Bush Hits Campaign Trail With New Slogan

— -- George W. Bush is back on-message and back on the offensive, but why does the Republican have to fight for Florida where his brother is the governor?

By Carter M. YangABCNEWS.comSept. 11

— George W. Bush is hitting the campaign trail with a

retooled strategy and a new slogan in an effort to regain his momentum in the presidential race.

His new catchphrase is “Real Plans for Real People,” and today, the Texas governor was talking up his prescription drug plan.

“When I look you in the eye and say prescription drugs is a priority of mine,” he told a group of seniors at a retirement home in Clearwater, Fla., “I’m a plainspoken enough fella to mean it. Prescription drugs for seniors is going to be a priority.”

Last week, Bush offered a $158 billion proposal to reform Medicare and subsidize drug costs for seniors enrolled in private healthcare plans.

Back to Basics

With the latest polls showing the Republican candidate in a dead heat with Democratic rival Al Gore, aides say Bush is going on the offensive by renewing his focus on traditionally Democratic issues, such as healthcare, conservation and education.

“Governor Bush is again demonstrating that he is a different kind of Republican,” insisted Bush campaign spokesman Ari Fleischer.

But Gore campaign officials deride the approach as political window-dressing, highlighting what they claim are major flaws in his policy proposals and pressing him for more details.

“Bush’s efforts to sell his proposals as real plans for real people fall real flat,” said senior adviser Ron Klain. “Does Governor Bush consider the six million seniors he leaves out under his prescription drug plan ‘real people’ too? What are Bush’s ‘real plans’ for Social Security?”

“These are real questions that deserve real answers,” Klain added.

Bush dismissed the criticism as “the same old scare tactics politics.”

“They’ll be saying, ‘If George W. becomes the president, he’s going to take away your Social Security check,’” he said. “Don’t believe it.… You can’t scare somebody and try to lead ’em.”

Responding to his opponent’s recent surge in the polls, Bush has turned to a tactic he adopted during the Republican primaries: taking his message directly to voters.

That approach was on full display this afternoon as the candidate worked the crowd, microphone in-hand, at the Top of the World Senior Center in Clearwater.

“When I stand up in front of the Congress, I’m going to be able to say, ‘It’s the people who heard me speak,” he said as he took questions from his audience on issues ranging from the environment to abortion to Social Security. “I‘m coming representing the people … [I told] the people, ‘If you vote for me, this is what’s going to happen.’”

Interacting with voters in town hall-style meetings was a strategy perfected by former Bush rival John McCain and adopted by the Texas governor after the Arizona senator soundly defeated him in the first-in-the-nation New Hampshire primary in February.

Today’s stop in Florida kicks off a five-day, five-state campaign swing. This week, Bush will also make campaign visits to Missouri, Washington state, California and New Mexico, where he’ll discuss his policies on healthcare, the environment and education.

The Fight for Florida

Bush’s aides insist the candidate is going on the offensive, but he is playing defense in Florida. With his brother Jeb as the state’s popular governor, the Republican once appeared assured of victory in the Sunshine State, but Florida and its 25 electoral votes are now up for grabs.

On Sunday, Democratic vice-presidential candidate Joe Lieberman told supporters in Miami that he and Gore would win the White House if they could carry Florida.

“We’ve come a long way in the last five weeks, and nowhere more dramatically than in the state of Florida,” the Connecticut senator said at a Democratic Party fund-raiser. “I can tell you, if we carry Florida, there’s no way we’re going to lose.”

“We intend to keep coming back,” Lieberman promised.

Only weeks ago, it was Bush who was hoping to challenge Gore in Democratic strongholds such as New York and California. Now, the Republican is being forced to fight for a state he once considered a sure thing.

“We’re gonna carry Florida,” Bush assured reporters this afternoon. “I’ve got a good message.”

When asked if the Bush campaign had strayed off-message in recent days, one aide replied, “Well, we were up five to six points … Now we’re tied.”