Campaign Pledge Drive: Week Eight

By Melissa August, Val Castronovo, Rachel Dry, Daren Fonda, Michael Jackson, Benjamin Nugent, Michele Orecklin, Julie Rawe, John Rosenblatt, Alexandra Wolfe

BURNING BUSH It took George W. Bush a few months on the campaign trail to slough off his boyish modesty and start pledging. By last week the Texas Governor was in fine form, but by now Mr. Gore is unstoppable, pledging faster than ever and nearly halfway to 100. Put your tongue in high gear, George, and you've still got a shot.

BUSH 25

--To provide $185 million to combat father absenteeism and $10 million for a project showing fathers' importance --To establish parenting mentors --To save salmon in the Northwest without destroying dams --To help families avoid welfare with work-first services

GORE 49

--To hire 50,000 more police officers --To hire 10,000 more prosecutors --To fund targeting of crime "hot spots" --To put law-enforcement funds in a "lock box" --To increase victims' rights (four pledges) --To get the Violence Against Women Act reauthorized

The fine print: totals reflect pledges and proposals made beginning the week of May 29, 2000, when we first began tracking. This survey is not scientific.