McCain and Bradley end campaigns

Vice President Al gore and Texas Gov. George W. Bush now have clear roads to their respective parties' nominations. The Associated Press WASHINGTON -- Falling as swiftly as they soared, John McCain and Bill Bradley abandoned their presidential races yesterday and chided their triumphant rivals on the way out. "Millions of Americans have rallied to our banner,'' McCain said as both candidates sought to leverage the support they had earned. The Arizona senator pledged to press his case for political reform and warned that Republicans will ''slip into the mists of history'' without it. McCain, who pulled swarms of Democrats and independents into GOP contests, offered nominee-in-waiting George W. Bush his ''best wishes'' -- but not his endorsement. An hour before McCain bowed out, Bradley told reporters he would support Vice President Al Gore, but he also accused his fellow Democrat of ''distortions'' in their primary fight. ''I hope that he will run a better campaign in the general election,'' said the former New Jersey senator, who was unable to win any primary or caucus. It was a victorious day for the political establishment that backed Bush and Gore, both of whom vanquished their rivals after stiff challenges. ''When you do battle with entrenched power? it's very difficult,'' Bradley said. Within minutes of McCain's announcement, Bush's team was reaching out to McCain intermediaries in an effort to mend fences. The rivals themselves spoke briefly by telephone, but settled nothing. ''John needs some time to think, and I need some time,'' Bush said. Said to be still seething at the Texas governor, McCain is in no hurry to make peace. He planned to take a week's vacation before determining what leverage he has with Bush and what he might want to achieve with it, a McCain adviser said. McCain knows he is not bargaining from a strong position, but the adviser said his boss wants to somehow keep his signature issue -- campaign finance reform -- on the political agenda. With that goal in mind, McCain quit the race but didn't shut down his campaign -- a technicality that keeps his options open to make things uncomfortable for Bush, who needs McCain's endorsement to unify the party. McCain's options, according to the adviser, include barnstorming the country to promote campaign finance reform, leading a platform fight at the Republican National Convention or even mounting a third-party presidential bid. Aides say that last option is remote. McCain himself has ruled out bolting the GOP and said yesterday, ''I love my home.'' He did, however, leave himself a loophole by saying in his departure speech that the party deserves ''the allegiance of none'' if it doesn't embrace campaign finance reform. One of McCain's top supporters said he urged the senator to let go of the enmity he feels toward Bush. ''There's no question that there's some bitterness there and some anger,'' said Sen. Charles Hagel (R-Neb.). McCain was the 10th Republican to leave the race. Bradley has been Gore's only challenger. They could not sustain momentum against the sheer force of their rivals' organizations. McCain had the most potent insurgency, staggering Bush in New Hampshire and Michigan. In a testament to his drawing power, one of every four GOP primary participants had never before voted in a Republican contest. Their paths cleared, Bush and Gore warmed up for what both camps predict will be a negative campaign. The Texas governor criticized Gore for supporting a ban on unlimited, unregulated donations while raising the so-called ''soft money'' himself. Using a line he unleashed against McCain in their primary battles, Bush said of the vice president, ''We're not going to be fooled by somebody who says one thing and absolutely does another.'' Neither Bradley nor McCain made clean exits. The Democrat did not release his delegates, saying they had earned a voice at the national convention. He has 412 delegates -- more than 1,000 behind Gore. On his way out of the race, Bradley said he will help elect Gore and ''continue to work for a new politics and for the values I laid out in the campaign.'' He said those values include campaign finance reform and a politics that is honest, positive, compassionate and ruled by convictions, not polls. Aides said Bradley, 56, may well run again. McCain left more room for doubt by suspending his campaign. The tactic may allow him to collect his full allotment of federal campaign funds, including convention expenses. He also retained control of his 231 delegates, a fraction of the 1,034 needed for nomination.

Please note All comments are eligible for publication in The Daily Pennsylvanian.