The joint appearance in New Hampshire last week by Sen. John McCain, Arizona Republican, and former Sen. Bill Bradley, Democrat of New Jersey, was an astute move, a welcome reminder that politics can be about more than mindless partisanship.

The joint pledge they took to ban the use of unregulated soft money in their presidential campaigns should they win their parties’ nominations was a brilliant move, a statement of principal combined with a well-aimed jab at those in the business of buying and selling government.

Certainly, there was an element of grandstanding to the event — both could have sworn off soft money merely by refusing to accept it, but no one ever got elected president by being shy. Even the venue was subtlety symbolic — it was in Claremont, N.H., in 1995 that President Bill Clinton and then-Speaker Newt Gingrich promised to form a commission to reform campaign-finance laws, a promise never kept. Still, both men are taking a risk — of becoming party pariahs, of being outspent.

Of the two, Sen. McCain has the strongest reform credentials. He is the persistent sponsor of reform legislation his party’s leadership hates. He took the strongest oath, to accept no soft money under any circumstances. He even confessed that generous donors have had greater access to his office. There are many reasons Sen. McCain now enjoys a narrow lead over Gov. George W. Bush in New Hampshire opinion polls. His dogged commitment and his refreshing candor no doubt are among them.

Sen. Bradley was slightly more equivocal, saying his pledge applies only if Sen. McCain is the GOP nominee. He refused to concede a link between contributions and access, although he did allow that the public perception of such a link breeds public cynicism every bit as damaging as actual influence peddling.

Interestingly, it is Sen. Bradley who has drawn first blood. In a debate Sunday between the two Democratic contenders, Vice President Al Gore made the suggestion that they both swear off radio and TV ads until the nomination is decided. It wasn’t just a silly suggestion; coming from the candidate with a significant name-recognition advantage and a reputation besmirched by fund-raising lapses, it came across as self-serving and defensive.

Sens. McCain and Bradley also pledged continuing support for reform of campaign-finance laws. That’s good. Doing the right thing withoput being forced to by law is even better.