Here's the latest news on Gary Hart and his potential presidential bid:

Des Moines Register: Hart Uses Speeches to Gauge Support

Baltimore Sun: Despite Baggage, Hart Should Elevate Debate

New York Times: Gary Hart Weighs Strengths Against Past Embarrassment: What did Hart know when he got to Iowa to give a speech Wednesday? He knew reporters wanted to ask about the embarassing incident in his past. He knew he has no money or political organization behind him, except for a few students touting him on a website.

But Mr. Hart, who represented Colorado in the Senate from 1975 to 1987, also knew he had a couple of advantages. As a prophet who kept warning of terrorist attacks well before Sept. 11, he might emerge as the only Democrat with a clear defining issue: the Cassandra candidate. And while the others have a head start, no one knows presidential campaigning the way he does.

How does he explain the "folly," as he has been calling his involvement with the young model Donna Rice, that ended his campaign when he was the front-runner in 1987?

"I made a mistake," he said. "I went to great pains to accept responsibility for it and to apologize to all concerned, starting with my family and everyone else. I said then and I continue to say there's a difference between that kind of mistake and not having the character to lead. Character is revealed over a lifetime."

Mr. Hart's mistake may seem less troubling to some voters who have been conditioned by President Bill Clinton's troubles with a White House intern. After all, Mr. Hart's folly did not occur in the office or involve a subordinate; he did not issue indignant denials or parse the meaning of "is"; he was not accused of perjury or obstruction of justice. Given Mr. Clinton's continuing popularity, have public attitudes changed?

"All I know is how people treat me, ordinary people in restaurants and airports," Mr. Hart said. "An amazing number of Americans come up to and say, `I felt for you' and tell me their life stories. The common theme is, everybody makes mistakes."

Noting that his marriage has lasted 44 years, Mr. Hart dismissed the idea that the mistake was part of a pattern of recklessness. "This was not any kind of relationship or long-term situation," he said. "It was just a totally accidental set of circumstances that I regret, and I regret for everybody involved, including the other party, who was very unfairly characterized. I feel responsible. But how many people on this airplane do you think care anything about that? I've talked about it on television, and I'm talking about it with you, and I'll talk about it two or three more times, and then I'm not going to talk about it anymore. It's a distraction. How many times can you say what I've said?"

We've heard enough, and we're satisfied.

On the War against Iraq:

"Every community in this country is vulnerable," Mr. Hart said in a speech at Iowa State University, which attracted a crowd of nearly 200 on a night with a wind chill of minus 25 degrees. "Not one American soldier should cross the Iraqi border until this country is prepared for the inevitable retaliatory attacks."

Upcoming Speeches

January 25, 2003:
Friends of Libraries Authors Breakfast Philadelphia, 8:30-10:30 AM
Senator Hart will discuss his recent book, Restoration of the Republic, from Oxford University Press.

January 28, 2003:
"US Security in the 21st Century"
New Mexico First 2003 First Forum Dinner
6:00 PM Reception, 7:00 PM Dinner
Sheraton Old Town Hotel
800 Rio Grande Blvd., N.W., Albuquerque, NM