The American Spectator

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This could shape up to be a critical few weeks for Gephardt, who has seen his once-thought-to-be-solid organized labor support undercut by Iowa union leaders, who told reporters in early January that they didn’t intend to automatically back their old friend in the caucuses, and a recent endorsement of Kerry by the head of AFSCME.

Gephardt, however, says a staffer, has been doing well with fundraising and expects to have at least as much in the bank for spring and summer campaigning as his key competitors.

p> TO HILLARY AND BACK br> According to a Democratic National Committee staffer, rumors are circulating that several liberal DNC board members from California and New York, who will attend the winter meeting, intend to pass around a “Draft Hillary for President” petition at the two-day Washington event. “We’re expecting something, but we don’t know how serious these folks are,” says the source. “There’s been some e-mail traffic that we’ve heard of, but nothing more than that.” /p>

With clearly unelectable candidates now announcing their candidacies, Democratic big-wigs are wondering why Clinton shouldn’t at least form an exploratory committee.

A staffer in Clinton’s Washington office says they’ve heard nothing of the petition drive. “It’s nothing we’re involved in. The Senator has been pretty clear about her plans to serve a full six-year term representing New York.”