6/05/00 4:00 p.m.
Bench Strength
Bill Bradley is on the sidelines now — but maybe not for long

By Kate O'Beirne, NR Washington editor

ill Bradley may be MIA, but there is a perfect place for him to reemerge — on Al Gore's ticket. Bradley would neatly fill in the current gaps in Gore's support.

Despite some recent polls showing Al Gore narrowing George Bush's lead, the Vice President continues to trail badly among white men — who were big supporters of the former New York Knick Bradley. And, while Bush's base has rallied to him, Gore's liberals, another group Bradley did well with in the primaries, are restive. The environmentalists are complaining that Al hasn't been sufficiently green, and union members are annoyed at his support for PNTR. Meanwhile, former labor secretary Robert Reich laments Gore's inability to present a galvanizing liberal vision. This isn't just bellyaching, because Ralph Nader's candidacy means that disaffected liberals have somewhere else to go this year.

These problems mean it could be a natural for Gore to turn to Bradley as a running mate. Bradley ran a crummy primary campaign, but he won't have to run one himself this fall. He just has to help the ticket appeal to white guys, liberals — and the media. Bradley could do all three, as well as help in two key states-New Jersey and Missouri.

Don't be surprised if Bradley is not on the bench for long.