The American Spectator

As well, Matsui didn’t wow his colleagues at last month’s congressional retreat. In discussing plans for 2004, much of the talk came from Pelosi and whip Steny Hoyer.

“Pelosi is going to be judged on the Matsui pick, to be sure,” says a moderate Democratic representative. “She thinks the liberal wing of the party is going to lead us to victory. And apparently she’s going to try to prove that point without any of our help.”

p> REED IS READY br> The announcement late last week that Georgia Republican Party chairman Ralph Reed was stepping down from that job re-ignited rumors that he will enter the fray for the state’s GOP Senate nomination in the 2004 campaign. But according to White House sources, and people who have talked to Reed, the Senate seat still isn’t a possibility. /p>

“As long as we don’t have a candidate running for that slot with national name recognition, Reed’s name is going to be in play, but there really aren’t any plans for him to run right now,” says a White House staffer.

Reed, rather, is expected to help implement a broad Southern-state campaign strategy for the Bush 2004 re-election team, led by Karl Rove and Ken Mehlman.

“We’re expecting he’ll be a point man in the South for us, doing what he did in Georgia across the region,” says an RNC campaign staffer. “It’s going to be really important if the Dems have a moderate Southerner on the ticket.”