Democratic Presidential Race Begins

by WILL LESTER
Associated Press Writer

WASHINGTON (AP) -- About a dozen political stars and newcomers in the Democratic Party are watching closely to see when Al Gore will decide whether to run for the presidency again, and how strong a position he will have within the party if he does.

Some Democrats already are auditioning for the role of party nominee.

The big question is when will Gore, last year's nominee, clarify his plans about the presidential race. The betting is later this year.

Democrats around the country say Gore would be a formidable candidate and probably the party's front-runner if he decides to run. But they acknowledge his unsuccessful 2000 presidential race left some lingering questions.

''There are people who think if he wants the nomination, he should have it,'' said Barbara Flynn Currie, House majority leader in Illinois. ''There are others who think he blew it.''

Gore won the popular vote by half a million votes in 2000 and barely lost Florida -- and the election -- in the now-famous recount. Some Democrats say he let an election slip away that he should have won because of the strong economy and popular Democratic issues.

''He'll be considered a front-runner just because of his experience and fund raising and people thinking he was cheated out of the election,'' said Ark Monroe III, a Little Rock, Ark., lawyer, who was a fund-raiser for Gore.

Gore may have to finally declare his independence from former President Clinton, some say.

''The biggest hazard for Gore is to finally make the cut from Clinton and he has the perfect opportunity to do that over the Clinton pardons at the close of the administration,'' said Scott Reed, a Republican political consultant in Washington.

The list of people lining up to provide an alternative to Gore is growing steadily, though few will admit publicly they're running.

Sen. John Kerry of Massachusetts, Sen. Evan Bayh of Indiana, House Democratic leader Dick Gephardt, Sen. John Edwards of North Carolina, Senate Democratic leader Tom Daschle of South Dakota and Sen. Joe Lieberman of Connecticut are names that come up frequently in discussions with Democrats. Lieberman is out testing the waters and raising money, but has made it clear he would base his own plans on Gore's decision whether or not to run.

''What we're seeing is everybody who wants to increase their profile and visibility doing so,'' said nonpartisan political analyst Stuart Rothenberg. ''They can't just wait for a signal from Gore.''

Other names mentioned are former Sen. Bob Kerrey of Nebraska, now a university president in New York; Sen. Joe Biden of Delaware; former Sen. Bill Bradley -- a candidate in 2000 -- and Govs. Roy Barnes of Georgia and Tom Vilsack of Iowa.

Candidates face the tough challenge of raising their profile enough to be noticed, Rothenberg said, without raising too many expectations.

When Edwards, a first-term senator, went to Iowa in early March to speak at Drake University Law School, some Democrats expressed annoyance at the move by a Democrat relatively new to the national scene. Gore allies have been clucking about how Edwards recently approached a small handful of up-and-comers from the Gore campaign and, without success, offered them jobs in his Senate office.

The former vice president is splitting his time these days between his home in Arlington, Va., and teaching assignments at Columbia University and two Tennessee universities, Fisk and Middle Tennessee State, in which he is emphasizing families and community building. Gore also is working on a book with wife Tipper.

Gore also has been thanking his supporters and contributors with calls and letters, periodically holding appreciation dinners. ''Those thank you opportunities are about 2000, not about 2004,'' said Kiki McLean, a Gore spokeswoman.

Many Democrats say they felt slighted at the end of the campaign, when Gore threw a single ''end of the recount'' party for celebrity friends and select aides, then disappeared to recuperate from the grueling campaign.

Some question whether his virtual disappearance from the political scene could hurt his chances.

''A lot of his support and influence in 2000 was based on his being an incumbent vice president,'' said Gerald Pomper, a political scientist at Rutgers University and author of ''The Election of 2000.'' ''It looks like he's crawled into a hole somewhere.''

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Some Democrats whose names come up in discussions within the party of possible presidential candidates in 2004 and how fellow Democrats see their prospects.

