. "You may want to focus on scandal. I want to focus on results" and solve the nation's problems. It was a poll-tested, much-practiced response to a line of attack Gore's advisers had expected might come up. They decided in advance to take the high road. "That was the only error made in the debate by Bush," said Democratic consultant Dane Strother, who was otherwise impressed with the Texas governor's performance. "It made him look petty and small. People aren't going for that." Bush's aggressive style was certain to fire up core GOP voters. It also may be his best hope of overcoming a major obstacle in his campaign: How to convince voters in times of peace and prosperity to change leadership. "He took it to him hard. It was the right thing to do," said Republican consultant Scott Reed, who ran Bob Dole's 1996 presidential campaign. Swing voters were mixed. "I guess it was OK. I'd rather hear him talk about taxes and stuff, but I guess there's a lot of people out there who don't know about Gore and Bush need to tell them," said Helen Ventrillo, a bakery store owner in New Jersey who went into the debate leaning toward Bush and is now solidly in his column. Mike Wescott, a bartender in Pennsylvania, was a McCain supporter in the GOP primaries, but began Tuesday's debate on the fence. "I'm still undecided," he said. "Gore talked issues. Bush talked trash, but I'm not too crazy about either guy." Gore was relentless in attacking Bush's tax-cut plan, casting it as a fiscal risk designed to help the rich. "The wealthy 1 percent get their tax cuts the first year but 95 percent of seniors have to wait for five years before they get a single penny" under Bush's prescription drug plan, Gore said. At one point, Bush suggested he might allow Russia to help mediate controversy over elections in Yugoslavia. Gore noted that Russia has taken an opposite view from the United States on the contested results. "Obviously, we wouldn't use the Russians if they didn't agree with our answer, Mr. Vice President," Bush said. "Well, they don't," said Gore, who made a point to twice mention the name of the opposition candidate -- a subtle reminder that Bush once flunked a foreign policy quiz. Bush also stumbled over questions about abortion, which the governor knows pit him against wavering women voters who likely will determine a close race. With polls showing that voters question whether Bush is up to the job of president, he said a good leader must be bipartisan by nature (he pointed to Texas Democrats who support him), a consensus builder (he accused Gore of being part of Washington's partisan ways) and experienced in executive offices (he repeatedly mentioned that he runs the nation's second largest state). And, he said, the next president must be somebody Americans can trust. The words and phrases jumped out like short hand. "No controlling legal authority," he said, reminding voters of Gore's fund-raising defense. Impeachment. "I felt like there needed to be a better sense of responsibility," he said, referring to Gore's strong defense of Clinton. "Going to a Buddhist temple and saying it wasn't a fund-raiser ... . "The buck stops in the Lincoln bedroom ... ." "We have to have a new look," Bush said. And so Bush turned away Gore's promises energy policy, prescription drugs and tax cuts with a constant refrain: He can't be trusted to deliver. "You've had your chance, (Mr.) vice president, you've been there for eight years and nothing has been done," Bush said. EDITOR'S NOTE: Ron Fournier is chief political writer for The Associated Press.