Bradley Camp Criticizes Cost of Gore’s Promises

Bill Bradley’s presidential campaign veered off the high road and fired a broadside at Vice President Al Gore on Friday, accusing him of making “dozens and dozens” of “promises without price tags,” even as Gore skeptically questions the cost of Bradley’s proposals.

The lengthy list of Gore promises in question--which came not from the mouth of Bradley but through a statement released by his handlers--represented one of the strongest attacks yet by the Bradley camp, which just a day earlier had complained about a persistent offensive by the Gore campaign.

The list also represented the second straight day in which the former senator from New Jersey, who is Gore’s rival for the Democratic nomination, has responded to accusations that his health care plan is far more costly than projected and would gobble up the entire federal budget surplus.

Bradley said his health care plan would cost up to $65 billion a year, but Gore countered that it would cost far more, $1.2 trillion over 10 years, citing an Emory University study by a former member of the Clinton administration. Bradley called the study flawed.

Bradley’s health plan would provide universal access to health coverage by fully or partially subsidizing premiums for children and adults in low- to middle-income families and by offering everyone a tax break for premiums. He also would expand some Medicare benefits and pay for the program with the federal budget surplus.

Providing health insurance for all children is also among the elements of Gore’s plan, but he would do so by easing the eligibility requirements for an existing federal program. He also called for offering tax credits to make health insurance for the self-employed and long-term care more affordable.

“Throughout the campaign for the Democratic nomination for president, Vice President Al Gore has made promises about his plans for America,” the Bradley campaign said. “Rarely, however, has he told the American people what these promises will cost.”

It then proceeded to list a dozen such promises that Gore had repeated during Wednesday’s New Hampshire town meeting with Bradley, from corporate tax credits to public financing of elections to providing additional teachers to lower class sizes.

Gore did not cite a cost when he unveiled his health plan in September but later estimated it would take $146 billion over 10 years.

Gore spokesman Roger Salazar brushed off the Bradley campaign’s criticisms, saying, “It sounds to me like they’re a little bit on the defensive.” He noted that the Gore campaign, when asked by reporters, has provided estimates for many of his proposals.

Bradley spokesman Eric Hauser said the list of Gore promises did not represent an attack or a variation from the campaign’s stay-positive strategy but was simply a reminder that Gore leaves out details.