SHOWING HIS COLORS
Al Gore devised the logo for his 2000 presidential campaign bumper sticker on a cocktail napkin, so no surprise that Sen. John Kerry has one-upped him.

Kerry personally designed the re-tooled exterior art on his presidential campaign’s plane, drawing pictures of how he wanted large American flags placed on the fuselage of his jet.

“He wanted flags that appeared to be waving in the wind,” says a staffer. “He wanted the plane to be more patriotic and upbeat. This was Senator Kerry’s idea all the way.”

Kerry apparently doesn’t have enough to focus on. Or perhaps he’s looking to escape the really tough decisions, like his vice presidential nominee selection. Kerry is to meet with senior AFL-CIO leaders in Atlantic City today, where he will speak to the national conference of the union, but also get an earful from leadership over his veep selection.

As the Prowler reported six weeks ago, the AFL-CIO has been telling supporters this Rep. Dick Gephardt was basically a lock as the vice presidential selection. Increasingly, union bosses have been hearing the Gephardt is no longer in the running.

“Gephardt better damn well be the pick,” says an AFL-CIO lobbyist. “We’ve done too much for Kerry to get screwed this way. A governor from Iowa ain’t going to cut it for our membership. It’s been tough enough selling Kerry to some of our people.”

NOSE HOLDS
Republicans on Capitol Hill were holding their noses over the gushing remarks President Bush gave his predecessor and his staff at the unveiling of President Clinton’s official portrait.

“He could have been polite, without giving the guy a big wet one,” says one House Republican leadership staffer. “It was sickening to watch and listen.”

But in the end, says a White House staffer, what Bush did was project a warm, friendly, demeanor. “He did what any gentleman would do. Anyone who complains about this thing with Clinton obviously doesn’t know this president,” says the White House staffer. “This was Bush in spades. Had he done anything different, you would have had him raked over the coals for being rude and aloof and petty. Kerry can keep that tag for himself.”