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Morning News

Gore Doesn't Plan to Involve Clinton in Remainder of Campaign

Aired October 24, 2000 - 11:26 a.m. ET

THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.

BILL HEMMER, CNN ANCHOR: Want to skip on up to Washington, now, and the White House; Major Garrett watching things from there. It's been our topic for the last couple minutes -- let's check in now and see if anything is being said out there on Pennsylvania Avenue.

Major, hello to you.

MAJOR GARRETT, CNN WHITE HOUSE CORRESPONDENT: Good morning, Bill.

Well, behind the scenes a good deal is being said about this topic, both in Tennessee, in the Gore campaign, and here at the White House among the president's closest advisers.

And the overall assessment here at the White House is, basically, what it's been for the last two weeks. The president stands ready, willing and able to do whatever the vice president wants him to do to help out in the campaign's closing days. Right now, the phone calls aren't coming from Tennessee to the White House, no particular call from the vice president for the president to do anything other than what he's been doing so far, which is a lot of intimate gatherings with Democratic fund-raisers and rallies such as he had this Saturday in Indianapolis, Indiana.

The morning started off with a private fund-raiser for Julia Carson, she's a member of Congress. Then it was a public rally after that, a very enthusiastic crowd, where the president gave his 20- minute stump speech, which he's refined very carefully, talking about the choices in this election, the differences between the Al Gore agenda and the Governor George Bush agenda, from Texas.

It's a speech the president relishes giving. Every time I've heard him give it the crowd reaction is sensational; and I would say that White House officials are somewhat perplexed that the vice president has not asked the president to, at least, give the stump speech, which really isn't about Gore, but just about the choices in this election more often -- Bill.

HEMMER: Given the fact there's two weeks left -- still time to do that. But as you know, Major, I think the president does keep up fairly recent conversations with Bill Daley, who heads up Gore's campaign.

Given that, is it possible that the advice is implicit through the president to the Gore camp?

GARRETT: Well, it's probably implicit, although, with all the press coverage of this topic for the last week, the Gore campaign knows that the White House would like to do more. His public posture is, we're willing to do whatever you want us to do -- hint, hint: Why don't you get us out there on the trail?

But the Gore campaign also knows they're in a real Catch-22 right now. If, for example, the president were suddenly to hit the hustings, the Gore campaign would be hit by a series of stories about how the decision was made, why the president suddenly went out there; is this a sign of panic? And then they also know what Governor Bush would say: Well, so much for Al Gore campaigning as his own man.

So there's a sense in Nashville that they're a little bit trapped on this question. Right now White House officials tell CNN the president has no plans to campaign for Gore or attend any big, Democratic-get-out-the-vote rallies any time this week. Possibly something this weekend; but as the days dwindle down, presidential activity seems to be shrinking a bit, not expanding -- Bill.

HEMMER: Something to watch, and we will.

Major Garrett, thanks; live from the White House -- Major, appreciate it.

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