POLITICAL BRIEFING

ODD COUPLE: Could ex-California Gov. Edmund G. (Jerry) Brown Jr. and former Massachusetts Sen. Paul E. Tsongas, erstwhile rivals for the Democratic presidential nomination, join forces for a platform floor fight at the party’s national convention next month in New York? Such an alliance has been discussed by the two camps, although its prospects remain clouded. . . . The reason for the potential pact is that neither candidate by himself has enough delegate support to get a minority plank to the floor. But they could accomplish that goal by combining forces. . . . The key is finding planks they agree to unite behind. And chances of that happening seem to be dwindling, especially with presumptive nominee Bill Clinton officially announcing Sunday that he is backing off from part of the middle-class tax cut plan that Tsongas never tired of blasting as “pandering” during their primary fights.