AL SAYS HILL COULD FILL VEEP SLOT DEBORAH ORIN Bureau Chief

November 15, 2002 -- WASHINGTON - Al Gore says he'd consider Sen. Hillary Rodham Clinton as his running mate if he runs for president in 2004 - but Clinton rebuffed the idea.

Asked if Clinton (D-N.Y.) would be on his veep list, Gore said, "Sure. I wouldn't rule anybody in or out." His interview with ABC's Barbara Walters will air tonight on "20/20" at 10 p.m.

Clinton's spokesman Philippe Reines said, "As she has said many times before, Sen. Clinton intends to serve her full six-year term," which runs through 2006.

Democratic insiders claim Clinton is eyeing a 2008 presidential bid. She recently told NBC she will "absolutely not" run for president or veep in 2004, but said only that she has "no plans" to run in 2008.

A Quinnipiac University national poll this week found President Bush would wallop Gore by 12 percentage points in a 2004 rematch.

-- Anonymous, November 15, 2002