Thursday, October 5, 2000 The University Daily Kansan Nation Section A·Page 5 For comments, contact Lori O'Toole at 864-4810 or e-mail editor@kansan.com Gore leads after debate; impressions of Bush rise The Association Press WASHINGTON — Al Gore fared the best in instant polls of debate watchers, but George W. Bush apparently helped himself, too, in his confrontation with the vice president. Gore gave a stronger performance, according to registered voters in three of four polls: He had 30 percent of all voters in a CBA News poll of 812 registered voters. The Democrat had 48 percent to 41 percent for Republican Bush in a CNN-USA Today Gallup poll of 435 registered voters who watched the debate. And 46 percent in an NBC News poll of 563 registered voters said Gore did the better job, while 36 percent said Bush fared better. The two were close in an ABC News poll with Gore at 42 percent and Bush at 39 percent. Sore: Fared better n polls of debate watchers Women favored Gore; Men favored Bush. One encouraging measure for Bush: A third in the CNN-USA Today-Gallup poll had a better impression of him after the debate, while a fourth had a better impression of Gore. Voters clearly had lower expectations for Bush against the experienced debater Gore, and his aggressive performance appeared to help him. Gore's debate performance was seen as generally positive by 56 percent in the NBC News poll, and Bush's was seen that way by 47 percent. before the debate and the numbers barely budged. The ABC News poll of 491 registered voters showed no significant change in candidate preference. Voters were about evenly split mothers barely budged. Almost all of those polled by CNN-USA Today-Gallup, 96 percent, said the debate didn't change their minds on the presidential race. The polls have error margins ranging from 4 to 5 percentage points, but they are not considered measures of settled public opinion. They measure instant, emotional reactions that don't always hold up. Bush: Fell closely behind Gore in most polls While such polls give a quick answer on a pressing question in these political prize fights who won? there are often longer term effects that don't show up instantly. And true public opinion includes the effects of such debates on all voters, not just debate watchers. Rainstorm swamps Florida The Associated Press MIAMI — Flooding caused by up to 18 inches of rain crippled the Miami area yesterday, closing schools and businesses, stranding thousands of motorists in stinking waist-high water and leaving catfish swimming in first-floor apartments. Most of the rain had stopped by midday, but three counties remained under a flood watch, and Miami residents were urged to stay home until things dried out. Tens of thousands of people lost power. Last year, Hurricane Irene caused millions of dollars in flood damage. This time, there was no hurricane — just a moisture-packed storm that arrived Monday with 3 inches of rain per hour. The storm flooded homes and turned streets into rivers. Catfish were reported swimming in some apartments. nearly 30,000 homes and businesses were without power. Some could be without it for two to three days. Classes for the 360,000 students in Miami-Dade County public schools were canceled yesterday, and some water-damaged schools will be unable to open today. The low-lying suburbs of Miami Springs and Sweetwater had more than two feet of standing water. Residents used canoes and aluminum boats to get around. The Miami-Dade County Health Department warned residents that standing water may be contaminated by sewer systems and septic tanks, and people with private wells were advised to boil their drinking water. Miami International Airport never officially closed, but numerous flights were canceled or rerouted. Service was expected to return to normal by late yesterday. The storm dumped at least 11 inches of rain on Miami-Dade County, and the airport got 15.3 inches in 36 hours, the National Weather Service said. Louisburg woman sues Kenmore after blaze KANSAS BRIEFS PAQLA — A Louisburg woman filed suit against the maker of her dishwasher, alleging it started a fire that killed her daughter and destroyed her home. Suit was filed in Miami County District Court last week by Lorray McCoy following the fire in February that killed 24-year-old Emily Michelle McCoy and caused $500,000 in damages. The suit names Whirpool Corp., which made her 1996 Kenmore New Generation dishwasher. The lawsuit contends that Whirpool knew it had manufactured a defective product. An investigative report from the state fire marshal said the marshal suspected the dishwasher was the cause of the fire. Whirlpool representatives won't discuss the McCoy fire. Sources involved say Whirlpool is expected to claim that the fire began outside the dishwasher. the case could have national significance. The Consumer Product Safety Commission worked with Whirlpool in 1996 in a voluntary recall of 500,000 potentially defective dishwashers. At least six lawsuits now pending against Whirlpool and Kenmore involve dishwashers that were not part of the recall. School bomb threat sends principal to jail JOHNSON CITY — An elementary school principal was sentenced to nearly three years in prison Tuesday for phoning in a threat to blow up the middle school. Steve Nelson was convicted in August for calling in the Dec. 9 threat, made to a convenience store, against the Johnson Middle School. All five schools in the Stanton County School District were evacuated, but no bomb was found. Nelson, 49, was the principal of the Johnson Elementary School at the time of the threat. After his arrest, Nelson was suspended without pay pending a school board hearing on his job status. The board agreed to delay its review until after Nelson's criminal case ended. Stanton County District Judge Tom R. Smith refused defense attorney Wayne Tate's request that his client receive probation so that he could financially support Nelson's wife and three children. Assistant Attorney General Sherri Price said Nelson should serve jail time because he had a relationship with students and staff in the school district. He has maintained that he is innocent. Evidence at the August trial showed that Nelson's cell phone records indicated a call was made from his phone to the convenience store at about the time of the bomb threat. Nelson was traveling in a district-owned car with his district-owned cellular phone when the threat was made. Nelson's professional licenses will be revoked because educators with felonies cannot be employed by educational institutions. He worked for the school district in Johnson City for eight years, serving as an elementary counselor before becoming principal. Nelson had previously worked for 17 years at schools in Hugoton. 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