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Depressed Democrats Turn Their Eyes to 2004
25 minutes ago
By John Whitesides, Political Correspondent

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - With Republicans basking in victory, a depressed and wounded Democratic Party on Wednesday turned their attention to the White House race in 2004 and searched for answers to Tuesday's midterm losses.

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A large field of potential Democratic candidates led by former Vice President Al Gore (news - web sites) will decide in the next few months whether to challenge Republican President Bush (news - web sites), whose historical sweep of Congress left him in a commanding position heading into 2004.

But the loss of Democratic control in the Senate, and the expansion of the Republican majority in the House of Representatives, left Democrats in a sour mood, damaged party leaders and could play a role in who jumps into the campaign.

Before anyone can effectively challenge Bush, disgruntled Democrats said, the party must find a vision and a stronger voice of opposition.

"Democrats lacked a national message this year," said Joe Andrew, a former chairman of the Democratic National Committee (news - web sites). "It's clearly not enough to rely on tactics."

The losses dealt severe blows to House Democratic Leader Richard Gephardt and Senate Democratic Leader Tom Daschle, but could free them up from congressional commitments to make White House runs.

Several Democrats said they expected Gephardt, home in St. Louis conferring with family and friends, to make that move soon. House leadership elections are planned next week.

"He's beginning the process of making that decision now," a Gephardt spokesman said.

OUTSIDERS COULD BE IN

The congressional failures might encourage candidates from outside Congress to jump in the race, analysts said, and outsiders like Vermont Gov. Howard Dean saw their stature enhanced merely by not being in the party's inner circle.

At the core of the Democratic field over the last six months has been Gore, the narrow loser of the 2000 race after a five-week recount in Florida; Gephardt; Daschle; Dean, and Democratic Sens. Joseph Lieberman of Connecticut, John Kerry of Massachusetts and John Edwards of North Carolina.

Dean is the only one who has definitely said he is in the race, although Kerry is certain to run as well. Other potential candidates include Gary Hart and Bill Bradley (news - web sites), both former senators and failed presidential candidates, and veteran Sens. Chris Dodd of Connecticut and Joe Biden of Delaware.

Gore's decision, due by the end of the year, will be the first step toward shaking out the field. If Gore gets in, his name recognition would make him an instant frontrunner and he could knock out his 2000 vice presidential running mate Lieberman, who has promised not to run against Gore.

Analysts said Gore might be helped with Democratic activists by his decision to speak out against Bush's plans in Iraq, although the party's strong thirst for a fresh face could help first-termer Edwards or even Kerry, who are not as well known nationally.

Democrats could start scouring the lists of new governors for possible stars who could rise to the top the way Arkansas Gov. Bill Clinton did in 1992 against Bush's father, who was viewed as unbeatable at the end of the Gulf War (news - web sites) in 1991.

"The field has opened wide up," said Gary Jacobsen of the University of California-San Diego. "There is no obvious Democratic choice and no one looks particularly strong."

Possible long-shot late entries like Govs. Roy Barnes of Georgia and Gray Davis of California saw their chances go up in smoke on Tuesday.

Barnes lost his re-election race despite vastly outspending his Republican opponent; Davis won narrow re-election against a Republican who was running what his own party leaders said was the worst campaign in the country.

SILVER LINING?

Democrats said they saw a silver lining in Tuesday's results -- Bush and Republicans will have to show success and cannot blame Senate Democrats for their failures.