Gore Defends Democratic Base

July 6 -- While Texas Gov. George W. Bush tries to prove he’s a “different kind of Republican,” Vice President Al Gore is struggling to convince his party’s liberal base that he’s the same old kind of Democrat.

Trailing his Republican rival in every major public opinion poll and losing ground with traditionally Democratic voting groups such as women, Latinos and labor unions, Gore has been forced into the uncomfortable position of having to defend his left flank.

The Democratic candidate has returned to the populist rhetoric that helped propel him to a lopsided victory in his primary battle with former New Jersey Sen. Bill Bradley.

“I want to fight for the people,” Gore told a group of seniors in Niles, Ill. today. “That’s why the big pharmaceutical companies … are supporting Gov. Bush. That’s why the big oil companies are supporting Gov. Bush. That’s why the big polluters are supporting Gov. Bush. That’s why the HMO’s and insurance companies are supporting Gov. Bush.”

Railing against corporate greed is at the heart of Gore’s effort to shore up his support from organized labor, a key Democratic constituency that is still angry over the vice president’s support for a deal that was brokered by the White House to permanently normalize trade relations with China. That agreement — recently passed by the House — was hailed by big business, but hated by labor unions that argued it would drive down wages for American workers.

Blaming Business, Bashing Bush

With prescription drug prices rising at record rates and Republicans and Democrats now pushing competing coverage plans for Medicare recipients, Gore is blaming the soaring costs on what he says are greedy pharmaceutical manufacturers.

“There is price-gouging going on,” he said this afternoon. “They’ve already had the highest profits of any industry in America.”