The American Spectator

Washington Prowler

(Page 2 of 2)

To be fair to Dean, other candidates like Sen. John Kerry and Gephardt haven't spoken widely about their religious beliefs either. But neither is the frontrunner. Dean is now said by some associates to be boning up on religious matters through a series of talking points and several books from a reading list prepared by his staff. The Bible was not on the suggested reading list. Perhaps it should be.

p> SHOW ME THE MONEY br> While Al Gore may be in former Vermont governor Howie Dean 's camp, his chief fundraiser isn't, and that has Dean campaign staffers hopping mad. /p>

Later this week, former Gore 2000 Finance Committee chairman Johnny Hayes will endorse retired general Wesley Clark in Nashville. Hayes may make the announcement with other Tennessee political players, though plans have not been fully developed, according to a Clark staffer in New Hampshire.

Hayes had been in talks with a number of campaigns, including Dean's, as well as Sen. Joseph Lieberman's and Sen. John Kerry's.

According to a Dean staffer in New Hampshire, Gore had indicated to the candidate that Hayes was someone who would probably support the candidate he endorsed, bringing with him fundraising muscle throughout the South.

But Hayes was never receptive to Dean's advances, and apparently did not speak to Gore about his decision to go with Clark, who is being handled by a number of former Clinton-Gore campaign and administration hands.

"It was a comfort thing," says the Clark staffer. "Hayes didn't like Dean's beating up on Bill Clinton. Hayes is a party guy, and Dean is not a party guy."

Hayes jumping to Clark is embarrassing for Gore, particularly given the sinking poll numbers Clark has been seeing in the past month or so. He is no longer a frontrunner in South Carolina, and appears to be losing ground to Rep. Dick Gephardt and Joe Lieberman in other Southern states.

p>"It's mystifying to many of us that Gore can't bring more talent to the campaign," says a Dean staffer in New Hampshire. "We're just not seeing what he brings to the table beyond people from MoveOn.org and the like, and those people were already largely supporting us. When we lose out on guys like Hayes, it reinforces the notion that this campaign can only energize the far-left base and not attract the centrist or conservative wings of the party." br> /p>

topics:
Bill Clinton, Religion, Books