Trails in Polls, Lacks Organization and Exposure : Gore Facing a Bleak Future in Illinois

As Tennessee Sen. Albert Gore Jr. started his daily morning jog here recently, television and newspaper photographers in tow, he presented the perfect picture of the vigorous runner, striding briskly through congested downtown streets. But as the cameras wound down, a winded Gore doubled over, his hands on his knees, struggling to catch his breath.

The scene was indicative of Gore’s Illinois campaign. After his tremendous dash through the South that catapulted him into the forefront of the Democratic field, Gore’s drive toward the Democratic nomination has arrived in Illinois out of breath.

Outspent, Out-Manned

Gore trails far behind in the polls and is being clearly outspent, out-organized and out-manned by the other candidates, particularly Massachusetts Gov. Michael S. Dukakis, whom Gore has targeted as his chief nemesis.

“We’re probably going to come in a booming fourth place,” Gore’s regional field director, Tom Cowley, said with a chuckle. “If we get real lucky, we’ll hit double digits.”

Such a showing will almost certainly sharpen the question of whether Gore is purely a regional phenomenon or if he has what it takes to catch and beat Dukakis in the upcoming Democratic contests in the industrial states of the North.

Largely Unprepared

Gore came into Illinois largely unprepared. He still had about $500,000 in reserve despite pouring most of his resources into the Super Tuesday states, but he had scant organization. As of last Wednesday, Gore had only one paid staffer and a few volunteers in Illinois.

“There was significantly more organization being done by Dukakis than by Gore,” said state Sen. Vince DeMuzio, state Democratic Party chairman. “His people were more aggressive, more visible. He’s got his phone banks working like crazy. Gore does not. I got called by Dukakis phone banks twice. As far as Gore, I haven’t had any so far.”

“We started late and we’re seeing the results of that,” admitted Jim Wall, Gore’s state campaign chairman. “I wrote Al a memo when we started that there might not be enough time.”

To assure a better showing, Gore briefly diverted his attention from last week’s South Carolina caucuses to campaign in Illinois an extra day.

The campaign took out a last-minute loan that it used to buy time on Illinois media, including a Johnny Cash radio ad on 200 stations and about $200,000 in television commercials. Gore also got a boost Sunday when the Chicago Tribune endorsed him.

But the last-minute flurry appears to have come far too late. At best, pollsters and party officials said, Gore appears to be siphoning away early support for Missouri Rep. Richard A. Gephardt, who has virtually withdrawn from the Illinois contest.

Gore has adopted a more populist tone in his message, borrowing from Gephardt’s pitch for workers to vote to retake the nation’s economic future from foreign competitors. Gore apparently has failed, however, to make inroads into the constituencies of Dukakis, or Illinois’ two favorite sons, the Rev. Jesse Jackson and Illinois Sen. Paul Simon.

“Frankly, people don’t know much about him,” DeMuzio said. “He was impressive at the (Thursday) Democratic dinner, but people aren’t going to know much about him when he’s only been here five days. If Gore had enough exposure in central and southern Illinois, I think he’d play well there. The problem is that he just didn’t get enough exposure.”

Gore’s campaign staff consistently explains away the expected weak showing against Dukakis here by pointing out that Dukakis had started early and was better organized coming out of Super Tuesday.

“That’s true, but they (the Gore headquarters) can’t keep saying that forever,” Wall said. “They have got to say that here we stand and compete.”

The question is where.

‘Some’ States

“He’s got to win some states, but I’m not saying which ones,” said Larry Harrington, Gore’s deputy campaign manager. “He may not win a bunch of states, but we will beat Dukakis along the way.”

The Gore camp is already dampening expectations for the Michigan caucuses next week, the next major Democratic contest.

“We’ll win some delegates there, but we’re not going to blow the doors off,” Harrington said. “We have to continue to show success to keep the money rolling in. If he continues to be in the game, no one state will make or break us.”