Looking Good . . . So Far

While the camera's relentless eye has shown an uneasy and distressed President Bush, Bill Clinton and Al Gore, caught here on the eve of their bus tour through the Midwest, couldn't look more pleased -- with each other or with their media technique. So far, they've used television to their advantage, never letting coverage get seriously out of hand. Next week comes the Republican Convention, which may swing the tide back toward Bush, reduce the Democratic lead in the polls, and signal the beginning of the electoral season's tougher phase.