Gore narrows choice of running mate to three

Vice-President Al Gore appeared yesterday to have narrowed his choice of running-mate down to three senators.

Vice-President Al Gore appeared yesterday to have narrowed his choice of running-mate down to three senators.

According to Gore aides the trio, taken from a shortlist of six plus one "mystery" candidate released by his office last week, are: John Edwards from North Carolina; Joseph Lieberman from Connecticut, and John Kerry from Massachusetts. Of these, Mr Edwards - the least known and the one with least political experience - was seen to be edging ahead.

With George W Bush basking in the raised poll ratings of the Republican party's showyconvention, pressure has mounted on Mr Gore to spring a pleasant surprise on his party and undecided voters. He is due to announce his running matefrom his campaign headquarters in Nashville tomorrow.

While Mr Bush was blessed with a strong slate of plausible candidates to choose from, Mr Gore's choice is more circumscribed. Any one of the three favoured candidates would bring disadvantages as well as advantages to the ticket.

Mr Edwards, 47, has been in the Senate for only 17 months. Of modest origins, he made a fortune as a trial lawyer - not a popular calling, especially among Democrats. His limited experience of office also casts doubt on his plausibility to take over as president, should the need arise - a doubt that does not exist with Mr Bush's choice, the former defense secretary, Dick Cheney.

Against that, Mr Edwards is highly telegenic, he is seen as one of the most effective campaigners in the party and could bring the Democrats victory not only in the key state of North Carolina, but in other marginal southern states as well.

According to the Democratic party chairman, Ed Rendell, Mr Lieberman, 58, would be a "slam-dunk" for the nomination but for one thing: he is an Orthodox Jew. As numerous pundits have remarked since Mr Gore's shortlist was released - it is not clear "whether the country is ready for that yet".

On the other hand, Mr Lieberman was the first senior Democrat publicly to condemn President Bill Clinton's behaviour in the Lewinsky affair. He is regarded as a man of impeccable integrity and could help to counter the sleaze that clingsto Mr Gore by virtue of his association with Mr Clinton.

Mr Kerry, 56, is a Catholic and a highly decorated Navy veteran who returned from Vietnam to become a leader of anti-war protests. Being a Catholic has long been no bar to office and could even be a plus: Mr Bush blotted his copybook with Catholic voters by his visit to the staunchly anti-Catholic Bob Jones University before the South Carolina primary - a visit he has tried to live down ever since.

Mr Kerry appears to want the job, but questions have recently been raised about his credentials as a "team player".

The "wild card" has remained unidentified. Speculation centred on Mr Gore's defeated rival, Bill Bradley (who has repeatedly said he does not want the job) and Bob Kerrey, a senator from Nebraska, a fiery orator, Vietnam war hero and relative left-winger.