Mr Al Gore ended his week-long holiday yesterday and returned to the presidential campaign trail in Chicago where he is expected to respond to Mr George W. Bush's claim that the Clinton-Gore administration squandered the past eight years.
Mr Gore was appearing before two trade union groups, where he noted big drops in crime and welfare and the emergence of one of the strongest economies in the US in the eight years that he and President Clinton have held office.
Mr Gore also moved towards naming a vice-presidential running mate, having reduced the number of potential contenders to half a dozen. Sources say they included four senators and the House Democratic Leader, Mr Dick Gephardt of Missouri. Mr Gephardt has said for weeks that he is not interested, but he has not ruled out the possibility of accepting the nomination if Mr Gore asked him to take it.
Mr Gore took time out on Thursday night from the selection process and his holiday in North Carolina to watch Mr Bush's nationally broadcast speech, during which the Texas governor accepted his party's presidential nomination, shared his vision for the future and tweaked the vice-president.
Mr Bush drew howls from delegates when he ridiculed Mr Gore for having dismissed as "risky" his proposals to cut taxes, reform Social Security, upgrade education and build a new missile defence system.
"If my opponent had been there at the moon launch, it would have been a `risky rocket scheme'," Mr Bush said. "If he'd been there when Edison was testing the light bulb, it would have been a `risky anti-candle scheme'. "He now leads the party of Franklin Delano Roosevelt, but the only thing he has to offer is fear itself," Mr Bush said.
Aides said Mr Gore would respond to the barbs and Mr Bush's proposals in speeches to the International Association of Fire fighters and the National Association of Letter Carriers, which have endorsed him.
Mr Gore's spokesman, Mr Doug Hattaway, said: "As advertised, Governor Bush's speech was short - short on length, short on substance, and short on real ideas for working families. "He returned to his compassionate conservative rhetoric, but he didn't point out that he is compassionate to the rich and conservative to everyone else," Mr Hattaway said. "Al Gore is taking the campaign straight to the working people and making it clear whose side he is on in this fight."
Mr Gore intends to name his running mate in Nashville, Tennessee, on Tuesday - six days before the Democratic convention begins in Los Angeles. In addition to Mr Gephardt, sources said the others on Mr Gore's list of contenders include: Senator John Kerry (56) of Massachusetts, Senator John Edwards (47) of North Carolina, Senator Joseph Lieberman (58) of Connecticut, and Senator Evan Bayh (44) of Indiana. The Governor of New Hampshire, Ms Jeanne Shaheen, had also been on the list, but said through a spokeswoman on Thursday she was not interested and would not accept the slot if it was offered.
Mr Gore has said he has another possible running mate whom he would identify only as a "wild card". An aide described the person as a "potential dark horse".
Mr Gore's "wild card" was a mystery, one who aides were unable to provide a clue about. "I just don't know," one senior adviser said.
Mr Gephardt has said publicly he would rather not be considered for the nomination, and instead remain on Capitol Hill where he could help Democrats try to regain control of the House of Representatives from Republicans in the autumn election. Yet Mr Gephardt has declined to say he would refuse to accept if Mr Gore asked him.
Mr Gephardt could help Mr Gore shore up support among organised labour, a traditional ally of Democrats. A number of unions are upset with Mr Gore for favouring expanded US trade with China that they fear could result in the loss of US jobs.
Mr Lieberman is viewed as a favourite of the Democratic Leadership Council, a centrist group which Mr Gore helped found in 1985 and which Mr Lieberman has chaired for the past five years, said another source familiar with the selection process. The source said Mr Bayh is seen as the favourite of Democratic National Committee chairman, Mr Joe Andrew, who formerly served as Indiana Democratic chairman while Mr Bayh was governor.
The full text of the speech made by George W Bush, accepting the Republican nomination to the US presidency is available at The Irish Times website at: www.ireland.com