Democratic leaders say it's too early to fret about Gore and the polls

NASHVILLE, Tenn. - Al Gore met with Democratic leaders from around the country and reassured them his campaign has a winning strategy against George W. Bush. Several of the Democrats said they were comfortable after their pep rally and strategy session that Gore's lagging poll numbers aren't a serious problem - yet.

The likely presidential nominee told supporters at a $1 million Democratic National Committee fund-raiser Thursday night that he expects ''a good healthy, hard fight ahead of us and we're going to win it. And we're going to win it solidly.''

Molly Beth Malcolm, chairwoman of the Texas Democratic Party, made an analogy that Democratic women use from time to time when talking about Bush, the likely Republican nominee.

''Bush is so new (to the national audience) and he's a nice guy, but he's one of those guys you want to go out and date in college,'' said Malcolm, a former Republican. ''You know you'll have a good time, but he's not who anybody wants to marry.''

She was one of 72 party leaders from 34 states, Puerto Rico and ''Democrats abroad'' who spent Thursday in Nashville for a pep rally/strategy meeting with the campaign staff of Gore, who trails Bush in key states and by 5 to 10 points in national polls. Party officials say the meeting was planned long before Gore dropped behind in recent polls.

Michigan Democratic Party Chairman Mark Brewer said Gore was relaxed and joked with them, appearing to be satisfied with the low-key campaign since he sealed the nomination in March.

''Nothing was said about ramping it up. Nobody is unhappy with the pace of the campaign. He's happy with the pace of the campaign,'' Brewer said. ''Anything we do now is just background noise.''

His comments were echoed by the four party leaders from other key states - Florida, Texas, Tennessee and Washington - Gore's campaign staff brought to reporters, who were not allowed to attend the gathering.

''It doesn't matter whether he gets (his message) across or not now. It will matter after the convention. It will matter after Labor Day,'' said Paul Berendt, Washington's party chairman.

Ed Rendell, co-chairman of the Democratic National Committee, said: ''We're going to be moving ahead in these polls, and the most important poll is in November. We're right on the issues. We've got the best candidate. If we can get our message across, we're going to win.''

Gore then flew to Memphis and spent the night with science teacher Sylvestre Spann before heading to Cordova School today. The vice president was mobbed by about 100 pupils upon his arrival at the 1,120-student school. He was to take a nature walk with a second-grade science class searching for different kinds of leaves, participate in the kindergarten ''field day'' athletics, discuss education with parents and teachers and address the student assembly.

During Gore's Nashville visit, he proposed a tax credit to help enroll young people in after-school programs. He also said he wants every school to stay open late and for the government to ''dramatically'' increase funding for the school-based 21st Century Learning Centers that help communities provide programs after school and during summer.

''Schools shouldn't close their doors when children need them the most,'' Gore told about 100 parents, children and employees gathered in a gym at the Donelson-Hermitage YMCA.

In seven of 10 households, he said, both parents work all day. At least 5 million children are left unsupervised at home after school each week, he said.

The vice president repeated a Justice Department finding that youngsters are most at risk of being victimized by crime or drugs after school - between the hours of 3 p.m. and 7 p.m.

''No policy proposal can teach a child right from wrong,'' Gore said. ''But we can make it easier, not harder, to be a strong family.''