Campaign 200: Hey Fellas, That's Not What I Meant At All

(TIME, December 15) -- Within hours of delivering the first attack speech of the 2000 presidential primaries, RICHARD GEPHARDT was trying to take it back. At Harvard last week, the House minority leader dissed the New Democrats for lacking "core values." And of course the core of the New Democrats happens to be Bill and Al. The White House went postal. Gephardt's chief of staff tried some pre-emptive spin with the White House, telling top adviser RAHM EMANUEL that Gephardt hadn't meant to criticize Clinton or Gore. Emanuel's reply: "I didn't get very good grades in college, but I'm not stupid!"

--By James Carney/Washington

The Rich Are Different -- They Tend To Exaggerate

It's not often that the normally loquacious RICHARD HOLBROOKE becomes press shy. But in discussing the memo that he, as Assistant Secretary of State for European Affairs, wrote justifying Democratic contributor LARRY LAWRENCE's burial at Arlington National Cemetery, Holbrooke is a wee bit defensive. All the evidence now seems to suggest that Lawrence, a former ambassador to Switzerland, fabricated his supposed World War II Merchant Marine service and the German torpedo that allegedly ripped open his vessel, tossing him into the drink. Says a source close to Holbrooke: "When someone tells you about something that happened to them, do you say, 'Excuse me, could I see documentary evidence?'" The source continues: "The question is whether he was who he said he was, or was he just another one of the endless versions of Jay Gatsby that fill American life?"

--By Mark Thompson/Washington

In TIME This Week:

Cover Date Dec. 15, 1997

• Can Al Bare His Soul?
• Why The Reno-Freeh Spat Runs Deep
• The Canal Cronies
• The Postpartum Prosecutor
• Why Johnny Can't Surf
• Viewpoint: Everybody's Children
• The Notebook: Gephardt - Open Mouth, Insert Foot