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CNN Live Saturday

Will Tipper Gore Run for Senate?

Aired March 16, 2002 - 12:58   ET

THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.

THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
FREDRICKA WHITFIELD, CNN ANCHOR: Another Gore is making headlines this weekend: Tipper Gore, with rumors that she is considering a run for the Senate.

Bruce Morton takes a look at the prospect.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

BRUCE MORTON, CNN CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): She has a reputation for disliking politics, but she always seems to have a good time with the crowds, and they like her. This, was last month in Nashville.

TIPPER GORE: And it's a good night for the Timothy (ph) democratic party.

MORTON: So will she run? Might she run? One Democratic party source says, "No way." But others say she's giving it serious thought. There is precedent for sure, a former first lady.

SEN. HILLARY CLINTON (D), NEW YORK: I am honored today to announce my candidacy for the United States Senate from New York.

MORTON: The wife of the defeated presidential candidate...

ELIZABETH DOLE: I have decided to run for the United States Senate from the great state of North Carolina.

MORTON: How would she do? There's one potential democratic rival, Congressman Bob Clement, a moderate, plans in a Nashville news conference Monday to announce his plans. Democratic Congressman Harold Ford's name has been mentioned, but he hasn't said what he'll do. On the Republican side, former Governor and twice failed presidential candidate, Lamar Alexander; and Congressman Ed Brand (ph), a strong conservative, are running.

How would Tipper Gore do?

GEOFF GARIN, DEMOCRATIC POLLSTER: She really conveys her real strong sense of family and family values that are important to independent voters and Republican voters, as well as Democrats. I think she's a person who -- the kind of person who could do well for Democrats in a state like Tennessee. MORTON: Most say she'd win the Democratic nomination and she'd raise plenty of money. But the state is increasingly Republican. The governor, the congressional delegation, both senators are Republican. And George W. Bush beat Al Gore in Gore's home state 51 to 47 in the presidential election.

We know she takes good photographs. We know she can play the drums. We'll know fairly soon whether she wants to run for the Senate. The filing deadline, the last day you can announce your candidacy is April 4.

Bruce Morton, CNN, Washington.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

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