Gore and Quayle Fire Long-Range Political Barbs

CHARLOTTE, N.C. — Al Gore and Dan Quayle traded political barbs Tuesday as they swept across two battlegrounds in the November election--the industrial Midwest and the South.

On a swing through North and South Carolina on a bunting-draped railroad car, Quayle branded the Democratic presidential nominee as “Tax Hike Bill Clinton.”

Gore campaigned through Ohio, accusing President Bush of proposing a jobs program “designed to save only two jobs”--those of the President and the vice president. On Monday, Bush unveiled a $10-billion job-training program but said he would not specify how to pay for it until after the election.

“Where’ve they been the last four years?” the Democratic vice presidential nominee demanded after touring a supercomputer center in Columbus. “Why didn’t they talk about jobs at the Republican Convention?”

Gore characterized Bush’s program as a “foxhole conversion.”

“The thing about a foxhole conversion this close to the election is that you can’t trust them to follow through,” he said.

The jobs program, he said, was “designed to save only two jobs: those of Bush and Quayle.”

In Charlotte, N.C., the vice president spoke from the rear of a refurbished Pullman car, evoking memories of Democratic President Harry S. Truman’s come-from-behind campaign in 1948.

The 81-foot-long, chocolate-brown Pullman is the “Doris,” which was built in 1917 by tobacco magnate James B. Duke for his daughter. The whistle-stop rumbled from Charlotte through Salisbury, Lexington and High Point.

Talking to a rally in wilting midday heat near the High Point train station, Quayle recalled how Truman had said that those who “can’t stand the heat should get out of the kitchen.”

“I tell you what, George Bush and Dan Quayle are going to stay in the kitchen for four more years,” he said.

In Charlotte, Quayle recited a litany of taxes that he said Clinton wants to raise or impose. “Now I know why Bill Clinton loves taxes,” he said. “Every time he hears the quarterback say, ‘Hike,’ he thinks of taxes. Well, tax-hike Bill Clinton, you’re never going to be our President.”

Quayle said Clinton has proposed or is “talking about” new levies on such things as gasoline, heating oil, natural gas, coal, minerals, paper, lumber and solid waste disposal.

These stem from Gore’s book on global environmental protection, “Earth in the Balance.” Clinton has not specifically endorsed Gore’s proposals.

Quayle also cited Clinton’s proposals for added personal and corporate income taxes, which are intended to raise $150 billion by, among other things, increasing taxes on those who make more than $200,000 a year and imposing a surcharge on millionaires.

Quayle repeated the charge that Bush made in his acceptance speech--that as Arkansas governor, Clinton raised taxes and fees 128 times. Independent analyses of that list have concluded that it is grossly exaggerated.

Quayle was greeted by some good news in North Carolina: A poll released Tuesday by Mason Dixon Research found that Clinton’s lead over Bush has been trimmed to 48%-44% from 53%-38% before the GOP convention. With the poll’s margin of error, the results are a virtual tie.

Chen reported from Ohio, Richter from North Carolina. Times staff writer David Lauter, in Washington, contributed to this story.