Thursday, July 10, 2003 12:00AM EDT UNDER THE DOME
Edwards, Bowles are mum
By JOHN WAGNER AND ROB CHRISTENSEN, Staff Writers
U.S. Sen. John Edwards met behind closed doors Wednesday with Erskine Bowles, a Democrat very interested in pursuing his Senate seat if Edwards continues running for president.
Both emerged from their meeting in Raleigh tight-lipped about their political futures.
"What they discussed is private between them," said Jennifer Palmieri, Edwards' presidential campaign press secretary .
Neither Edwards nor Bowles, who ran unsuccessfully for Senate last year, would comment directly.
While Edwards could legally appear on the ballot for both offices in 2004, most political observers believe that scenario is unlikely.
He is under increasing pressure from Democrats in North Carolina to make a choice so that the party's Senate nominee will have enough time to raise money and mount a credible campaign.
At a minimum, some Democrats would like to see Edwards follow the lead of U.S. Sen. Bob Graham of Florida, a 2004 rival whose Senate seat is also on the ballot next year.
Graham gave his blessing to other Democrats to start running in early May, shortly after officially announcing his White House candidacy. But Graham made no guarantees he won't ultimately get back in the race.
Publicly, Edwards has put no timetable on his Senate decision.
Palmieri said Wednesday that she had "nothing to add to what he has said previously." She said Edwards has no immediate plans to meet with other Democrats who might be interested.
Former state House Speaker Dan Blue, who lost to Bowles in last year's Democratic primary, said Wednesday that he thinks Edwards has some time to make a decision.
"John ought to have the right to explore his run for president through the summer," Blue said. "He's clearly running for president. [But] he has a right to decide whether he is going to change his mind at some point and run for the Senate."
Bush taps N.C. team
President Bush has begun assembling his North Carolina re-election team as his wife prepares to begin fund raising here.
Sen. Elizabeth Dole of Salisbury will serve as overall state chairman for the Bush campaign.
Jim Culbertson, a Winston-Salem businessman, will be state finance chairman. He was a key fund-raiser for Bush in 2000 and was Dole's finance chair last year.
The state finance co-chair will be Dr. Aldona Wos of Greensboro, a Polish-born physician and civic leader who no longer practices medicine.
Finance vice chairs will raise money in various regions in the state for the Bush campaign.
They are Raleigh attorney Jim Cain; Ferrel Blount of Pitt County; Dave Phillips of High Point, a former commerce secretary under Democratic Gov. Jim Hunt; and state Rep. Ed McMahan of Charlotte.
Cain, the former president of the Carolina Hurricanes who briefly considered running for governor next year, is leading the effort for first lady Laura Bush's fund-raiser on July 18.
The $1,000-per person luncheon will be held at the West Raleigh home of businessman Mark Kehaya and his wife, Hannah.
The Bush campaign hopes to raise $200,000 to $250,000 at the event. That will be smaller than other fund-raisers she has recently attended.
After the Raleigh event, Laura Bush plans to go on a backpacking trip with several friends at an undisclosed location, according to The New York Times.