ith several pointed digs, Vice President Al Gore took on the Republican front-runner for president yesterday, as he outlined his own plan for fighting crime, including photo licenses for every new handgun owner in America.
Standing outside Boston Police headquarters in Roxbury, Gore took aim at Texas Governor George W. Bush as he denounced hate crimes, opposed loosening concealed weapon laws, and said that gun laws should be written for families, ''not for gun lobbyists and their apologists.''
Although the vice president never mentioned Bush by name, aides to Gore encouraged the comparison.
''We welcome everyone and anyone to make the comparison on where we stand and where they stand,'' said Chris Lehane, Gore's spokesman. ''If the holster fits, wear it.''
Among other things, Gore proposed: a constitutional amendment to protect the rights of crime victims; beefing up the criminal justice system with more prosecutors, defenders, and judges; new technology for police to help them map and target high crime areas; banning cheap, easily concealed handguns; and requiring tougher penalties for gun-related crimes, including violent crimes committed in front of children.
Many of the topics and applause lines in Gore's address found an easy correlation to action Bush has taken, or not taken, as governor of Texas.
For example, during this year's legislative session in Austin, a bill to require background checks on gun buyers at Texas gun shows died. Bush says he supports such checks, but believes Congress should pass such a bill, and so he did not push the issue in the Legislature.
Bush also kept his distance from the legislative debate on hate-crimes legislation, which would have set higher penalties for crimes committed because of a victim's gender, race, or sexual orientation. The bill was named for James Byrd Jr., a black man from Texas who was dragged to death behind a truck. That bill also died. Bush did not lobby the issue hard, his spokesman said, because he regarded it as a vote of conscience.
But Gore said he views such a stance as unconscionable.
''It astonishes me that just two weeks after the terrible crimes of hate in Illinois and Indiana, some still deny that hate crimes merit stiffer punishment,'' Gore said. ''When a killer on the rampage picks Jews, blacks, and Asian-Americans as his victims, I don't understand how some can still argue that hate crimes are no different than all other crimes.''
Gore, still without naming his leading rival, also offered a note of contrast on two other Bush priorities: the Texas governor's signing of legislation ending a 125-year prohibition on private citizens carrying concealed weapons and also a bill to limit the ability of cities to sue gun manufacturers.
''Some want to enact new protections for gun manufacturers. I want to pass new protections for families,'' Gore said. ''Some want more concealed weapons, but they can't conceal the fact that they're just doing the NRA's bidding. Some want to overturn local gun control laws. I want to overturn the influence of the gun lobby.''
Bush also opposes mandatory child-safety locks on guns. To that, Gore quoted the Newton-based Stop Handgun Violence billboard. ''It's a lot easier to child-proof a gun than it is to bulletproof a child,'' said Gore. ''I agree.''
The Bush campaign, however, said Gore's gun-licensing plan would not work, and complained that the administration has been lax in prosecuting gun-related offenses.
''A government registration of law-abiding citizens will not prevent criminals from committing crimes with guns,'' said Mindy Tucker, Bush's spokeswoman. ''Tougher penalties and instant background checks will. Governor Bush has consistently supported instant background checks to keep guns out of the hands of criminals and juveniles.''
Tucker said the Clinton administration has refused to provide additional funding for Project Exile, which gives resources to federal prosecutors to help them make gun offenses a top priority. She also said that the administration has failed to prosecute violations of the Brady law, which requires a seven-day waiting period to purchase a gun.
Gore's speech, delivered to a friendly crowd of supporters, is his fifth major policy address in recent months and it further distinguishes him from Bush and from his Democratic rival, former senator Bill Bradley. Both Bush and Bradley have remained vague about their agendas, preferring to hold off on taking too many specific positions.
But Bradley did put forth his own gun-control plan last month, including proposals for the registration of all handguns and a ban on the manufacture and sale of Saturday night specials. He also called for a one-per-month limit on handgun purchases.
A spokesman for Bradley, Tony Wyche, welcomed Gore to the gun-control debate. ''We're very happy the vice president has started to support our proposals on gun control,'' Wyche said. ''We think he should have gone further to ban gun dealers from residential neighborhoods, and should have been more clear on gun registrations.''
So far, Gore has laid out his thoughts on education in Iowa, faith-based organizations in Atlanta, cancer research in Philadelphia, and livability issues in Washington. In the next two weeks, he is expected to delve into economic themes, talking about how to help those who have not benefited from prosperity.
Gore lavished plaudits on Boston, calling the city's crime fighting ''an inspiration,'' and heaped praise on Mayor Thomas M. Menino, Police Commissioner Paul Evans, and the Rev. Eugene Rivers for their efforts to prevent crime before it happens.
''Your success here is an inspiration: For 18 months here in Boston, not a single precious child was killed,'' said Gore. ''Youth homicide is down by 75 percent. So far, in all of 1999, not a single parent has lost a child to handgun violence. This summer could be the safest in Boston's recent history. I really applaud you.''
