PHILADELPHIA — Democrat Al Gore has narrowed his search for a running mate to five members of Congress and a female governor, The Associated Press has learned.
A Democratic source familiar with the vice president's thinking said late Wednesday night that the closely guarded list consists only of:
Sen. Evan Bayh of Indiana.
Sen. John Edwards of North Carolina.
Rep. Richard Gephardt of Missouri, the House minority leader.
Sen. John Kerry of Massachusetts.
Sen. Joseph Lieberman of Connecticut.
Gov. Jeanne Shaheen of New Hampshire.
Gore, whose deliberations had remained confidential and the source of widespread speculation until now, views all but Gephardt as new-generation politicians who will contrast favorably with the GOP ticket of George W. Bush and Dick Cheney — the son of former President George Bush and the elder Bush's defense secretary — according to the source with access to internal analyses of the candidates.
In Gephardt's case, his home state of Missouri is a key battleground and his ties to labor would help Gore improve his standing with liberals. He also would help the vice president make his case on Social Security, prescription drugs and other Democratic issues, the source said.
The source did not handicap the prospects of any candidate, though Gephardt has publicly and privately told Gore he does not want the job. The source spoke only on condition of anonymity.
Gore left open the remote possibility that he could consider a dark horse candidate who has not been publicly discussed, the source said.
This short list effectively eliminates a number of prominent Democrats, including former Senate Majority Leader George Mitchell, Sens. Bob Kerrey of Nebraska, Richard Durbin of Illinois, Bob Graham of Florida, Gov. Gray Davis of California and Energy Secretary Bill Richardson.
From the moment Cheney's selection became public, Gore's team labeled it a "retro pick," a throwback to "old guard Republican politics." Gore believes swing voters will view Bush-Cheney as an unwanted rerun of the Bush administration, especially if Gore himself creates a ticket with some freshness, the source said.
Gore plans to announce his selection Tuesday. Each candidate has long since submitted personal and financial background material for review. Gore plans no personal interviews before making his selection, though advisers couldn't rule out a telephone call or two.
Kerry, 56, a decorated Vietnam veteran, is a three-term senator from a bedrock Democratic state. Bayh, 44, is a first-term senator and former governor from a traditionally Republican state.
Shaheen, 53, is a two-term governor who faces a tough re-election campaign. She backed Gore in the New Hampshire's primary, which he won, and is one of a handful of Democratic women with the credentials to serve as vice president.
Edwards, 47, is a trial lawyer who defeated Republican Sen. Lauch Faircloth in 1998. Gore considers him an intellectual and rising political star.
Selection of Kerry or Lieberman, 58 and an Orthodox Jew, would jeopardize Democratic hopes of winning control of the Senate because a Republican governor would name their replacement.
Gephardt, 59, wants to help Democrats regain control of the House and claim the speakership, regardless of whether Gore wins. The vice president's refusal to strike Gephardt from the list underscores his potential value to the ticket.
He and Gephardt are the only finalists from the Midwest, where most analysts believe the election will be decided.
Choosing Gephardt would complicate Democratic efforts to reclaim the House.