February 3, 1999
Web posted at: 6:43 p.m. EST (2343 GMT)

WASHINGTON (AllPolitics, February 3) -- Vice President Al Gore and Republican Dan Quayle are getting into position for the 2000 presidential race, with Gore visiting New Hampshire Wednesday and Quayle announcing the formation of a presidential exploratory committee.

And in another development, House Minority leader Dick Gephardt confirmed he will not seek the Democratic presidential nomination, but instead focus his attention on recapturing the House for the Democrats.

In Indianapolis, Quayle said the committee would lay the groundwork for a likely run for the Republican presidential nomination.

"This is a special moment for Marilyn (his wife), for me and for my family," Quayle told supporters on the eve of his 52nd birthday. "Today, I officially announce the exploratory committee for president of the United States."

"I will win the nomination and I will beat Al Gore," Quayle declared.

Quayle, who defeated Democrat Birch Bayh to capture an Indiana Senate seat in 1980, was elected George Bush's vice president in 1988, a job he kept until Democrat Bill Clinton recaptured the White House in 1992 with Gore as his running mate.

Quayle made clear his plans to form the exploratory committee last week on CNN's "Larry King Live" and has already submitted the necessary federal paperwork.

Quayle said he and his wife had learned much about what is on Americans' minds as they spent several years criss-crossing the country.

"We've been in your home, we've been on your farm, we've been in your workplace. We have listened to you. We have talked with you," Quayle said.

One concern Quayle said he heard often was that "mothers and fathers are sick and tired of seeing the values assaulted that they are trying to teach their children."

He said another concern was high taxes. "You know, because you have told me, that there is a middle-class tax squeeze in America," Quayle said.

He said Americans have also offered him good advice on international relations.

"You have told me your feeling toward this president and this presidency when it comes to foreign policy because we want to respect the person -- whoever is president of the United States," he said.

Quayle also noted that the day Clinton was impeached, Gore called him one of America's greatest presidents.

"He (Gore) has a different interpretation of what integrity is all about," Quayle said. "That will be an issue in this campaign."

Gore tours New Hampshire

Meanwhile, Vice President Gore was visiting New Hampshire, where he focused on education and the environment in a series of appearances. New Hampshire's first-in-the-nation primary traditionally serves as an early test for presidential candidates.

Gore got good news earlier in the week, with the word that Gephardt had decided not to run for the White House in 2000. Instead, Gephardt wants to secure a Democratic majority in the House and become House speaker.

Gore has worked hard in New Hampshire for years, with more than a dozen trips to the state since 1994, and four last year alone.

He was full of praise for Gephardt.

"He will play a key role in helping to build a bright future for our country," Gephardt said. "And I look forward to working closely with him as a friend and partner."

Gore's trip was official. In Nashua, Gore led a round-table discussion of the skills needed for 21st-century jobs.

But clearly, the trip neatly fit Gore's yet to be formally announced presidential campaign, part of a bid to build up an already formidable organization.

The Gephardt factor should help in New Hampshire, says former state party chairman George Bruno.

"To the extent that there was any competition in the first-in-the-nation primary, it was Dick Gephardt," Bruno said.

But supporters of former Sen. Bill Bradley of New Jersey say wait a minute. Bradley may be a decided underdog in New Hampshire, but among grassroots voters, they say, he is a lot more than a blip on the radar screen.

"We want Vice President Gore one on one in New Hampshire," said Lee Nyquist, a Bradley organizer. "We think we can win that race. We think we will pull even and then go ahead in the last week, just like Gary Hart... "

Sen. John Kerry of neighboring Massachusetts may also end up in the Democratic race.

But no matter, say Gore's people; their man will be the only one in New Hampshire truly connected.

"He has made contacts, personal friendships, with each and every one of the so-called leadership Democrats, the people who are county chairs and town chairs, but more than that, he has demonstrated a capacity to make friends with rank-and-file Democrats," said New Hampshire Democratic House leader Peter Burling.

Gore's presidential bid received another boost Wednesday with the addition of three New Hampshire political operatives who once worked for Gephardt.

Sources close to the Gore campaign told CNN that New Hampshire state Sens. Deborah Pignatelli and Katie Wheeler and attorney Dick Moquin have all signed on with the Gore presidential effort.

All three are experienced organizers who backed Gephardt in his 1988 presidential bid and were waiting for his decision this time.

The three join former Gephardt backer Greg Martin, who joined the Gore operation a few weeks ago.

In 1988, Gore finished fifth in New Hampshire's Democratic primary, with seven percent of the vote. By most early indications he is poised to bury those memories next year.

Gephardt focuses on speaker bid

Gephardt formally announced he would not run for president, confirming news that leaked out earlier in the week. In his announcement, he jokingly called his decision the worst-kept secret in Washington.

Gephardt said the Republican-controlled Congress has lost the American people's trust. "We need a new Congress, one that reflects the hopes and dreams of the people rather than the unending drumbeat of a small minority bent on imposing their will on the entire nation," Gephardt said.

He said he wants to take back the speaker's gavel not for personal power, but to refocus the House on issues important to the American people.

With his supporters waving "Speaker Gephardt" placards, Gephardt said he weighed where he could be most effective and decided to focus on recapturing the House.

Gephardt had breakfast with Gore Wednesday before the vice president headed to New Hampshire and later dropped by the White House to officially tell the president of his decision.

"First in the Nation" interviews: the transcripts

CNN and WMUR-TV in Manchester, New Hampshire, offered an hour-long special Tuesday featuring interviews with several 2000 presidential possibilities. One possible candidate, Elizabeth Dole, declined an interview.

Here are transcripts of those interviews:

Wednesday, February 3, 1999

• GOP senators discuss exit strategy, ask Clinton for deposition
• Dems oppose drafts of 'fact-finding' declarations
• Senate must decide on live testimony
• Gore, Quayle get in position for 2000
• 'First in the Nation' special transcripts: Lamar Alexander | Bill Bradley | George W. Bush | Steve Forbes | Al Gore | John McCain | Dan Quayle
• U.N ambassador nominee Holbrooke agrees to pay ethics fine
• Prosecutor who headed Clinton fund-raising probe quits
• IRS clears Newt Gingrich's college course
• Clinton asks for bipartisan support of Social Security, Medicare plan
• Congress sees E-mail flood during trial
• Clinton administration proposes new air travel fees
• Poll: Hillary Clinton leads Rudolph Giuliani
• Impeachment trial is selling books
• Poll: Americans critical of Senate impeachment trial
• President's brother says Clintons 'back on track'
• Congress renews efforts to curb costs of regulations
• First lady spotlights working moms to push budget proposals
• Gov. Bush says Florida won't play Powerball
• Clinton trial boosting DNC fund-raising
• Conservative leaders interviewing half dozen GOP hopefuls
• Politicians break vow of silence -- for a joke
• California governor hopefuls spent $119.9 million
• Animal rights activists push to end cockfighting

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