ny political front-runner victimized by a major upset faces two challenges: to take the shine off his opponent and to strengthen his own appeal.
Texas Governor George W. Bush has been working frantically to achieve the first goal since he lost the New Hampshire primary to Arizona Senator John McCain. The results have been mixed.
Less successful still has been his effort to establish a convincing rationale.
In their debate Tuesday night in South Carolina, Bush said: ''Our objective is to end the Clinton era in Washington, D.C.'' Of course, the Clinton era will end next January, willy-nilly. But what does Bush offer to replace it? He talked about ''common sense and integrity'' but continues to put very little flesh on those meager bones.
Most of the self-definition Bush has attempted since New Hampshire has been by contrast with McCain. This has only pushed McCain into position as the campaign's acknowledged agenda-setter.
Bush says that, compared with McCain, he is the political outsider, but then he touts his many endorsements from GOP congressmen and governors.
Bush says he is the true, proven reformer, but then suddenly proffers a pale substitute for McCain's campaign finance reform plan.
Bush makes the convoluted argument that Democrats and independents may vote for McCain in South Carolina this Saturday because he would be the weaker candidate in November, while national polls show just the opposite - McCain would be the stronger nominee. And this should be no surprise, since Bush is targeting his campaign overwhelmingly to GOP regulars, who can't supply enough votes on their own to elect a president.
Bush accuses McCain in the debate of a ''low blow'' for an ad likening Bush's tax claims to the untrustworthy statements of President Clinton. But minutes later Bush says McCain's criticism of his tax plan ''sounds exactly like Al Gore.''
Bush has already spent more money than any presidential primary candidate ever. Money is powerful in politics - far too powerful - but it will not guarantee victory to a candidate without a message.
