ASHINGTON - Al Gore has convinced much of the public that he can keep the strong economy going, and that has helped him gain ground on George W. Bush, according to a survey by Republican and Democratic pollsters.
The Voter.com-Battleground poll released yesterday showed Bush with a 48 percent to 44 percent edge over Gore in the presidential race. But the vice president, who decided last summer to focus more heavily on his economic role in the Clinton administration, is getting more credit for his abilities on that issue. That has played a role in cutting the double-digit margin that Bush, the Republican governor of Texas, held last year, the poll indicated.
Gore has closed his gap with Bush a bit among male voters, too, largely on increased confidence that he can better handle the economy, said Democratic pollster Celinda Lake, who conducted the survey with Republican Ed Goeas. The candidates are rated about evenly on that issue, though Bush had a big advantage on the economy in earlier polls.
''The disadvantage among men was at astounding levels,'' Lake said, noting that Democrat Gore is now 12 points down among men, about half the earlier deficit. ''That's within range to have women compensate for the difference.
The gender breakdown is 52 percent to 40 percent for Bush among men and 48 percent to 43 percent in Gore's favor among women in the latest poll. The poll had an error margin of plus or minus 3 percentage points.
The poll indicates advantages for Bush in concerns about the nation's moral climate, and an increasing number of people who feel the country is on the wrong track, about evenly split on that question.
