Campaign 2000: In This Episode of Survivor...

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DEMOCRATIC TRIBE

RICHARD GEPHARDT House leader would fire up labor, but House needs him more. High blah factor. Way too D.C.

JOE LIEBERMAN Conn. Sen., Orthodox Jew, rectitude to spare. No big state attached; libs may huff

DIANNE FEINSTEIN Calif. Sen., Jewish, ex- S.F. mayor. Finance questions, sure, but gun lobby's nightmare

BOB GRAHAM Gore-like Florida Senator, ex-Gov. Fits bill, but Jeb Bush picks his replacement

BILL COHEN Def. Sec.'s interracial marriage, bipartisan elan help, but Dems might balk. Doubt it

EVAN BAYH Sen.'s son turned Sen., St. Albans grad. Even looks like Gore. Still, his odds are good

GEORGE MITCHELL Ex-Senate leader, Irish peacemaker, glam young wife, but too inside-Washington

JIM HUNT N.C.'s moderate edu-Governor can't be sure to win his own state. Unlikely, at best

GRAY DAVIS Calif. Gov. is centrist but only in office two years. State may be safe already. Too boring?

GORE'S TEST

Al amplified Clinton. But for his own Veep, he may not want a mere clone

--BRING THE WHITE MEN Gore needs a No. 2 who can appeal to the party base but who can also reach out to those coveted indie voters and the elusive white men who've bolted the Dems BEST: Bill Cohen WORST: Dianne Feinstein

--LAP DOG OR ATTACK DOG? One of the roles of the Veep is to be the top dog's attack dog. Gore's so good at it that he doesn't need one as badly as most nominees. Still, he wants a fighter BEST: Dick Gephardt WORST: Bill Cohen

--SEX APPEAL A minority or female Veep would fire up the Democratic base like nothing else. Now he has to find one who fits the bill BEST: Dianne Feinstein WORST: Jim Hunt

--OUTSIDE THE BELTWAY? Can the St. Albans grad and Senator's kid get some outside-the-Beltway elan? A Governor wouldn't hurt BEST: Gray Davis WORST: Dick Gephardt

--ME, MYSELF AND AL Does Gore go for someone fastidious and clean-cut like himself, or a more charismatic, roguish Clinton type? Best bet: He'll take the former BEST: Evan Bayh WORST: George Mitchell

REPUBLICAN TRIBE

COLIN POWELL Hero says he won't, but Bushies haven't given up. If he relents, Gore can go back to Tenn.

GEORGE PATAKI N.Y. Gov. would shock right wing. But ethnic Northeasterner could be just the ticket. 50:1

JOHN MCCAIN Not pals--but neither were J.F.K. and L.B.J. Media man would draw indie voters. Doubtful

ELIZABETH DOLE Too syrupy sweet but gender a plus. Red Cross is compassion. But can they get along?

CHUCK HAGEL War hero, Neb. Sen. is McCainesque reformer without the 'tude. And a foreign-policy expert

JOHN DANFORTH Cleric, ex-Mo. Sen. takes himself out. But is it a big head fake? Bushies still want him

TOM RIDGE Viet-vet centrist Pa. Gov. perfect, but pro-choice stance may be too much for G.O.P. right

FRANK KEATING Catholic Okla. Gov. and ex-FBI guy is Mr. Rectitude. Perfect for a character campaign

FRED THOMPSON Actor/Sen. could stick it to Gore in Tenn. For election reform. Ladies' man with gravitas!

BUSH'S TEST

A Powell yes would simplify everything. But, alas, reality is a lot harder