The American Spectator

Washington Prowler

p> DESPERATE AL br> How badly does Al Gore want back into politics? After failing to twist his wife's arm into running for his old Senate seat, he's reduced to cold calls. "I think he has called just about every Democrat who's won a primary," says a former staffer. The latest: Rahm Emanuel , who after his primary victory last week is now a sure bet to House seat out of Chicago. /p>

Gore is also getting into down and dirty primary fights, something former presidents and vice presidents normally don't do because it's viewed as classless to throw one's political weight around in intra-party wrangling. But not Desperate Al. He's backing a former Clinton White House staffer, Fred DuVal, who is seeking a House seat in Arizona and challenging a member of the Udall family for the nomination. On Monday Gore headlined a Washington fundraiser for the "new" re-apportioned 1st District congressional seat. Gore is also sending Tipper out to campaign for DuVal sometime in April.

Gore has set up a PAC, Leadership 2002, and has pledged to back promising Democrats around the country both physically and financially. "He's building goodwill and favors," says the former aide. "It's obvious he's doing the little things one needs to do to build support in the party for a big run down the road. When you lose and you're out of it, nothing is too small if it will help you in the long run."

p> RIGID RIDGE br> Want to know one reason why Congress is so eager to speak to Homeland Security chief Tom Ridge ? The tab he's running up. He's already spending more than $25 million on salaries for 145 staffers working directly for him, and that doesn't include the hundreds of workers in the Departments of Justice, Transportation, Energy, Commerce, State, and even Interior who also cover security issues for Ridge's office. That office is also looking at premium office space, which might run as much as $10 million a year, not including the space in the Eisenhower Old Executive Office Building it is already taking up.

topics:
Transportation, Hillary Clinton, NATO, Energy