New York, NY —

As the clock runs out, Democrat Carl McCall and Republican Governor Pataki are both trying to energize their CORE supporters. This, as a new poll finds Pataki's lead over McCall is widening. We have two reports. WNYC's Andrea Bernstein looks at how Pataki is wooing upstate voters. But first, WNYC's Beth Fertig has this report on the McCall campaign's efforts in New York City.

McCall

As the clock runs out, Democrat Carl McCall and Republican Governor Pataki are both trying to energize their CORE supporters. This, as a new poll finds Pataki's lead over McCall is widening. We have two reports. WNYC's Andrea Bernstein looks at how Pataki is wooing upstate voters. But first, WNYC's Beth Fertig has this report on the McCall campaign's efforts in New York City.

There are times when a candidate has to work really hard for a vote.

MUSIC, Oh come all ye faithful..."

For Carl McCall, this is one of those weeks. The Democrat sang with senior citizens in Flatbush.

He's been greeting commuters at subway stations.

Hi good to see you, thank you .

And he's rallied the faithful.

IT'S TIME IT'S TIME IT'S TIME FOR CARL MCCALL!

McCall joined elected officials and clergy for a get out the vote rally in downtown Brooklyn. Senator Hillary Clinton urged supporters to ignore the polls.

HILLARY: What counts is what happens on Election Day. And Carl McCall comes to this race better qualified than anybody who's ever run for governor in the state of NY!

After spending the past few months raising money for a campaign short on cash, McCall is now packing his schedule with appearances like these. The candidate says it's all part of the plan.

McCALL: I've always expected these last couple of weeks I'd be out every day, that's always been part of my campaign strategy.

But the fact that McCall is spending so much time in a city where registered Democrats outnumber Republicans by a margin of 5 to 1 also reveals how much trouble he's facing. Despite his status as state controller - and the first African American to run for governor - McCall is badly trailing Pataki. The latest poll by the Marist Institute for Public Opinion found the Republican governor with a 20 point lead among likely voters, statewide. The institute's director, Lee Miringhoff, says McCall doesn't have many options.

MIRINGHOFF: If he wants to make a reasonable showing on Election Day he's going to have to get Democrats in the New York metropolitan area to come home to his candidacy. And at this point it doesn't make a whole lot of sense to start fishing for votes upstate. That probably would have worked a long time ago in the campaign but not now.

That's because McCall is now tied upstate with Tom Golisano of the Independence Party. They're each drawing about 20 percent in a region where voters are worried about the weak economy.

In Buffalo, Sahi Ingram says he's voting for Golisano. The African American temporary worker says it's hard finding full time work.

INGRAM: He talking about putting jobs in Buffalo, taking care of lower class people like us. And I agree with that.

McCall claims Golisano is only doing well upstate because he's a billionaire who's been able to outspend him on television ads. But the Democrat is also in trouble here in New York City where Governor Pataki is running stronger than expected. McCall's lead here has shrunk to just 5 points.

MCCALL: Nice to see you

At a Brooklyn Senior Center, voters were excited to see the Democrat in person.

WOMAN: I saw you on TV. MCCALL: Well now you see me in person.

But these two women said they're planning to vote for Pataki.

FIRST WOMAN: I think he's alright, no? SECOND WOMAN: He's done a good job he's a good person, I can't find anything wrong with him really.

McCall is hoping to reach core Democrats by going after Pataki's record on healthcare and education. He's also appealing to those hungry for change.

MCCALL: When we vote we win. And we need to win. We need to win because the people of the state of New York need new leadership, they need new direction, they need someone with vision with a plan for the future.

But Brooklyn voter Diana Lee Chung worries McCall hasn't been able to get that message across.

DIANA LEE CHUNG: He hasn't had enough money at all. The Democrats have not stood behind him like they would a lot of other candidates so to speak, so I really feel the Democratic Party has done a big injustice to Carl McCall.

With time running out, she fears the Democrats have lost the best chance they had to defeat Pataki. For WNYC I'm Beth Fertig.

Pataki

This is Andrea Bernstein with the Pataki campaign.

In Groff's bar in Lockport, near Niagara Falls, a handful of unemployed men were bending elbows the other day and watching the mid-day news. Politics seemed a world away. Dan, an unemployed bricklayer, didn't have kind words for any of the candidates.

Bernstein: what do you think about Pataki.

Dan: Well he doesn't do much for upstate, I don't believe.

Bernstein: What would you like to see him do?

Dan: Bring work instead of kicking people out, lower our taxes, but that isn't going to happen.

The unease about jobs and the economy is not lost on the Pataki campaign. It's a feeling the Governor is working overtime to dispel.

Pataki: thank you all very much for coming out to Lockport today!

Outside and across the street from the bar, Pataki supporters were gathering as a few snowflakes punctuated the air. This would be the first of three rallies along an old freight line that follows the route of the Erie Canal. In New York City, voters tend to hear Pataki talk about things like health care and workers rights. But here, Pataki is delivering a raw economic, and very republican-sounding message.

Pataki: And you know since we've taken office we have worked hard to replace dependency with opportunity to replace welfare rolls with employment .

It's almost possible to forget in New York City that Governor Pataki has a party affiliation. Not here.

Maziarz: we need good r-c's in Albany!

Because of the weak economy, Hillary Clinton was able to make headway in traditional republican areas upstate. She won this area two years ago, as Congress member Tom Reynolds acknowledges.

Reynolds. It's no longer just a republican vote you got to earn it. George Pataki has had a strategy to win both a NYC democratic vote as well as an upstate republican and democratic vote.

Up here, Independence party candidate Tom Golisano is compounding the problem. He's spending lots of money to argue that Pataki has done little to help the upstate economy. The Pataki campaign calls that a lie. In Albion, a town of 6000, Pataki stood in front of a banner featuring elephants, the symbol of the GOP.

Pataki: yes we have cut taxes we have cut taxes more than any other state across America 25 percent of the tax cuts across America taxes .

It's a message that whips up the troops.

Pataki: and we're going to have a great victory, next Tuesday, Election Day

On board the train, the Governor stopped by the press car to take reporters' questions.

Reporters: Governor, I've heard you talk about some themes I haven't heard you talk about in a while, creating opportunity not dependency it's a different set of themes

Pataki: oh no I was in central Brooklyn two weeks ago and I talked about replacing dependency not opportunity created jobs.

But in Brockport, where the train trip ended, name Maggie Brooks the Monroe County Clerk, sent a slightly different message.

Brooks: its not enough for the voters and taxpayers to know we are doing the right thing because turnout is going to be the key to republican success on Election Day! (cheers)

Though he's comfortably ahead, Pataki wants a big turnout of his vote. Getting much less than 50 percent - a possibility in a three-way race, could be embarrassing.

After each rally, Governor Pataki circulated through the crowds, shaking hands, signing autographs, posing for pictures. In Albion, the high school band pulled him aside.

In this region the economy was bad before September 11th, and now it's even shakier. But with Golisano and McCall splitting the anti-Pataki vote, the people in towns like this one appear inclined to slip into an old habit, and vote for the Republican they know. For WNYC, I'm Andrea Bernstein with the Pataki campaign.