Near the end of the speech, Gore emphasized the importance of the upcoming election to Democrats--who hope to retake the House of Representatives--and the path the Supreme Court will take in the future.

"The majority may determine how our Constitution is interpreted for 30 or 40 years," Gore said, noting the next President might appoint as many as four judges to the bench.

Though the election season is too early for Bush to gloat about the polls, Gore trails the Texas governor nationally by about 10 points. Gore tacitly acknowledged last night he faces a fight in the months ahead.

Though he said he would clearly win if the election were decided solely on the issues, he said that "there's a second factor that determine the outcome of elections."

"And you can call intensity and you call it commitment and you can call it determination, you can use any word to describe it," he continued. "What it comes down to is what you feel inside how hard are you willing to fight.

The other side [is] committed, they are working hard, they're going to throw everything including the kitchen sink into this, and they've got blood in their eyes."

Gore mentioned President Clinton's name only once in the 15-minute address.