Bradley catches up with Gore

AS BILL Bradley has done for the past 21 years, the former New Jersey senator spent the Labor Day weekend walking some of the state's beaches, talking to potential voters.

Yesterday, while Vice- President Al Gore and Mr Bradley, his main rival for the Democratic presidential nomination, marched in separate Labor Day parades, two polls showed that in one key electoral state - New Hampshire - they are almost neck and neck.

One poll gave Mr Gore 40 per cent and Mr Bradley 36 per cent. Four points is equal to the poll's margin of error and places the two in a statistical dead heat. Equivalent polls in April gave Mr Gore a lead of almost 40 points.

Mr Bradley is due formally to declare his intention to run in his home town of Crystal City in Missouri tomorrow.