Friday September 15 7:48 AM ET

Gore Makes Appearance on Letterman

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By Ellen Wulfhorst

NEW YORK (Reuters) - Vice President Al Gore (news - web sites) on Thursday took his campaign to the ``Late Show With David Letterman,'' reading off a ``Top Ten'' list of what he claimed were rejected slogans for his presidential campaign.

Top on his list: ``I'll be Twice as Cool as That President Guy on 'The West Wing.'''

No. 9: ``Remember America. I Gave You the Internet, and I Can Take It Away. Think About it.''

Gore's appearance on Letterman followed an invitation by the show's host to the Democratic candidate and his Republican rival, George W. Bush (news - web sites), to debate on the late-night program.

Gore accepted the offer but Bush has neither accepted nor rejected the invitation, though his campaign has told the CBS show that the Texas governor would be available to appear as a guest.

Letterman, whose opening monologues often target top political figures, has managed to attract guest spots from a host of politicians from New York City Mayor Rudolph Giuliani to Senate candidate first lady Hillary Rodham Clinton (news - web sites).

During his appearance, to be broadcast at 11:30 p.m. EDT (0330 GMT Friday) Gore joked with Letterman for several minutes about the presidential campaign.

Letterman poked fun at the extended kiss Gore gave his wife Tipper on stage before he gave his acceptance speech at the Democratic Convention in Los Angeles last month.

``I have been surprised at the amount of commentary and reaction to it,'' Gore said. ``I really have, because to me, that was just a little peck.''

Letterman responded: ``Al, how long have you been on the road?''

Gore capped off his appearance with his ``Top Ten'' list, a take-off on the ``Top Ten'' list that Letterman normally delivers each night on his show.

Starting from the bottom, Gore said: ``Number Ten: Vote for Me or I'll Come to Your Home and Explain my 191-Page Economic Plan to You in Excruciating Detail.''

The list further read:

No. 8: ``Your Vote Automatically Enters You in a Drawing for the $123 Billion Budget Surplus.''

No. 7: ``With Lieberman on the Ticket, You Get All Kinds of Fun New Days Off. Vote For Us. We're Going to Work 24/6.''

No. 6: ``We Know When the Microphone is On.''

No. 5: ``Vote for Me and I Will Take Whatever Steps Necessary to Outlaw the Term 'Whazzzzup.'''

No. 4: ``Gore/Lieberman. You Don't Have to Worry About Pork Barrel Politics.''

No. 3: ``You'll Thank Us in Four Years When the Escalator to the Moon is Finished.''

No. 2: ``If I Can Handle Letterman, I Can Handle Saddam Hussein.''

Gore appeared previously on Letterman's show on Sept. 8, 1993, but it is the first time he has appeared since running for president. Bush appeared on the show on March 1.

-- (hmm@hmm.hmm), September 17, 2000