I'm not in the business of responding to every one of their darts. Bradley's approach defies conventional political strategy, which holds that any attack must be met with a quick response. So far, Bradley's strategy has paid off handsomely by turning what many had predicted would be an easy race for Gore into a fierce contest. Ignored by the vice president, underestimated by many political analysts and a decided underdog at the beginning of the campaign, Bradley has risen by remaining steady in his course. In response, Gore has shaken up his campaign team, moved his headquarters, changed his clothes and stepped up his attacks on Bradley.
More difficult days lie ahead.
Bradley has campaigned in relative obscurity for 10 months. Now in the limelight of his emergence as a serious rival to Gore, the voters will take a new measure of him. His campaign is the opposite of slick. The candidate's standard outfit on his weekend trip to Iowa consisted of a gray suit, white shirt that was supposed to be averse to wrinkles but wasn't, and a maroon tie mended with tape. Knocking on doors in Des Moines Saturday morning, he loped from house to house, carrying himself with a slight slouch and occasional bemusement.