One California poll shows him trailing Mr. Clinton by 34 percentage points statewide, and some political experts here say the situation in Orange County is little better.

While surveys show Mr. Dole trailing Mr. Clinton among almost all demographic and economic groups, he does the worst among women voters.

With three weeks left, the President trailed Mr. Clinton in campaign polls by as much as a dozen points.

The same poll showed Mr. Dole trailing Mr. Clinton by 22 points among likely voters.

The remarks appeared to herald a tougher campaign style by Mr. Bush, who trails Mr. Clinton in opinion polls.

The networks produced new polls showing that Mr. Bush, for all his generosity with Federal money, was still trailing Mr. Clinton by a significant margin.

Executives like to back a winner, and the most recent national opinion polls show Mr. Dole trailing Mr. Clinton by some 20 percentage points.

For all their efforts, Mr. Dole trails Mr. Clinton in the home states of all three.

Journalists pay their own way while trailing Mr. Clinton.

Polls indicate Mr. Bush is trailing Mr. Clinton in Maine.