Bush praises McCain for fighting good fight

He says he won't change to lure rival's voters ENGLEWOOD, Colo. - George W. Bush praised John McCain on Thursday for "fighting the good fight" but said he would not

Friday, March 10th 2000, 12:00 am

By: News On 6

He says he won't change to lure rival's voters

ENGLEWOOD, Colo. - George W. Bush praised John McCain on Thursday for "fighting the good fight" but said he would not change his agenda to lure the independent voters who backed his vanquished rival.

Instead, Mr. Bush attacked Vice President Al Gore, the likely Democratic nominee. He criticized Mr. Gore for pledging to ban unlimited donations to political parties while launching an effort to raise $35 million in such funds.

"In order to reform Washington, D.C., it's important to get rid of Clinton-Gore," Mr. Bush told about 700 supporters who gathered in 30-degree temperatures Thursday outside the Denver Broncos' practice facility.

"For eight long years we have seen the politics of division, the politics of tearing people down. This campaign is more than just issues. It's about lifting the spirit of America."
Mr. McCain, who suspended his campaign Thursday, helped advance that cause, Mr. Bush told a cheering crowd that included Broncos coach Mike Shanahan and Colorado Gov. Bill Owens.

"I want to congratulate John for fighting a good fight," Mr. Bush said. "He campaigned hard for what he believed. I know the competition has made me a better candidate. I know the competition is going to help us win the White House in November."

Mr. McCain, a Vietnam War hero with high personal appeal to many voters, cobbled together a coalition of moderate Republicans, Democrats and independents who vaulted him to primary victories in Michigan, Arizona and five New England states.

Appearing before reporters, Mr. Bush said he and Mr. McCain could work together to ban unlimited party donations by labor unions and corporations. But he declined to embrace Mr. McCain's call to curtail so-called soft money donations from individuals as well.

Nor did Mr. Bush indicate that he would adopt other parts of Mr. McCain's agenda to woo some of his primary voters, many of whom told pollsters that they would consider voting for Mr. Gore in the fall.

"What's going to win his supporters over is when they realize Al Gore is no reformer and Al Gore is no John McCain," Mr. Bush said. "I think McCain voters want someone who is going to bring honor and integrity to the office."

The vice president has said that Democrats would not stop raising soft money for the party if Mr. Bush and the GOP refused to do so.
"If he thinks the Democratic Party is going to unilaterally disarm and jump off a cliff, he has another thing coming," Mr. Gore said.

On another issue, Mr. Bush made clear that he would not back away from his goal of broad-based tax cuts. Many independent voters said they were more attracted to Mr. McCain's call for smaller tax cuts mixed with new investment in Social Security and paying down the national debt.

"I don't care what the polls say - I think it's necessary," Mr. Bush said of his tax-cut plan.
In remarks to reporters, he also touched on a few issues that got little mention during most of the GOP primary campaign - reducing the number of people without health insurance, improving Medicare and improving managed care.

"The way to win independent voters is to speak about ideas that are going to make a difference to everybody," Mr. Bush said. '
Thad Kowalik, a construction project manager from Denver who attended the rally, said he thought Mr. Bush could attract more independents by stressing his record on education and his efforts to reach out to minorities in Texas.

"I don't know if he can reach all the independents," said Mr. Kowalik, a longtime Bush backer who said he likes the governor's pro-business outlook. "They're angry - but I don't know if they're united in what they're angry about."