Vice-President Al Gore and Governor George Bush took time off from preparing for their second debate tonight to do some campaigning and sniping at each other.
With polls showing a steady rise for Mr Bush since the first debate, the pressure is on Mr Gore to win back the initiative. He spent part of yesterday attacking Mr Bush's promises on education reforms.
Mr Gore told students at a Florida community college he agreed with some of Mr Bush's education goals but argued that these would not be possible because of the $1.3 trillion tax-cuts which his opponent was also promising. "You can't make education the top priority if the tax cut for the wealthiest is the first, second and third priorities, because all the money is gone," Mr Gore said.
Mr Bush campaigned in Mr Gore's home state of Tennessee and told supporters he could win there if they work hard enough to get out the vote. He derided the Gore campaign efforts to criticise his record as governor of Texas on industrial pollution and health care.
The second presidential debate comes at what could be a crucial point in the campaign as Mr Bush is reversing the situation of a week ago and drawing ahead of Mr Gore in most opinion polls. But the race is still very close when the margins of error in the polls is taken into account.
Mr Gore was widely judged to have won the first debate because of his knowledge of the issues and his grasp of budgetary numbers but there was negative reaction to his pedantic manner and his sighing and grimacing while Mr Bush was speaking. Mr Gore was also discovered later to have "stretched" the truth with several examples he used to promote his policies.
His daughter and campaign adviser, Ms Karenna Schiff, was asked on CBS Early Show whether her father would change his style because of the criticism of his behaviour in the first debate. She predicted viewers would see "the same Al Gore, probably just a few less sighs".
The televised debate will be held in Winston-Salem, North Carolina, at 9 p.m. local time (2 a.m. Irish time tomorrow).
The Irish Times website, ireland.com, will broadcast a live video stream of the US presidential debate from 2.00 a.m. tomorrow. Joe Carroll's report and analysis of the debate will also be available on the website, shortly after the end of the debate. The special US Election 2000 website can be accessed at www.ireland.com/special/us- elections