GORE HAS HIS OWN REBEL PROBLEM IN TENNESSEE

Al Gore has been a faithful sidekick to President Clinton. At times, Gore has wanted us to think his close association with his boss is a good thing. As a matter of fact, Gore frequently has told us that he has been as much of a decision-maker during this long, miserable Clinton administration as the president himself. For many Americans, that is not a comforting thought.

At other times, Gore has attempted to distance himself from Clinton. And why wouldn't he? Gore's personal life and activities bespeak a moral man. His political life is notched with a few missteps like the fund raising at the Buddhist temple which, Gore will tell you, took place while he drank too much tea and had to go to the restroom. But certainly Gore's private and personal life -- so far as we know -- has never sunk to Clinton's low.

There's another difference between Gore and Clinton that is becoming more and more apparent as this year's presidential campaign moves into high gear and places the magnifying glass over Gore in much the same way it has been over Clinton for eight years.

This difference can be called the fudge factor. But it works differently for the two Democrats.

Clinton's fudge factor has been his craftiness in getting positive headlines by making major announcements about plans and programs that never materialize. Quite frankly, the president doesn't care if the programs ever become reality. He is interested only in the big headline that says he intends to do something. It's hard to be criticized for programs that never come to pass and consequently cost nothing, because nonexistent programs never fail. Real programs aren't so fortunate. Some turn out to be wonderful, but others miss their mark entirely, usually at great expense.

The fudge factor for Gore is different. Gore gets headlines for decrying the actions, or lack thereof, of any Republican making legitimate news and taking up precious front-page space that might otherwise be occupied by more fawning over Democrats. One brightly lit example was Gore's attack on George W. Bush for the Republican nominee's failure to take a strong stand during the early presidential primaries on the flying of the Confederate flag over the South Carolina Capitol. Remember?

But Gore forgets to tell the whole story, thereby avoiding headlines that would make him look bad.

Example: While Gore was blasting Bush over the South Carolina flag issue, he conveniently ignored the tax-supported Tennessee memorials to a Confederate war hero who also became a leader of the Ku Klux Klan. The bust of Nathan Bedford Forrest is in the state Capitol of Tennessee, Gore's home state.

So far, we haven't heard Bush say anything about the Forrest memorials. Perhaps he is trying to avoid the unavoidable pun that Gore isn't saying anything because he can't see the Forrest for the trees he's hugging.