By TIMOTHY J. BURGER DAILY NEWS WASHINGTON BUREAU

WASHINGTON - With Democrats failing to take back the House, several sources said last night that Minority Leader Richard Gephardt (D-Mo.) is poised to announce as early as this week that he will ditch his leadership job to explore a presidential bid.

Gephardt acknowledged on CNN that "those are all issues we have to address in the future" but claimed to have made no plans.

As a presidential candidate, the longtime labor favorite, who ran for President in 1988, would represent the Democratic left wing.

Gephardt also refused to acknowledge his party's defeat, and blamed GOP successes on "a lot of special-interest money on the other side."

Sources said Rep. Martin Frost of Texas and Democratic Whip Nancy Pelosi of California already are campaigning hard for Gephardt's job in anticipation of his abandoning his dream of the House speakership to pursue the White House.

Across the country, Republicans were cheered by additions to their House majority, which has been the engine helping push President Bush's agenda.

They also crowed about Katherine Harris' win of a House seat in Florida - where, as secretary of state, she certified the controversial 2000 results that made George Bush President over Al Gore.

In New York, despite a very strong showing by Gov. Pataki, Rep. Felix Grucci (R-L.I.) was 2,449 votes behind Democratic rival Timothy Bishop, the provost of Southampton College, after a nasty campaign.

Grucci was pinning his hopes on absentee ballots and a recount. "When that's completed, then everyone will have spoken and we will know the final outcome," he said.

Most other New York incumbents rolled to easy victories, officials in both parties said.

Key city Democrats were clearly unhappy as they faced continued GOP House control.

Rep. Charles Rangel (D-Manhattan), normally glad to talk about a Democratic House majority - which would make him chairman of the powerful Ways and Means Committee - declined to comment.

-- Anonymous, November 06, 2002

Answers

isn't gephardt the one with what looks like a really bad skin graft?

-- Anonymous, November 06, 2002

Yes. He can join Gore in South America, along with the boat people.

What a crop of inarticulate losers! I had CNN on in the background last night, but the speeches got to me. . .

-- Anonymous, November 06, 2002