EVAN BAYH, U.S. senator from Indiana: Bayh has the high-profile role of president of the Democratic Leadership Council, a centrist Democrat group that has provided a launching pad for several past Democratic national candidates, including Bill Clinton, Al Gore and Joe Lieberman. Bayh said this week he's considering a run, but acknowledged that the pending election for his Senate seat in 2004 could complicate the decision.

ROY BARNES, governor of Georgia: Barnes is occasionally mentioned as a possible presidential candidate, largely because he's a fresh face in the Democratic Party, appears to be off to a good start as governor and most importantly, is from a Southern state -- a region that can boost a Democratic candidate. Associates say he's focused now on running the state of Georgia and his term is up in 2002.

JOE BIDEN, senator from Delaware: Biden is focused on re-election to the Senate in 2002, but has not lost his interest in a possible bid after running in 1988, associates say. Biden made an early appearance in New Hampshire three weeks ago after he was invited to a breakfast and to march in a parade with a St. Patrick's Day theme.

BILL BRADLEY, former U.S. senator from New Jersey: Bradley is working at a private investment firm in New York and associates say he's also involved with causes that he campaigned for, such as promoting affordable and accessible health care for everyone. Bradley hasn't yet decided whether he will run for president again.

TOM DASCHLE, Senate Democratic leader from South Dakota: Daschle is on record saying he wants to be Senate majority leader and faces a Senate election in 2004. He has a high profile in the evenly split Senate and is the top Democrat currently in office in Washington. He's given no indication that he's interested in running for president, nor has he ruled it out, associates say.

GRAY DAVIS, governor of California: Davis is focused on the governor's race in 2002 and has his hands full with the state's energy problems. Talk of Davis as a hot presidential prospect has cooled, at least until the energy crisis in his state is resolved.

JOHN EDWARDS, U.S. senator from North Carolina: Edwards has gotten plenty of attention as a fresh new face in Democratic politics, a sharp advocate for party positions on the national talk shows, and most importantly a Southerner. The successful trial lawyer has gained some attention, most notably for an early trip to Iowa to speak at Drake University. Edwards, a first-term senator, is up for re-election in 2004.

DICK GEPHARDT, House Democratic leader from Missouri: Associates expect Gephardt to run in 2004 and say he's got a built-in base of support and many friends in Iowa, site of the first contest of the presidential race.

AL GORE, former vice president, Democratic nominee in 2000: Gore is teaching at Columbia University in New York and at two universities in Tennessee, Fisk and Middle Tennessee State. He also is working on a book with his wife, Tipper. Aides say he hasn't made a final decision on whether to run in 2004, but Democrats generally expect him to say yes.

BOB KERREY, president of New School University in New York City: Kerrey is new to his academic job and recently got married. Associates say the former Nebraska senator, who ran for president eight years ago, hasn't ruled out a run at the presidency in 2004.

JOHN KERRY, U.S. senator from Massachusetts: Associates say Kerry is interested in considering the 2004 presidential race and is laying the groundwork should he decide to run. He's focused now on his Senate re-election in 2002, but appears frequently on the talk show circuit and is an outspoken critic of the Bush administration.

JOE LIEBERMAN, U.S. senator from Connecticut and Democratic vice presidential nominee in 2000: Lieberman would be a natural to run for the presidency in 2004, say colleagues who liked his handling of the vice presidential nomination in 2000. But Lieberman has made clear that Gore's decision on whether to run will govern his own plans.

TOM VILSACK, governor of Iowa: Vilsack is seen as a potential presidential candidate, though his associates say he's focused now on running the state of Iowa and has an election in 2002. Many Democrats see him as an effective politician who's gotten things done in his state, and he generally gets credit with helping the party fend off a Republican legislature.

-- Anonymous, April 20, 2001

Answers

It takes a brave man to confidently tell you, this early, who the Democratic nominee will be. Fortunately for you, I am that man. The nominee will be John Kerry.

-- Anonymous, April 21, 2001