AUSTIN, Texas — While Congress awaits Whitewater independent counsel Kenneth Starr's report, and more concrete indications of the Monica Lewinsky affair's impact on the mid-term elections, there have been some important developments in the 2000 presidential election campaign. For better or worse, the next presidential campaign begins on Nov. 4, the day after the forthcoming mid-term election.
The most important developments relate to Vice President Gore, the frontrunner for the Democratic presidential nod. Attorney General Reno's decision last week to begin a 90-day inquiry that could lead to the appointment of an independent counsel was based on alleged campaign fundraising abuses involving the vice president and could undermine Gore's frontrunning status.
Parallel 90-day inquiries, one into the president's role, and another involving former White House Deputy Chief of Staff Harold Ickes, suggest the possibility that one new independent counsel will be appointed to look into the entirety of the Clinton-Gore, Democratic National Committee and White House fundraising apparatus during the 1996 campaign.
In every respect, polling, fundraising and likely endorsements, Gore was in the catbird's seat. It was extremely unlikely
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