By Roy Eccleston, Washington correspondent November 22, 2002

AFTER two years of political hibernation, Al Gore has shaved his beard, lost weight and loosened his tongue as he begins what appears to be stage one of his campaign to win the Democratic Party's nomination to take on George W. Bush in 2004.

Mr Gore is ostensibly on a 25-day, 12-city promotional tour for Joined at the Heart, the book on families he has written with wife Tipper. In reality, with the Democrats looking rudderless and leaderless, Mr Gore is testing the water to see if the market – and his own party – will buy a new model of the 2000 election loser.

The updated version is a Left-leaning, let-it-all-hang-out performer in contrast to the buttoned-up candidate who won the popular vote but lost the White House to Mr Bush after the Supreme Court stopped the count of disputed ballots in Florida.

These days, Mr Gore, 54, is working hard to be loose, funny and relaxed.

The former vice-president – whose carefully selected media appearances swing from a deep and meaningful interview with Time magazine to hosting the comedy show Saturday Night Live – has rethought his style.

"I think one of the things I've learnt from the campaign is that it's always a mistake to hold back in any way, and just let it rip and let the chips fall where they may," he told Larry King on CNN this week.

Mr Gore said he would decide whether to seek the Democratic nomination by the end of the year. He is a clear frontrunner, with other likely nominees either tarnished by the party's recent losses in the November mid-term elections or just little known.

With a looming war on Iraq, and a shaky US economy, the political landscape two years hence is impossible to predict – but right now Mr Bush probably would be unbeatable.

Mr Gore, despite being a hawk among the Clinton White House doves, has opted to move to the Left to try to stake out ground vacated by other Democrats after September 11.

"Our country is headed for very deep trouble," he told Time. "The economic plan has zero chance of working, and US foreign policy is a recipe for getting our country in some of the worst trouble it's ever been in."

Some Republicans would welcome a Gore candidacy. Nominating Mr Gore would mean the Democrats were throwing in the towel, said retiring Republican house majority leader Dick Armey.

The Democrats are divided. The Los Angeles Times reported a poll of members of the influential Democrat National Committee found nearly half thought he should not run again.

-- Anonymous, November 21, 2002

Answers

No. No. No. )-:

-- Anonymous, November 21, 2002

Yes, yes, yes, yes--there would be a Republican landslide of Swiss proportions!

-- Anonymous, November 21, 2002

In the meantime, however, I'd see Gore's ugly mug *everywhere* . . . please! Someone convince him that he's needed in South America!

-- Anonymous, November 21, 2002

we don't have to send him to south america. just duct tape him to a tree in South Carolina. no one will find him by the time the election is over.

-- Anonymous, November 22, 2002

I'm with Git.

I hope he does it.

And, I hope he chooses Hillary as his running mate.

Could there be a better recipe for Republican success?

Heh.

-- Anonymous, November 22, 2002

He will never chose Hillary as a running mate. He's already spent eight years with her in the whitehouse. He ain't that stupid to do it again for another four.

-- Anonymous, November 22, 2002

I can't imagine Hilary would accept. I think she despises him.

-- Anonymous, November 22, 2002

Maybe Hillary will run too and totally split the Dem party ::evil smile::

-- Anonymous, November 22, 2002

Y'alls sure are spoilsports, know that?

Why can't ya' let a gal dream a little, eh?

-- Anonymous, November 22, 2002

Would almost be worth a Hilary - Gore debate. Tipper already hates her, so no loss there if Hilary destroys her husband.

-- Anonymous, November 22, 2002

BrookS, oh BrookS. Doesn't matter if she despises him, she'd accept in a second.

-- Anonymous, November 22, 2002

But Peter, you see, Gore has 8 years experience learning how to treat a VP like shit. I would think her mantra would be ABG - Anybody But Gore.

-- Anonymous, November 22, 2002

This thread is so much fun!

If she runs with Gore, all the Repubs have to do is show her and Bill yukking it up at the Minnesota memorial-rally.

It would make a Swiss landslide look like a little bit of erosion.

-- Anonymous, November 22, 2002