The Bush presidency has been disastrous for the country--the point is that he must lose on November 3. So any Democratic nominee who would allow a Bush win must not receive the nomination.

Paul Tsongas would allow a Bush win. The president could easily blast him out of the South, where he is currently known only in Republican-dominated Florida. This would leave the race up to the battleground states of 1988--the industrial Midwest and California.

Tsongas couldn't get a labor endorsement to save his life. Unions would withhold support in a race between Bush and Tsongas, removing a huge part of the Democratic base in the Midwest.

And Tsongas has little organization and few endorsements in California, leaving the sugar daddy of Electoral College votes for Bush, who won there in 1988.

Even now, at the height of Tsongas popularity, his own aides acknowledge that the campaign is struggling for stability. In Florida, Tsongas best hope for a Southern upset, he has found it difficult to strike back at his opponents attacks. Bush would exploit this weakness mercilessly. He did in 1988.

Finally, in the general election, Tsongas would have to battle Bush for the votes of the upper-income people who have given him Democratic primary successes. Bush will win the rich vote hands down.

ADMITTEDLY, we are discouraged by Clinton's immoral and anachronistic support of the death penalty. But Tsongas' unfortunate backing of capital punishment deemphasizes this issues in the primary.

In the end, as Bob Kerrey said when he bowed out of the race last week, Bush must be the number one target. Bill Clinton has the ideas and the political savvy to pull off a defeat of the president. Therefore, we endorse Clinton in today's primary.

In this election, Bush should get ready for the meat ax.