Most students at the event said they were impressed with Bradley's command of the issues the country faces abroad.

"He was very knowledgeable," said Jonathan D. Brown, a junior at Tufts. "But he had to be, with that Bush thing. He had to come out with spades on this issue."

"That Bush thing" is a reference to Bush's bungling a series of questions about world leaders by Boston television reporter Andy Hiller.

Bush was unable to name the heads of state of four countries of particular importance to U.S. foreign policy--Pakistan, India, Chechnya, and Taiwan--prompting a wave of monologue jokes and whispers about Bush's competency.

"[Bradley] doesn't need foreign policy training," Eric Hauser, Bradley's press secretary, told The Crimson.

Bradley's stop at Tufts yesterday comes as he is increasing his television presence in Massachusetts.

Presidential candidates--and Bradley in particular--are spending far more money on television ads this year than they have in past campaigns, according to Christopher D. Russell, the political accounts executive at Boston's WCVB Channel 5, an ABC affiliate.

"Normally, we wouldn't see this until mid to late December," Russell said. "Some serious money is being spent in New Hampshire, and now in the Boston market as well.