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Gephardt to explore presidential run
WASHINGTON (CNN) -- Outgoing House Minority Leader Richard Gephardt, D-Missouri, will file papers within the next several days to form a presidential exploratory committee, sources close to the congressman said Thursday. The Democratic field of likely 2004 presidential candidates already includes Gov. Howard Dean of Vermont and Sen. John Kerry of Massachusetts, both of whom have formed their own exploratory committees. Sen. John Edwards of North Carolina launched his own White House bid Thursday. (See story) Senate Democrat leader Tom Daschle is said to be pondering the formation of his own exploratory committee. (See story) Gephardt's Capitol Hill office was caught off guard when an invitation for a January 22 fund-raiser was faxed around Washington -- including to CNN's offices -- asking recipients to attend a "Richard Gephardt for President Exploratory Committee" reception. Sources said a young aide sent the invitation prematurely, ending whatever mystery was left about Gephardt's intentions. After an unsuccessful primary bid for the White House in 1988, Gephardt was persuaded not to run again in 2000 in the hopes that Democrats would regain the House and he would become speaker of the House. His desire to try again in '04 has been openly discussed by the congressman and his staff for months. His decision to leave the House leadership post was in part driven by his presidential ambitions. A Democratic stalwart, Gephardt spent years in the leadership raising money for colleagues, and accruing chits. Widely respected as a straight-shooting, hardworking, decent man, he nonetheless faced party criticism following the 2002 midterm elections when for the fourth time he failed to lead Democrats back into House majority status. A co-founder of the moderate Democratic Leadership Council, Gephardt later parted ways with the group over several issues, primarily those dealing with trade. Gephardt's natural base consists of blue-collar, union Democrats who can be invaluable foot soldiers in the early caucus state of Iowa and the first primary state of New Hampshire. The Missourian is such a familiar face in neighboring Iowa he is often referred to as "King of Iowa." He is also a longtime and frequent visitor to New Hampshire. Gephardt had been expected to form an exploratory committee next week, a paperwork necessity that one source indicated may now be sooner rather than later because of the premature reception invitation. "We're going to do it soon now, just so he can start raising money," one source said. CNN Senior Political Correspondent Candy Crowley and CNN White House Correspondent Dana Bash contributed to this report.
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