Bush Claims Voters’ Dreams; Dukakis Urges, ‘Pour It On!’

George Bush said today that voters should pick a President who reflects their hopes and dreams for America and proudly proclaimed, “I am that man.” Michael Dukakis urged supporters to “keep pouring it on” in a drive for an Election Day upset.

Republican Bush and Democrat Dukakis made their rounds six days before the voting while all around them the pace of campaigning quickened.

Senate Republican Leader Bob Dole was going to three states during the day in a bid to help endangered GOP candidates for Congress. Sen. Edward M. Kennedy countered for the Democrats by campaigning in Minnesota, where Hubert H. Humphrey III is a Senate race underdog.

Officials in both parties agree that Democrats are likely to retain control of both houses of Congress after next week’s balloting, although Republicans harbor hopes of winning enough close Senate seats to reduce the current 54-46 Democratic advantage.

President Reagan campaigned in Ohio, where he tried to turn Dukakis’ rallying cry of “On your side!” against the Democrats. They’re “on your side when they want to get their hands on your wallets,” he said.

‘Scientific’ Carwash Poll

John Howard in Owensboro, Ky., set up a sort of drive-through poll at his Crickets Classy Carwash and said the results were about even. Customers could drive into a bay named for the presidential candidate of their choosing. “It’s very scientific,” he said. “The margin of error is 100%.”

As usual, Dukakis’ aides said their private polls are encouraging. As usual, the public polls seem to be pointing to a Republican victory next Tuesday. ABC said its latest Illinois survey was a dead heat, but Bush led in other surveys from Ohio, Arkansas and Connecticut.

Bush campaigned through Illinois and Michigan, two key Midwestern battlegrounds.

At his first stop, at Adlai Stevenson High School outside Chicago, he instructed an audience made up largely of students how to make an Election Day choice.

“You’re not going to make your decision on some television (ad) or some sound bite, and what I want you to do is look beyond the charges, get past the shouting and choose as President the person who represents your values, your dreams, your hopes for the United States, and I am that man.”

‘Mainstream Mandate’

He returned to the theme later in Grand Rapids, Mich. “I represent the mainstream, the mainstream views and the mainstream values. If I win, it will be a mainstream mandate. That’s what this election is all about,” he said.

Bush also said Dukakis is conducting a “media blitz,” appearing “on every television show except ‘Wheel of Fortune.’ He was afraid that Vanna might turn over the L-word.”

Dukakis began his day in Minnesota by visiting his wife, Kitty, who is hospitalized for an upper respiratory infection.

At a downtown rally, the Massachusetts governor urged supporters to “keep pouring it on and pouring it on” as he summoned up memories of Harry Truman’s upset victory of 1948, John Kennedy’s closely won contest of 1960 and Hubert Humphrey’s narrow defeat in 1968. “There are millions and millions of voters out there who haven’t made up their mind,” he said.