He fired the flacks, moved his headquarters from Washington to Nashville, and transformed himself into a hyperkinetic dynamo. By contrast, although Bradley was hot several months ago, his stolidity got boring. He didn't fight back hard enough against Gore's attacks, he lost the expectations game in Iowa and New Hampshire, and now the mantle of maverick reformer has shifted to McCain. And Bradley still won't, or can't, remake himself into a winner. The ability to make oneself over into a winning personality isn't the true test of character, however, and it shouldn't be the criterion we use in deciding on the next president of the United States.
Character has to do with consistency, truth-telling, fidelity to principle, and courage.
These will be the qualities Americans seek next Election Day. To my mind, Bill Bradley. Illustration by Bill Russell. A Democrat who can sustain prosperity, and transcend it. Fred Barnes on why everything you think you know about W. is wrong.