WINNERS AND LOSERS

	March 1, 2000
	More results and another stage in the presidential nominating races. Kwame Holman begins our coverage.

SPOKESPERSON: Senator Bill Bradley. KWAME HOLMAN: Former Senator Bill Bradley spent part of this morning addressing a health forum in Los Angeles, and weighing the impact of his overwhelming defeat by vice president al Gore in Washington state's Democratic primary. Responding to reporters' questions, Bradley immediately rejected any thought of dropping out of the race. BILL BRADLEY: The reports of my demise are greatly exaggerated. Last night was a disappointment. At the same time, the delegate vote is the same. It's 41 to 27. We're going on to March 7. We're moving fast; we'll be in New York, we'll be in Massachusetts, Maryland, we're here in California today. We're still in the race. We're working hard, and I'm feeling really good. KWAME HOLMAN: Final figures show Bradley lost by more than a 2-1 margin to Vice President Gore in Washington. Gore also campaigned in California today, arriving in the state even before last night's results were in. He already is setting his sights on next week's Super Tuesday primaries, which account for more than half the delegates needed to win the Democratic nomination. The biggest single prize is California, with 367 delegates at stake. AL GORE: California will have the decisive vote in determining who the Democratic nominee for president is. This race will be decided here in California, here in Cudahy, here in Southeast. I need your help to win, and then if you entrust me with the nomination, I will go on and fight for you in the general. We have just begun to fight. KWAME HOLMAN: Gore then appealed for support from his largely Latino audience. AL GORE: Luchar con migo. Si se puede. Si se puede. Si se puede. (The Rolling Stones' "Start Me Up" playing) KWAME HOLMAN: Last night's results must have been a major disappointment for Bradley. He spent most of last week in Washington State trying to renew enthusiasm for his campaign. But even in defeat, he tried to rally his supporters. BILL BRADLEY: I need you. I need your idealism and your energy. I need you to send a message across this country that there is a generation of Americans coming who want to make sure that this country can fulfill its potential as a nation, who see a clear path, and who are willing to follow a leader who is laying out to them straight and asking them to be part of the answer. Thank you so much. KWAME HOLMAN: Both Democrats arranged relaxed schedules today as t prepare to face off in a nationally-televised debate tonight in Los Angeles. In the Republican race, yesterday's voting produced a three-state sweep for George W. Bush. The Texas governor's first victory of the day came in Virginia's winner-take-all primary, and yielded him 56 delegates to the Republican Convention. Bush took 53% of the vote, nine points ahead of Arizona Senator John McCain. Conservative activist Alan Keyes got 3%. On Monday, McCain criticized two Christian conservative leaders-- Pat Robertson and Jerry Falwell- - who have strong bases of support in Virginia. McCain branded them agents of intolerance. At a rally last night in Cincinnati, Ohio, Bush said the strategy backfired on McCain. GOV. GEORGE W. BUSH: The voters of Virginia have rejected the politics of pitting one religion against another. This campaign is winning, and we're doing it the right way. We are uniting our party without compromising principle. We are expanding our base without destroying our foundations. And we are proving that the most innovative and compassionate ideas in politics are conservative ideas. This is the message of this movement. KWAME HOLMAN: But campaigning in California just after Virginia's polls closed, McCain said he had no regrets. SEN. JOHN McCAIN: Ours is the party of Ronald Reagan, not Bob Jones. And I say we want everyone, everyone in our party that shares our views and our we reach out and want those who are the Christian right in our party, but we will not accept the leadership of people who engage in the kind of activities that Pat Robertson has engaged in. That is not what our party is all about. KWAME HOLMAN: In winning the primary in Washington State, Bush surpassed his Virginia numbers. He garnered 59% of the vote to McCain's 38% and Keyes' 2%. And in North Dakota, Bush out- polled McCain by more than 3-1 in that state's Republican caucuses, winning 76% of the vote to McCain's 19%. Keyes received 2%. With yesterday's victories, Bush now has 170 convention delegates, McCain has 105. Alan Keyes has five. 1,034 delegates are needed to win the Republican presidential nomination. Today Bush was in Georgia-- one of 15 states holding primaries or caucuses during next week's decisive Super Tuesday voting. He continued to accuse McCain of branding him anti-Catholic after Bush spoke at a university whose officials have criticized the Catholic faith. GOV. GEORGE W. BUSH: I don't like being called an anti-Catholic bigot. I don't like people ascribing beliefs to me that just aren't true. I've got a record of being inclusive in the state of Texas. People know my record, people know my heart, and John ought to be ashamed of running that kind of campaign. KWAME HOLMAN: McCain was asked again today about his criticism of some Christian conservatives. SEN. JOHN McCAIN: The overwhelming majority of people who are members of the Christian right are good and decent people. I think they've been led astray by a couple of individuals that very frankly have done some things which I find reprehensible in American politics. KWAME HOLMAN: Both Republicans followed full schedules today and took questions from the press and public on a range of issues including controlling illegal immigration across the border with Mexico. GOV. GEORGE W. BUSH: I support what's called "Operation Hold the Line," which is manpower and equipment along known border crossing points; that will make it harder for illegal substance and people to come into our country. Now this is a long border, it's a very long border, and makes it awfully difficult to completely enforce. People are coming to America because of the hope of America. And moms and dads come to our country to feed their children. Family values are powerful amongst a lot of people around the world. We must enforce our borders. But one of the reasons I'm a strong supporter of trade in our hemisphere is because the real solution, the long-term solution to take pressure off our borders is for moms and dads to be able to find meaningful work closer to home. SEN. JOHN McCAIN: I will do whatever is necessary as far as enforcing the border. But I would also point out that we must realize that as long as the Mexican economy and the countries south of there, that their economy is so bad that people can't live and feed themselves and their families where they are, then they are going to try and come someplace where they can. This to me dictates us doing what we can as far as free trade, helping the Mexican economy, helping them rid their government of the corruption which drugs have caused in horrendous fashion-- more severe than I ever anticipated. KWAME HOLMAN: The three Republican candidates will debate tomorrow night from Los Angeles, but only Governor Bush and Alan Keyes will be at the debate site. Senator McCain opted to participate via satellite from New York.