ASHINGTON - Governor George W. Bush of Texas announced yesterday that he will distribute free trigger locks for handguns in his state, but President Clinton said the likely Republican presidential nominee simply was trying to convince Americans he is not under the sway of the National Rifle Association.
''If he comes out and gives away gun trigger locks, then he doesn't have to explain why we're still importing large-capacity ammunition clips and why he doesn't want to close the gun-show loophole,'' Clinton said.
Bush said he would inaugurate the trigger-lock program in Texas and then expand it nationwide if elected president.
''It seems like to me one of the things we ought to do is be common-sensical about how we deal with gun safety,'' Bush said. ''I think this makes sense.''
Bush spoke on NBC's ''Today'' show while Clinton appeared on ABC's ''Good Morning America.'' Their appearances came on the eve of tomorrow's Million Mom March, which sponsors hope will draw hundreds of thousands of women in the nation's largest demonstration for gun control.
The most widely used trigger locks fasten like a sandwich around a trigger to prevent it from being pulled. Cable locks thread through the gun's mechanism, preventing it from going off. Some work with keys, others with combinations.
In Boston yesterday, Senator John McCain of Arizona praised Bush for ''moving to the center'' on issues, embracing the idea of free safety locks for guns, and not engaging in personal attacks with Vice President Al Gore.
Later in the day, Bush said he will propose changes in the Social Security system because it's time to ''think differently'' about providing for Americans' retirement.
Without going into detail, Bush said allowing younger Americans to have retirement savings accounts is an idea that deserves consideration.
''I am optimistic that if the American people give my administration a chance to come in office that we can save and secure Social Security,'' Bush said. ''I welcome the debate.''
Bush is to elaborate on his proposals Monday in a speech in Ontario, Calif. Gore also is to address the subject Monday, in Philadelphia.
Meanwhile, Clinton flew to Akron, Ohio, where he announced that the Justice Department will award grants to two gun manufacturers to research and develop ''smart gun'' technology.
Smith & Wesson and F.N. Manufacturing Inc. will each receive $300,000 to pursue ways to create a gun that can be fired only by its proper owner, with the goal of preventing more accidental shootings of children, and preventing criminals from using the guns of police officers while locked in a struggle.
Clinton's budget for fiscal 2000 calls for $2 million for ''smart gun'' technology.
According to FBI data, 113 guns were stolen from police officers over the past 10 years, and 57 officers were killed with their own guns.
Bush, announcing his plan to distribute free trigger locks, said Texas would spend about $1 million a year for five years to buy the devices, which would be made available to citizens at police stations and fire departments.
''It's an option,'' Bush said of the program. ''In other words, you can't make people use trigger locks. We would love to convince people to use trigger locks to make sure that our society is safe. And so the first step is to make them available for free. And we hope it works here in Texas.''
Clinton is backing legislation in Congress that would make trigger locks mandatory. The measure also would ban imports of large-capacity ammunition clips and require background checks to buy guns at gun shows.
Tina Cassidy of the Globe Staff c ontributed to this report from Boston.
