Clinton campaign rolls through the heartland

So far at least, it's a political marriage that looks like it's going to work. It's hard to imagine George Bush campaigning side-by-side with Dan Quayle and giving his running mate near-equal billing -- and such a long leash to speak off the cuff on matters of substance.

Pat Deluhery, an Iowa Democratic state senator from Davenport, watched his party's team and said of Mr. Clinton: "He's made two fabulous choices. First, he picks this guy [Mr. Gore] and then this bus thing. People love it. They have to come out and see these two young guys who look and act like they're ready to go."

On the first bus trip coming out of the national convention in New York, Al and Tipper Gore were supposed to drop off after a few days but wanted to stay on, and the camaraderie of the Clintons and the Gores made the decision to conduct this second one an easy call for the campaign planners.

As the pressures of time and scheduling demands grow, the Democratic foursome may not be able to afford much more time hitting the road together. But they appear to have struck a chord of enthusiasm not only among themselves but among the hundreds of Americans who have showed up at highway truck stops and heartland Main Streets to see and hear them.