SOME OF THE QUESTIONS Here are some of the questions people told The Associated Press they would like to ask of Vice President Al Gore and Texas Gov. George W. Bush in the campaign debates: "What would you as president do about cynicism in politics? How would you combat cynicism? Is there any way for a politician to give me a non-politician's answer?" Tonnie Thomas, 45, of Denver "What would you do for the homeless?" Tony Thomas, 20, a Richmond, Va., ambulance driver "Is there any way to lower taxes for the average person so the wealthier pay more?" Shirley Maynard, of Mobile, Ala., who described herself as a housewife "When is it going to be possible for senior citizens to not pay anything at all for medication? When will insurance companies be able to pay for it all?" Neera Ummat, 49, a radiologist in Louisville, Ky. "What long term plans do they have for the future of employer-based health care?" Bryan Miller, 39, of Overland, Park, Kan. "What's Social Security going to be like for me when I get to be that age? I don't think anybody can live on $382 a month." Tammie Harris, 34, a secretary in Cheyenne, Wyo. "Would you bring oil prices down for people who can't afford it? Will you keep using the oil on reserve and will you quit helping the Middle East by using their oil?" Marion Upton, 60, of Albany, N.Y., a retail saleswoman "Are you really going to do what you say you're going to do? Can we check back in two years and see if everything has been covered?" Myrl D'Arcy, an artist in New Orleans' French Quarter "Where do you stand on school prayer and what ideas do you have to bridge the gap in race relations?" Cheryl Leigh, a state employee in Montgomery, Ala. "When are they going to raise waitresses' salaries? I think we should at least make the minimum wage ... I've never heard any candidate say anything about waitresses." Cheryl Marquardt, 28, a waitress in Troy, Mich. "I would ask them about education. I just feel that the way the schools are going now, they're not really geared toward putting the kids in a frame of mind in which education is No. 1. I would want to know their take on motivating more students to become teachers." Kevin Boyd, 39, of Chicago, a pharmaceutical sales representative

WASHINGTON -- Al Gore and George W. Bush would face some blunt questions about truthfulness if average Americans were doing the asking in the debate Tuesday night. But the dominant topics would be the issues the candidates argue about every campaign day.

People want to know in detail what the presidential nominees would do to preserve Social Security, provide prescription drug benefits to seniors, improve health care and education, control energy costs and either cut taxes or pay down the national debt.

They also would ask about honesty and whether campaign promises really count, a thread of cynicism that led some people to say they had nothing to ask because it wouldn't make any difference.

"Will you keep your promises?" Jeri Peters, 32, a hair stylist from St. Clair Shores, Mich., said she'd ask. "Because the candidates will say anything to get your votes, but then what happens?"

"Are you really telling the truth?" asked Florence Barnes, 50, a teaching assistant in Louisville, Ky. "The main thing in my mind is trust and truth."

"What would make the promises that they're making any different than all the rest of the promises other politicians have made throughout the years?" Berwin Cooley, 52, an electrician in Tucson, Ariz., asked. "And how would they see it that they come to fruition?"

Melissa Volker, 37, of Boston, where the first of the three Gore-Bush debates will be held Tuesday night, said she'd want them to "tell me how you're different. ...

"You seem to have meshed into one ambiguous animal," said Volker, who described herself as an independent. "Tell me what you're passionate about."

Those were among the questions people framed when Associated Press reporters asked what they would ask the candidates if they had one question at the debates.

After Tuesday's opening in Boston, Bush and Gore meet again in Winston-Salem, N.C., on Oct. 11, and in St. Louis on Oct. 17, the last in a town hall setting in which the questions will come from an audience of voters who say they are undecided between the two candidates.

In the AP interviews, the specific issue raised most often was that of health care and prescription drug benefits.

Melissa Heminway, 46, a part time pier manager in Cape Porpoise, Maine, said she'd want to know what the candidates would do for ailing elderly people and those who care for them, as she does for her 75-year-old mother. "I'm kind of curious how things could be simplified," she said. "The paperwork is ridiculous."

Another frequent question was about the future of Social Security, with younger working people wanting to know whether they can count on getting benefits when they retire.

"Are they going to keep putting enough money into Social Security so that those of us who've been paying into it since we were kids get something back?" asked Dave Meyer, 36, a Realtor from Albuquerque.

Education, what the nominees would do to improve schools and help parents pay for college, was another frequent entry. "I would ask just what improvements they plan in making in the public education system," said Caroline Castaneda of Phoenix, 25, a senior at the University of Arizona. "Bush seems to think that we're in an education recession right now."

On taxes, some of the proposed questions reflected what the candidates have been saying.

"We have a tax surplus," said Dave Wichard, 45, a barber in Cheyenne, Wyo. "Why don't we get a refund?" That is in line with Bush's tax plan.

"Why don't we work harder at getting rid of the deficit instead of talking about tax relief?" asked Slim Powers, 63, a cattle hoof trimmer from Nampa, Idaho. Gore favors a smaller tax break than Bush, and says he would do more to pay down the national debt.

Kim Bauer, 33, taking a break from his job loading grain in New Salem, N.D., said he is worried about heating his home this winter. "If I could ask a question, I'd ask what would you do to bring gas prices down," he said.

George Frankenstein, 57, a San Francisco stockbroker, said he'd have one question for each candidate. He said he'd ask Gore how he and running mate Joseph Lieberman can "live with yourselves, bashing the entertainment industry for the last 10 years and turn around and take their money." His question for Bush was as confrontational: "How can you overcome the image of being such a dunce?"

Virginia Wentz, 55, of Riverton, N.J., put the Bush question a bit more gently. "I would ask Bush about his competence," she said. "I think he's not competent enough, from what I've heard, from how I've heard him speak."

Jerry Labinger, 57, a New York City schoolteacher who retired to Albuquerque, said he'd just like some plain talk. "Would you ever like to express what you really feel, about the country, education, drugs, the environment?" he'd ask. "Is there ever a time when you would like to unbutton your collar and say what's really deep in your heart instead of what you think is the right thing to say or the expected sound bite?"

"Can you be honest?" Rella Snetsinger, a Mobile, Ala., retiree, would ask. "There should be some way they are penalized if they don't tell the truth, but there isn't."