Bradley Campaign Rolls Into California

SAN DIEGO — Former Sen. Bill Bradley kicked off his California presidential campaign Saturday by chatting with all of about 200 people in a state of 33 million.

It was exactly what he wanted.

“This is the best way to reach people,” he said with sincerity to about 50 diners during an impromptu stop at a local cafe. “This is the way everybody in politics starts. They start in small rooms just like this.”

Bradley plans to make numerous such stops as he swings through California in a series of down-home, one-on-one gatherings designed to spur his “big issues” campaign and challenge the seemingly unassailable head start that his Democratic opponent, Vice President Al Gore, has in the state.

The nine-day visit marks the first time in recent memory that a candidate has spent so much time, so early, in California for a goal so elusive: dislodging a sitting vice president from a shot at the presidential nomination.

Since taking office in January 1993, Gore has made California a redoubt of his candidacy, visiting more than 55 times and doling out hundreds of millions of dollars in government programs.

The intense interest by both men reflects California’s newly important role in the presidential nominating process. With the state primary moved to March 7, California’s 432 delegates--10% of the national total--are critical to those seeking to lock down their party’s nomination.

The effectiveness of Bradley’s strategy was a question raised both by supporters and the merely curious Saturday. Although town-to-town whistle-stops might work in small states such as Iowa and New Hampshire--whose combined populations are less than half that of Los Angeles County--there’s little evidence such hustings will work here.

Besides Los Angeles, the former New Jersey senator is stopping in Sacramento, San Francisco and Beverly Hills, where media mogul Barry Diller is sponsoring a fund-raiser.

Shubroto Chattopadhyay, a business manager at an Irvine medical company, stumbled across Bradley’s campaign while surfing the Internet. He said he would support Bradley’s bid for the presidency. But he wanted the former New York Knicks player to do more to get the word out.

“He needs to go further,” said Chattopadhyay, who listened to Bradley speak in Santa Ana on Saturday. “You’ve got to play for 48 minutes. You can’t save your shots until the third and fourth quarter.”

Bradley showed that he was all too aware of the state’s importance. At each stop, his message was the same.

Take my measure, he said. Then pass on what you decide to friends and family.

“California is a state where ultimately the people make a decision,” Bradley said. “The question is: Will what I’m saying connect with the people?”

Of course, this isn’t the only visit, or the only component of the strategy. Bradley said he plans to eventually hit the state with massive ad campaigns as well. But for now he prefers the up-close approach.

It remains to be seen, though, how the message will play out. Bradley refuses to provide details to back up the issues he raises in his campaign stumping, saying the time for specifics will come in the fall, closer to the primary.

For now, he’s happy with generalities such as race relations--they should be improved--and health care--everyone should have it.

And although Bradley did seem to have a genuine knack for connecting with those he spoke to, some people seemed weary of the gauzy sentiment. Dinh Le, 64, of Santa Ana wanted to know more about Bradley’s commitment to provide health insurance for all children living in poverty.

“Senator, you said there’s too many uninsured children. We all know this,” Dinh said. “What more do you propose to do?”

“I’ll be issuing a white paper on this in the fall,” Bradley responded. “But at a minimum, all children should be covered.”

Later, Dinh said he liked Bradley. But he wasn’t sure about his vote.

“It was not quite an answer,” Dinh said of Bradley’s response. “But he’s just beginning his campaign.”

Others, however, were happy with what they heard. At the Toussaint Teen Center in San Diego, Bradley talked with a group of troubled adolescents for about 30 minutes.

Athena Anderson liked what Bradley said. She was impressed that he made a personal visit. And most important for Bradley, Anderson noted that she turns 18 next year.

“He’s got my vote,” she said.