CAMPAIGN 2000

Within hours of delivering the first attack speech of the 2000 presidential primaries, RICHARD GEPHARDT was trying to take it back. At Harvard last week, the House minority leader dissed the New Democrats for lacking “core values.” And of course the core of the New Democrats happens to be Bill and Al. The White House went postal. Gephardt’s chief of staff tried some pre-emptive spin with the White House, telling top adviser RAHM EMANUEL that Gephardt hadn’t meant to criticize Clinton or Gore. Emanuel’s reply: “I didn’t get very good grades in college, but I’m not stupid!”

–By James Carney/Washington