About-Face For Bradley

Down by as much as 53 points heading into Super Tuesday, Bill Bradley is back on the political high road where his campaign started.

When CBS News Chief White House Correspondent John Roberts asked Bradley why the tone of his campaign has changed, Bradley responded, "Well, I think this country deserves to know what somebody is for. And that's what I'm telling them in my campaign. That's what I've been doing the whole time."

It's a strategic about-face for Bradley -- who until this week relentlessly hammered Al Gore on his abortion and gun control record and votes that preserved the tax-exempt status of Bob Jones University.

The shift actually began Wednesday after Bradley's huge loss in Washington state. In a debate that night Bradley had to be pushed to even mildly criticize Gore. When campaigning in California recently, he didn't even talk about the Vice President. Mention of a change in direction drew a laugh from Bradley Wednesday, when he said, "I think you picked up an unintended nuance."

Bradley staffers say the nuance was anything but unintended. Democratic strategists believe that facing insurmountable odds has left Bradley playing the good Democrat.

"I think he understands the longer this negative road goes, the more damage to Gore -- while the Republicans are beating themselves up. And he has always been a party person and, I think, a team player. And this is the ultimate team play," Democratic strategist Bob Beckel remarked.

While Bradley has stopped criticizing Gore in his stump speeches, behind the scenes, his campaign is still handing out literature critical of Gore to reporters. Bradley may be prepared to give the Vice President a fair shake going into Super Tuesday, but it won't be a free ride.