The US Vice-President, Mr Al Gore, has reinforced his frontrunner position for the Democratic presidential nomination by a warm endorsement from his one-time rival, Mr Dick Gephardt.
Mr Gore has not yet formally announced his candidature, but this is now taken for granted as he gears up for a high-powered campaign to eliminate his remaining rival, former Senator Bill Bradley.
Until recently Mr Gephardt was Mr Gore's most serious competitor for the nomination for the 2000 presidential race because of his strong support among the labour unions and the liberal wing of the Democratic Party. But several weeks ago Mr Gephardt decided he would concentrate on winning back the House of Representatives for the Democrats in 2000 and becoming Speaker himself.
Yesterday in Manchester, New Hampshire, Mr Gephardt threw his weight firmly behind the Vice-President as they both campaigned in what will be a key state in next year's primaries. Later they travelled to Des Moines, Iowa, where there will be an important early caucus in next year's campaign.
Mr Gephardt told several hundred Democratic activists: "I'm here today because I want to make my fight putting Al Gore in the Presidency of the United States."
"I've come to talk about . . . Vice-President Al Gore," Mr Gephardt told some 400 cheering party faithful. "He's a wonderful human being, and we would all be proud to have him as president of the United States."
Mr Gore, standing in front of a backdrop of American flags, replied that "we would all be proud" to have Mr Gephardt the next Speaker of the House of Representatives. Mr Gore said that his first priority would be "to keep prosperity going and the economy growing". His spokesman, Mr Chris Lehane, said that "obviously, having Congressman Gephardt's support is very welcome. The unity that this is going to bring to our effort will be extremely helpful."
Tomorrow the Irish-American Democrats organisation based in Washington will endorse Mr Gore at a St Patrick's Day breakfast, which he will attend.
Mr Gore's only rival at this stage for the Democratic nomination is former Senator Bradley of New Jersey, whose fund-raising effort lags well behind that of the Vice-President. It is estimated that Mr Gore's campaign has already raised about $20 million.
In contrast to the two-man race among the Democrats, there are about 10 contenders for the Republican nomination, with Governor George W. Bush of Texas the frontrunner.
Republicans have been making fun in recent days of Mr Gore's claim in a TV interview that earlier in his political career he "took the initiative in creating the Internet". Senator Trent Lott issued a mocking press release claiming that it was he who created the paper clips that "bind us together as a nation". Mr Gore's spokesman retorted that only a hidebound Republican would boast of inventing such a primitive device. Although Mr Gore is still reserving the formality of declaring his candidacy for the White House, his campaign has amassed pledges for the estimated $20 million needed to run an effective race.