"Some people are tired of prosperity," said Gore, who also seemed a bit tired while kicking off a push through the campaign's final weekend. "Some people are tired of the 22 million jobs. I don't agree."

At the same time, Republican Bush mounted a new, aggressive challenge on traditional Democratic turf even as he came under fire for his knowledge of how government works.

As the campaign's final weekend began, Gore attended a prayer breakfast Saturday in his native Tennessee, before flying to West Virginia and Pennsylvania.

Meanwhile, Bush was beginning the campaign day in battleground Michigan, appearing with retired Gen. Colin Powell to underscore his argument the vice president has contributed to a decline in military morale and readiness.

With stagecraft and surrogates, the Bush campaign sought to dismiss revelations of Bush's drunk driving arrest as Democratic "desperation tactics" and convince voters that the Texas governor possesses the maturity to be president. He was standing beneath a giant American flag hanging from a crane and a blast of fireworks.

"As we get down to the end of the campaign, we're seeing the last-minute desperation tactics we've seen before from the opposition time and time again," running mate Dick Cheney told thousands of supporters gathered on a hillside park in Dearborne, Mich. "Frankly, we're all a little tired of the Clinton-Gore routine. The wheel has turned. It's time to for them to go."

Also at Bush's side was retired Gen. Colin Powell, who took up the call to ignore the revelation of Bush's arrest 24 years ago and concentrate instead on the mature governor standing before them.

"There are just a few days left. Don't be distracted by the little sniping that comes in from the flanks," he said.

But the arrest did hover over the campaign 72 hours before election day, reflected in a yard sign his motorcade passed on the way to the rally. "Go home Bush. Just don't drive," the sign said.

Democrat Gore needs a strong turnout among black voters, and he rallied church leaders with a scripture-spouting talk. He said minorities in particular have gained through the solid economy, and argued the electoral stakes are high.

"Do not confuse the journey with the destination," said Gore. We have left Egypt, but we have not yet arrived in Canaan. We've got a long way to go."

Bush was headed later to Pennsylvania and New Jersey, but also had Florida on his mind, where he and the vice president are in a tight race.

Polls nationally give an edge nationally to Bush in Tuesday's election, though Gore is running stronger in some big battleground states, leaving the contest an electoral chess match.

Gore was defending Tennessee, where 11 electoral votes are up for grabs and Bush is running strong. But Gore argued that momentum is heading his way.

"I feel it coming," said Gore. "You know me. You know my heart. On Tuesday we're going to carry Tennessee and Memphis is going to lead the way."

Gore told ministers to rally their congregations to "take your souls to the polls."

For his part, Bush was explaining his drunken-driving arrest in Kennebunkport, Maine, saying he has long conceded personal turmoil earlier in his life. "But I'm proud to tell you I've learned from my mistakes. Most Americans are coming to the conclusion this is dirty politics," he said.

An ABC News poll suggested many voters say it doesn't raise questions in their mind about whether he is qualified to be president. Only 15 percent said it raised questions about Bush's fitness for the job, while more than eight in 10 said it did not. About the same number among the 697 likely voters polled Friday said they felt the 1976 arrest was not relevant to the presidential race.

Gore's campaign denied any involvement with the disclosure. "We categorically deny any involvement," said Gore chairman William Daley. "Charges to the contrary are irresponsible."

Gore declined to be drawn into the matter, saying: "I have no comment on this. I want to talk about the issues."

A core argument Gore's campaign makes is that Bush isn't up to the job, and Gore seized on a Bush misstep to hammer that point.

Defending his Social Security proposal, Bush said critics "want the federal government running Social Security like it was some kind of federal program." Aides said Bush misspoke, and understood that the federal government ran the system.

(Associated Press Writer Laurie Kellman contributed to this report.)