Bill Bradley left the United States Senate in 1996 after representing the state of New Jersey for 18 years. He is a former NBA basketball player, Rhodes Scholar and Olympic Gold Medalist. Bradley first began shaping the Democratic nomination debate by proposing a plan that would offer universal healthcare coverage to all Americans. January polls in New Hampshire and New York indicate he is tied or ahead of Vice President Al Gore, the leading party contender.

Bradley is generally seen as more liberal than Gore. Other themes he often addresses are race relations, gun control and campaign finance reform.

A Bradley Campaign Snapshot

One-on-one with Bill Bradley

Vice President Al Gore has been the Democratic front-runner since talk about the 2000 election began. The high level of support that Bill Bradley generated in the early stages of the campaign forced Gore to change strategies. Gore moved his headquarters to Tennessee, his home state, in search of a fresh start. Campaign staffers hoped organizing from Nashville would reduce his image of being a "Washington insider." The Gore campaign also attracted news when Naomi Wolf, a feminist, was hired by his campaign to help the vice president connect with women voters.

But debates and campaigning have shifted talk from strategies to political positions. Gore says he wants to guarantee "universal access" to health care and bolster the Medicare program, differing a bit from Bradley. He also made a proposal to Bradley to halt all broadcast campaign advertisements -- and, instead, increase the number of debates. Gore is hoping for a "come from behind" victory in New Hampshire, though January numbers still place him a narrowly behind. Polls show him leading nationwide by a large margin.

A Gore Campaign Snapshot

One-on-one with Al Gore