Al Gore Rhythm

Speaking at the Florida Democratic Party Convention -- widely regarded as the first stop on the 2004 campaign trail -- former Vice President Al Gore attacked the Bush administration on Saturday for favoring corporate America and trashing environmental protections. In his most outspoken speech since the 2000 presidential campaign, Gore decried the return to "the days of deficits and debt, the days of irresponsible tax cuts for the wealthy, the days of loosening environmental safeguards to satisfy the polluters." Gore did not say whether he would run for president in 2004, but observers said that if that is his intention, he got off to a good start in Florida. "Had Gore spoken like this in 2000, we would have all been celebrating at the White House," said Hialeah Mayor Raul Martinez (D).