Dems Coast To Coast

Al Gore and Bill Bradley ended this weekend of campaigning for the Democratic presidential nomination on opposite coasts.

The vice president stumped in the Big Apple on Sunday. Bradley took the day off in California, where more of his NBA buddies have turned out to back the ex-basketball star and former New Jersey senator.

On Saturday, Bradley spoke at a California high school, where he was joined by Los Angeles Lakers coach Phil Jackson, and Hall-of-Famers Julius Erving and Bill Russell.

Russell joked to the crowd that Bradley was "unqualified" to be president, because he's honest, intelligent and "can see beyond himself."

Last week, Bradley - a one-time New York Knicks player - rolled out a TV endorsement by Michael Jordan.

Bradley needs a political turnaround in the California worthy of a Dream Team. One recent poll put him about 40 points behind Gore in the Golden State's March 7 primary.

More than a dozen other states will also hold primaries that day, including New York. And that's where the campaign trail took Gore on Sunday when he visited two black churches in New York City.

"Let us march on 'til victory is won," Gore preached at Allen A.M.E. Church in Queens.

The vice president received a surprise endorsement from the church's minister, the Rev. Floyd Flake, a former congressman.

At both churches, Gore quoted a handful of Scriptures and hymns, reciting in rapid, staccato cadence all the top Clinton-Gore administration appointments that went to blacks.

"Just reflect for a moment and the list goes on. We have been a successful administration not in spite of diversity, but because of diversity," the vice president said to applause.

Gore's standing among New York City's black activists was shaken a week ago, when Bradley visited Allen A.M.E. Church. The vice president's challenger was embraced by Rev. Flake and the Rev. Al Sharpton. Both ministers had saluted Bradley for his outreach to minority voters - and criticized Gore's efforts.

In particular, Sharpton knocked Gore for not campaigning in many black neighborhoods. The Reverend also threatened to "mobilize against" the vice president, if Gore did not agree to debate Bradley in front of a black audience in the Big Apple.

That debate is scheduled for February 21 at Harlem's Apollo Theater.

Gore aides stubbornly dodged the question of whether the vice president will meet with Sharpton, who has spoken of lingering ill feelings over Gore's 1988 presidential campaign.

At the time, New York Mayor Ed Koch endorsed Gore and then engaged in a racially charged feud with the Rev. Jesse Jackson, another Democratic primary contender that year.