OS ANGELES - After learning he had dominated the Washington primary early yesterday, Al Gore shunned the customary public gathering to revel in his victory.
Instead, Gore was sequestered in his hotel room. The press corps, eager for a comment from the winning candidate, were in the lobby of the same hotel, listening on cellular phones to a conference call between Gore and supporters in Washington state.
The scene sums up part of the Gore campaign strategy: no questions. Few comments. And keep the press at a great distance.
Bill Clinton used the same strategy during the 1992 campaign, for different reasons. Seeking to avoid questions from journalists about his marriage or the draft, he held ''town meetings'' to reach voters but avoided the press.
But Gore is doing remarkably well, depriving Democratic opponent Bill Bradley of a single win so far. So why wouldn't the vice president want to share his views on his good fortune?
''It sounds like he figures he's coming close enough to pushing Bradley away that he might seal this up if he makes no mistakes,'' said a political analyst, Stuart Rothenberg. ''It kind of sounds like he wants to avoid problems.''
Gore didn't used to act this way. When his campaign was facing a serious challenge by Bradley last summer and fall, Gore was quite accessible, holding news conferences and speaking frankly and at length about why he was moving his entire campaign operation to Nashville for refurbishing.
Back then, it was Republican contender George W. Bush, the Texas governor, who was being criticized for lack of accessibility. That changed when Bush faced a serious threat from Arizona Senator John McCain.
Now, it is Gore who appears to be close to sewing up his party's nomination, an advantage held by no other presidential candidate.
Better for Gore, analysts say, to stay out of the national limelight and avoid controversy while the two leading Republican candidates engage in what one consultant called a ''political food fight.''
Gore grants a few local interviews, but even then, he is circumspect. No matter what the question is, he delivers virtually the same answer much of the time: ''I'm focusing on getting my message out.''
Gore hasn't had a significant press availability event since mid-January.
Gore's position as vice president, and the added security it entails, also allows for added restriction of the media. While reporters following McCain have extremely high levels of access to the candidate on his campaign bus, journalists covering Gore are forced to stand behind ropes and police tape - cut off even from areas where the public is allowed.
The Gore campaign notes that it does many local interviews and gives occasional interviews to a handful of individual news agencies covering the candidate.
The local interviews tend to serve Gore's interests, since questions are generally more parochial in nature.
''What brings you to Colorado?'' a Denver TV reporter asked. ''Well, I hear there's an election going on,'' Gore responded.
