By SCOTT MOONEYHAM The Associated Press 10/19/02 11:03 PM

GREENVILLE, N.C. (AP) -- Elizabeth Dole and Erskine Bowles criticized each other for perceived negative advertising and their differing proposals on Social Security in the Senate candidates' second debate Saturday.

Dole, the Republican former Cabinet secretary and Red Cross chief, took a much more aggressive tone than in the first debate with Bowles, a Democrat who served as chief of staff under President Clinton.

Dole said Bowles initiated the mudslinging that has marked their television ads and directly questioned Bowles throughout the debate.

"I, for one, very much hoped I could change the tone of politics ... when I entered this race," Dole said.

Bowles, though, accused Dole of attacking his wife in a TV commercial that questioned plant closings by a textile company run by Crandall Bowles.

Bowles and Dole are running for the Senate seat being vacated by Jesse Helms, who is retiring.

Before their debate, Libertarian candidate Sean Haugh stood outside the Brody School of Medicine touting himself as an alternative to the well-financed campaigns of Dole and Bowles.

"It would probably take a couple of minor miracles for me to win this race," he said.

The debate, broadcast live by more than a dozen commercial television stations across North Carolina and nationally by C-SPAN, was held at East Carolina University before more than 200 people.

The format included questions from the audience and two moderators. It was also more relaxed than Monday's closed, taped debate, with the candidates walking from behind their podiums while equipped with wireless microphones.

The candidates covered similar material as during their first debate, discussing their differences over taxes, trade and prescription drugs. But they did go more deeply into their differences over Social Security.

Bowles said he believed the program could be best saved by sounder fiscal management that will produce federal surpluses. Dole called it an irresponsible, "do-nothing" approach.

But he said her proposal, which would allow younger workers to invest some of their withholdings, would make the system insolvent quicker.

"If you are going to take money out of the Social Security trust fund, that money is no longer there to pay the benefits," he said.

The campaigns said Saturday's debate will likely be the last before the Nov. 5 election.

-- Anonymous, October 19, 2002