Gore fires back at NRA; Bush touts education in Michigan

May 24, 2000
Web posted at: 6:24 p.m. EDT (2224 GMT)

WASHINGTON (CNN) -- Vice President Al Gore on Wednesday dismissed heated accusations from the National Rifle Organization that he would confiscate guns from their owners, arguing that law-abiding citizens should not be wary of his "common sense" gun control proposals.

"I have no intention of proposing or supporting policies or allowing policies that would disarm America or take guns away from law-abiding gun owners," Gore said.

During an interview with National Public Radio, the presumptive Democratic presidential nominee chuckled after he was read comments made last weekend by NRA President Charlton Heston.

Heston pledged before a group of NRA conventioneers in Charlotte, North Carolina, on Saturday "to defeat the divisive forces that would take freedom away."

"I want to say those fighting words, for everyone within the sound of my voice to hear and to heed, and especially you, Mr. Gore: From my cold, dead hands," said Heston, as he dramatically waved a handcrafted musket over his head.

Gore said Wednesday that his gun control proposals -- which include mandatory child-safety trigger locks, a ban on cheap guns and the licensing and registration of all handguns -- pose no threat to law-abiding citizens.

"What I have proposed that has upset him (Heston) so much is a set of common sense restrictions on the availability of handguns to people who should not have them -- like children for example, convicted felons, those who are obviously, according to medical diagnoses, not the kind of person you want walking around with a loaded gun."

Gun control has emerged as a key election-year issue, with Democrats calling for tougher restrictions, while most Republicans contend that what is needed is better enforcement of existing laws.

Heston urged NRA members to support candidates who support the rights of gun owners in congressional and White House elections this November. The group is all but certain to endorse Texas Gov. George W. Bush, the presumptive Republican presidential nominee.

Gore said Wednesday that, unlike Bush, he opposes giving gun makers protection against lawsuits by localities.

The vice president was scheduled to remain in the nation's capital Wednesday night to attend what is expected to be a record-setting Democratic Party fund-raiser.

While the party is touting the event's populist flavor -- some 12,000 guests will spend at a minimum of $50 apiece to eat barbecue and hear acts ranging from comedian Robin Williams and singers Stevie Wonder and LeAnn Rimes -- 10 labor unions have come up with $500,000 each for the event.

An additional 20 groups or individuals have agreed to raise or contribute $250,000, putting the Democrats on mark to raise a record $23 million. The total will beat the Republicans' mark of $21.5 million raised during a Washington fund-raising gala hosted by Bush last month.

Bush hammers education theme

The Texas governor campaigned in the battleground state of Michigan on Wednesday. Touting his education reform agenda, Bush held a roundtable forum with parents, teachers, and community leaders at an inner-city public school in Detroit.

Bush held the discussion at the Nevada Campus of the Cornerstone Schools, a public school renowned for its comprehensive liberal arts program. Nearly all of the students who attend are African-American.

"The big challenge in education is closing the achievement gap," said Bush, noting that minority students often perform lower than other groups on standardized reading and math tests.

"There is still a persistent gap between Anglos and minorities, between disadvantaged students and their more affluent peers. Today, access is universal, but excellence is not," he said.

Bush has proposed spending more than $13 billion over five years on education improvements. But he stressed Wednesday that his plan is predicated on accountability among the states, rather than on federal government spending.

"States like Texas and Michigan understand the principles of meaningful reform -- and these are the same principles that will guide my administration," he said.

Bush also highlighted his proposal to establish stronger school accountability systems, including establishing high standards in English, math, science and history, and assessing students in grades 3-8 in reading and math.

Texas governor to meet with Powell

The Texas governor was scheduled to return to Austin for a scheduled Thursday meeting with retired Gen. Colin Powell. On Tuesday, the former chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff commended Bush's security proposals to slash U.S. nuclear arsenals while building a national missile-defense system.

Powell, mentioned as a potential vice presidential candidate or secretary of defense under Bush, commended his fellow Republican on Tuesday for taking "a fresh look at the world."

Powell, who briefly considered a GOP presidential bid in 1996, would not rule out a return to public service in a potential Bush administration.

"You have to listen to the president and see if it's something you can do for the president. You have to consider it," he said.

CNN's Candy Crowley and Reuters contributed to this report.