Gore's Only Competition So Far Democratic presidential candidate Bill Bradley meets with the media June 23 in Cleveland to discuss his campaign. After New Jersey voters sent him to the Senate, Bradley immediately set out to make his mark, pioneering Democratic tax reform efforts and proposing alternatives to Reaganomics. With more than 40 years in the public eye and nearly 20 in public office, presidential speculation has seemed to follow Bradley wherever his career has gone. That speculation was blunted a bit in 1990, however, when a largely unknown Republican, Christine Todd Whitman, rode a tidal wave of anti-tax anger and nearly defeated the overconfident incumbent. Now he's cashing in those expectations, becoming the only Democrat to take on vice president Al Gore for the 2000 presidential nomination.
Pundits are quick to search for differences between the two.
But while they voted in sync nearly three-quarters of the time they served together in the Senate, Bradley is quick to point out the differences. Born an only child in the blue-collar town of Crystal City, Mo., Bradley distinguishes himself from Gore by talking about leadership style and life experience. His upbringing and trips to Washington during the Civil Rights Movement shaped his passion to heal the growing racial divide in America. He touts his role as a leading tax reformist and has written a book on the subject. He has also written a collection of essays on life and basketball.