In This Episode of Survivor...
By Matthew Cooper, with reporting by Ann Blackman, James Carney, John F. Dickerson and Karen Tumulty/Washington
DEMOCRATIC TRIBE
RICHARD GEPHARDT House leader would fire up labor, but House needs him more. High blah factor. Way too D.C.
JOE LIEBERMAN Conn. Sen., Orthodox Jew, rectitude to spare. No big state attached; libs may huff
DIANNE FEINSTEIN Calif. Sen., Jewish, ex- S.F. mayor. Finance questions, sure, but gun lobby's nightmare
BOB GRAHAM Gore-like Florida Senator, ex-Gov. Fits bill, but Jeb Bush picks his replacement
BILL COHEN Def. Sec.'s interracial marriage, bipartisan elan help, but Dems might balk. Doubt it
EVAN BAYH Sen.'s son turned Sen., St. Albans grad. Even looks like Gore. Still, his odds are good
GEORGE MITCHELL Ex-Senate leader, Irish peacemaker, glam young wife, but too inside-Washington
JIM HUNT N.C.'s moderate edu-Governor can't be sure to win his own state. Unlikely, at best
GRAY DAVIS Calif. Gov. is centrist but only in office two years. State may be safe already. Too boring?
GORE'S TEST
Al amplified Clinton. But for his own Veep, he may not want a mere clone
--BRING THE WHITE MEN Gore needs a No. 2 who can appeal to the party base but who can also reach out to those coveted indie voters and the elusive white men who've bolted the Dems BEST: Bill Cohen WORST: Dianne Feinstein
--LAP DOG OR ATTACK DOG? One of the roles of the Veep is to be the top dog's attack dog. Gore's so good at it that he doesn't need one as badly as most nominees. Still, he wants a fighter BEST: Dick Gephardt WORST: Bill Cohen
--SEX APPEAL A minority or female Veep would fire up the Democratic base like nothing else. Now he has to find one who fits the bill BEST: Dianne Feinstein WORST: Jim Hunt
--OUTSIDE THE BELTWAY? Can the St. Albans grad and Senator's kid get some outside-the-Beltway elan? A Governor wouldn't hurt BEST: Gray Davis WORST: Dick Gephardt
--ME, MYSELF AND AL Does Gore go for someone fastidious and clean-cut like himself, or a more charismatic, roguish Clinton type? Best bet: He'll take the former BEST: Evan Bayh WORST: George Mitchell
REPUBLICAN TRIBE
COLIN POWELL Hero says he won't, but Bushies haven't given up. If he relents, Gore can go back to Tenn.
GEORGE PATAKI N.Y. Gov. would shock right wing. But ethnic Northeasterner could be just the ticket. 50:1
JOHN MCCAIN Not pals--but neither were J.F.K. and L.B.J. Media man would draw indie voters. Doubtful
ELIZABETH DOLE Too syrupy sweet but gender a plus. Red Cross is compassion. But can they get along?
CHUCK HAGEL War hero, Neb. Sen. is McCainesque reformer without the 'tude. And a foreign-policy expert
JOHN DANFORTH Cleric, ex-Mo. Sen. takes himself out. But is it a big head fake? Bushies still want him
TOM RIDGE Viet-vet centrist Pa. Gov. perfect, but pro-choice stance may be too much for G.O.P. right
FRANK KEATING Catholic Okla. Gov. and ex-FBI guy is Mr. Rectitude. Perfect for a character campaign
FRED THOMPSON Actor/Sen. could stick it to Gore in Tenn. For election reform. Ladies' man with gravitas!
BUSH'S TEST
A Powell yes would simplify everything. But, alas, reality is a lot harder
--WILL THE BUSH FAMILY APPROVE? No clan values loyalty more than the Bushes. Will the Veep be loyal and keep his or her place as the Second Banana? BEST: Frank Keating WORST: John McCain
--CAN WE WATCH BASEBALL TOGETHER? More than most nominees, Bush wants someone he can get along with personally. Even better--do some guy time with BEST: Tom Ridge WORST: Elizabeth Dole
--A MODERATE--KINDA, SORTA Bush wants a Veep who can get the centrist, indie voter but not lose the G.O.P. conservative base BEST: Colin Powell WORST: Frank Keating
--A GOLDILOCKS PROBLEM? Veep can't seem too light, like Dan Quayle, or too heavy and overshadowing Bush BEST: Fred Thompson WORST: Tom Ridge
--DO THEY KNOW THE LEADER OF KAZAKHSTAN? Unlike his dad, W.'s shy on foreign-policy experience. Can his running mate give him Global Gravitas? But the person shouldn't be too much of an international-affairs wonk BEST: Chuck Hagel WORST: Frank Keating