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Week ending Sept. 13, 1996

Clinton's Week

President Bill Clinton spent much of the week hopscotching west. His first stop on Tuesday was Missouri -- a battleground state with no clear favorite, at least for now. The message for Tuesday was welfare reform -- Clinton defended signing the controversial bill and called on governors and business owners to make the law work. He then headed to Colorado -- another toss-up state -- for the night.

Clinton spoke in Arizona on Wednesday, defending his Iraq policy, then flew to go pay a visit to California's 54 electoral college votes. Clinton spent the day Thursday campaigning in Modesto and Los Angeles, and raised a cool $4 million at a star-studded gala. He then headed back to D.C. and spent a quiet Friday with no public appearances.

Here's how political analysts Charles Cook and Stuart Rothenberg rate the states Clinton visited this week:

	Electoral votes	Cook	Rothenberg
Missouri Colorado Arizona California	11 8 8 54	toss-up toss-up toss-up likely Dem	Republican Democratic Republican Democratic

Dole's Week

Dole spent the week shoring up what should be solid Republican territory -- the South -- but is in danger of going for Clinton, at least around the edges. Dole began the week in Atlanta, where he spent time on Monday explaining his economic plan and, in a written statement, criticizing Clinton's Iraq policy. He then headed to Florida, where he "listened to America" in St. Petersburg, then headed to Louisiana.

On Tuesday in Baton Rouge, Dole accused Clinton and other Democrats of scaring America with their criticism of his economic plan. He then headed to Tennessee for a rally in Murfreesboro and then back to D.C. Early Wednesday morning he returned to his old stomping grounds on Capitol Hill and, before an audience of GOP lawmakers, again ripped into Democrats for scaring the voters. He then headed to Connecticut and Delaware for "listening" sessions in Hartford and Wilmington.

Dole popped back to D.C. Wednesday night, then headed to Kentucky Thursday morning, where he went after Clinton for having no ideas and running a negative campaign. He then went off to Ohio to demonstrate his Ohio roots: he visited a Dole family grave site and a family home.

On Friday, Dole dove into the Midwest, flying to Michigan and Illinois -- states with 40 electoral votes between them -- and attending a flurry of rallies and fundraising meetings. Then it was back to D.C. late Friday night.

Here's how Charles Cook and Stuart Rothenberg rate the states Dole visited this week:

	Electoral votes	Cook	Rothenberg
Georgia Florida Louisiana Tennessee Connecticut Delaware Kentucky Ohio Michigan Illinois	13 25 9 11 8 3 8 21 18 22	toss-up toss-up toss-up toss-up toss-up likely Dem toss-up toss-up leans Dem leans Dem	Democratic Republican Democratic Democratic Democratic Democratic Democratic Democratic Democratic Democratic

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