A Real Race Takes Shape

He may be months overdue, but Vice President Al Gore finally got the message. His presidential campaign staff is bloated with experts. And as long as he keeps his base in Washington, he remains under the dubious shadow of Bill Clinton and even that of Hillary Rodham Clinton. So not surprisingly, Gore announced Wednesday that he is packing up his campaign and moving it to his home state of Tennessee--though as the son of a late senator it’s fair to say he’s spent at least as much of his life in the nation’s capital as he has in Tennessee--and is paring his team to a more efficient size.

If Gore is to win the nomination for president at next summer’s Democratic convention in Los Angeles, he must do it on his own and as the better candidate, not as the incumbent vice president. As long as Gore positioned himself as the anointed successor to President Clinton, he was at a disadvantage that got worse as Clinton’s personal popularity declined. It doesn’t help that Hillary Clinton’s coming battle in New York with Mayor Rudolph W. Giuliani for the U.S. Senate was drawing better press than Gore.

Also Wednesday, Gore challenged former Sen. Bill Bradley of New Jersey to engage him in frequent debates. The two Democrats already are scheduled to make several joint appearances, beginning Oct. 27 at a New Hampshire town meeting. Bradley, reacting like a front-runner, said he will be happy to discuss a debate schedule--on his own timetable.

There’s some irony in all this because the oft-wooden Gore has been getting high marks recently for some spirited campaign performances. But he’s also been dogged by reports that his campaign has been a financial drag, allowing the leaner Bradley team to become competitive in fund-raising. Gore has also suffered from a perception among Democrats that he would have trouble defeating Republican Gov. George W. Bush of Texas in next year’s election.

Gore’s problem has been more than just money. Nothing is worse for a candidate than to have warring camps within a campaign providing conflicting advice and competing for favors.

The larger message from Wednesday’s events is that the Gore-Bradley race for the Democratic nomination now is a real contest. Both are experienced, articulate politicians who have the ability to engage in an intelligent debate on the issues. If that sort of campaign develops, the American voters will be the winners.