Bush, Gore storm battleground states

COLUMBIA, Missouri (CNN) -- With one eye on the election 10 days away and another on the polls, Republican presidential hopeful George W. Bush and Democratic rival Al Gore campaigned in battleground states Saturday, hoping to sway a small percentage of undecided voters who could swing the states in their favor.

Bush campaigns in Appleton, Wisconsin

"There is a better day ahead. There is a better day ahead when a president not only sets goals for his agenda, but sets great goals for the land," Bush said at an outdoor rally in the central Missouri community of Columbia.

With so little time until election day and so many states -- perhaps more than 20 -- still considered theoretical toss-ups, every appearance for Bush and Gore takes on an added importance. Gore went to Wilkes-Barre, Pennsylvania, on Saturday to speak about health care, returning to a major issue in a key state.

Gore has chosen to make a policy speech every day in the past several days -- an unusual strategy at a time when big campaign rallies usually dominate the landscape.

"I come here today to say that this issue is fundamental, that America can no more afford to leave families and patients powerless and broke than we can afford to open up huge, new budget deficits, weakening our economy and threatening our standards of life," Gore said. "I've come here today to say that the choice and the power ought to be in your hands, not in the hands of the HMOs and the insurance companies.

"I pledge to you today, as president I will fight for real and comprehensive change to our health care system, to empower families and doctors and open a new era of hope and health all across America," he said. "Let's expand coverage and create a health care system that reflects our values, one that helps families raise healthy children and helps them care for aging or disabled loved ones."

Bush was accompanied by his vice presidential pick, former Defense Secretary Dick Cheney, on campaign stops Saturday in Wisconsin and Missouri.

Earlier Saturday, a Bush rally in Appleton, Wisconsin, featured a crowd that Wisconsin Gov. Tommy Thompson estimated at 10,000 listening to the Texas governor talk about taxes, Social Security and Medicare.

"On (Medicare) and on Social Security and on closing the gap in education, here's our message to America: Vice President Gore, you've had your chance. You have not led and we will," said Bush, using a theme that he has returned to since his Republican National Convention nomination acceptance speech.

Health care was the focus of Al Gore's campaign stop in Wilkes-Barre, Pennsylvania, on Saturday

Bush then traveled to Missouri for a rally in Columbia. Missouri also remains a toss-up, with the recent death in a plane crash of Gov. Mel Carnahan -- who was challenging incumbent Republican John Ashcroft for a U.S. Senate seat in a very close race -- still fresh in the minds of voters. Ashcroft and Missouri's other senator, Christopher Bond, appeared at the rally with Bush.

Gore is traveling to Minneapolis, Minnesota, for a nighttime rally in yet another state that remains in play. In Minnesota, Gore faces not only a challenge from Bush, but a substantial bloc of support for Green Party nominee Ralph Nader. State polls have placed Nader support anywhere from 5 to 8 percent -- enough to potentially swing the state for Bush if those supporters are coming at Gore's expense.

Gore on Friday morning brushed aside any threat from the left by Nader, predicting on that on Election Day, Nader supporters will be tempted to cast their vote for a major party candidate.

"I don't like the argument that a vote for Nader is a vote for Bush," Gore said on CBS' "The Early Show."

Nader, appearing on ABC's "Good Morning America," again dismissed the notion that he should drop out of the race, saying it was "cowardly" for Gore supporters to even hint that the Green Party candidate will ultimately hurt the Democrats.