WASHINGTON -- With still six months to go, the U.S. presidential campaign of 2000 is in the doldrums. Neither candidate really has much wind in his campaign sails. Texas Gov. George W. Bush is still out in front -- 47-41 -- of Vice President Al Gore. That is about the same margin his dad was behind at this same time in his 1988 campaign, and if you recall, the senior Bush came from behind and won that election by a landslide.

The voters know a lot about sitting vice presidents, including a lot they do not like. They probably won't change their minds very much about their likes and dislikes about Gore, but they could change their view of Bush. He is less known, and the Democrats are going to help voters get to know more about him. Their campaign attack ads are in preparation and when they get done, Bush is likely to look a lot more conservative and less successful as a governor than he does today.

Clearly, Bush has used the last two months well, and Gore has used the time poorly. Bush has focused on Democratic issues like Social Security, education and health care. He is projecting new ideas, making himself both visible and newsworthy as he moves to the center from the far right posture he assumed to defeat his rivals in the primaries.