Gore has the edge in trial by television

US election: Vice-President tries to overwhelm opponent with blizzard of statistics while wise-cracking Bush pokes fun at rival's 'fuzzy math'

After a first televised debate that vividly illuminated the political and philosophical differences between them, Al Gore and George W Bush set about congratulating themselves yesterday on their performances with instant polls giving an edge to the Vice-President.

After a first televised debate that vividly illuminated the political and philosophical differences between them, Al Gore and George W Bush set about congratulating themselves yesterday on their performances with instant polls giving an edge to the Vice-President.

Both men were certainly still standing after a 90-minute clash that featured a blizzard of sometimes befuddling policy detail, notably on their conflicting tax cut plans, but delivered scant human drama and virtually no humour. Voters hoping for a single defining moment, whether a gaffe or a missile perfectly landed, were disappointed.

The debate, held at the University of Massachusetts campus in Boston, none the less gave both contenders the chance, for the first time before a truly mass audience, to advertise what divides them.

Ralph Nader, the Green Party candidate, with an important fringe following, was not only barred from participating in the debate but was ejected from the building when he arrived bearing a valid ticket for a seat in the audience.

Mr Bush said, before leaving to campaign in the Midwest: "Being on the stage with a man who has had the reputation as a very strong debater, and being able to hold my own, was a positive development for the campaign." Mr Gore, heading for the same region, declared himself "real pleased" with the outcome.

Mr Bush used the debate to portray himself as a Washington outsider who would commit the White House to slashing taxes and paring government. He depicted his foe as a "big government" interventionist, who would use the budget surplus to build a still more bloated bureaucracy instead of funnelling the money - as he would - back to citizens.

The Vice-President held up Mr Bush as a puppet of corporations who would risk the country's prosperity with tax cuts aimed at further enriching the rich. He offered 10 variations of a single, rather clear charge - that the Texas Governor's cuts would disproportionately help the richest 1 per cent of the country. "He would spend more money on tax cuts for the wealthiest than all of the new spending that he proposes for education, health care, prescriptions drugs and national defence, all combined," Mr Gore said. "Those are wrong priorities."

The candidates showed they were in stark disagreement on a range of other policy matters, all the way from allowing oil exploration in protected areas of Alaska - Mr Bush would, Mr Gore would not - to lowering health costs for the elderly under the Medicare programme, from ensuring the survival of the social security system to what kind of judges each was likely to send to the Supreme Court.

Mr Bush was at a clear disadvantage in discussion of potential foreign policy hazards. While Mr Gore was able to recite his contributions to the crises in the Balkans, Mr Bush found himself recalling visits to fire and flood victims in Texas. The relentlessness of the Vice- President, who spewed facts and figures with almost infuriating ease, led Mr Bush to accuse him several times of practising "fuzzy math".

In one attempt at disarming humour, Mr Bush recalled how Mr Gore once boasted of inventing the internet. "I'm beginning to think not only did he invent the internet but he invented the calculator," he said. Mr Bush may have been irritated by the eye-rolling and heavy sighs from the Gore podium whenever he was making a point. The disapproving-mother act may have alienated some viewers, too.

Personal attacks were largely eschewed, although a question from the moderator on credibility gave Mr Bush an easy opportunity. Citing questions that have been raised about Clinton-Gore fund-raising activities in 1996, he said: "I believe they've moved that sign, 'the buck stops here', in the Oval office to 'the buck stops here' in the Lincoln bedroom." He went on: "I don't know the man well, but I have been disappointed how he and his administration has conducted the fund-raising affairs."

Several days may passbefore the impact of the encounter on the electorate becomes clear. Mr Gore and Mr Bush meet for a second debate next week, while the vicepresidential candidates, Joe Lieberman and Dick Cheney, go before the cameras, in Kentucky, tonight.

Mr Gore scored well in Boston for his command of detail and his authority. Voters may still have found him lacking humility and spontaneity. Mr Bush did easily enough by not goofing and offering some policy detail. Help was on hand for the hundreds of reporters at the debate. Down one side of the media room, countless surrogates for the candidates were made available for post-debate interviews. But with each side declaring victory, the help was really no help at all.