GEPHARDT VS. NEWT ON MEDICARE

House Minority leader Dick Gephardt is challenging Speaker Newt Gingrich to a debate on Medicare. Gephardt blasted Republicans for releasing sparse details about their plan to overhaul the health program, and for scheduling only one day of hearings on changes in the plan. Gingrich did not immediately respond to Gephardt's challenge. Although broad details of the Gingrich plan have been made public, congressional correspondent Karen Tumulty reports that no detailed numbers have been provided to show just how the proposal would save $270 billion over the next seven years. "Gingrich's office says they haven't released the specifics because the Congressional Budget Office hasn't completed their report and they simply don't have all the numbers in yet."