"Mr. McAuliffe is a confidant of Mr. Clinton and one of the party's most successful fund-raisers. Party members will formally elect a new chairman early next year."
"Though Mr. Gore named Mr. McAuliffe as chairman of the Democratic convention last summer, Mr. McAuliffe is much closer to Mr. Gephardt. Some Gore allies expressed concern that in the role of chairman, Mr. McAuliffe could help Mr. Gephardt should he and Mr. Gore compete for the Democratic presidential nomination in 2004."