Politics

By Viveca Novak/Washington

For a few viewers, there was something familiar about the televised attack on Al Gore that ran in several major markets this past March. Called "Hypocrisy," the spot featured a Jeopardy-style game show with questions about Al Gore's Buddhist-temple fund raising and other allegations.

Rewind to then Senator Bob Packwood's 1992 re-election race against Representative Les AuCoin in Oregon. One Packwood ad featured a Jeopardy-style game show with questions about AuCoin's bounced checks and other allegations. Similar? Actually, identical.

The new ad simply has three different questions and Gore's name dubbed in. The actors' lips keep moving after Gore's name has been said.

This time around, though, the ad was sponsored by a secretive tax-exempt group called Shape the Debate, which has ties to former G.O.P. California Governor Pete Wilson. Shape the Debate and its kin, including three groups tied to House G.O.P. whip Tom DeLay, don't have to disclose their donors or their spending so long as they don't say "vote for" or "vote against" a candidate. Also, they're not supposed to coordinate their work with that of a candidate.

But Democrats think there is evidence the group was illegally enmeshed with George W. Bush's campaign. They note that G.O.P. media consultant Don Sipple made the Packwood ad. Sipple has worked for Wilson and Bush and, frequently, with top Bush strategist Karl Rove. Senator John McCain had a similar experience with a different group just before Super Tuesday last March. He says he's "positive" the Bush camp was in league with the group that attacked him.

A Bush spokesman denies any coordination, but these groups may soon become less shadowy. The Senate last week approved a measure requiring disclosure of their finances. The House voted it down, but supporters say they'll insist on bringing it back.

--By Viveca Novak/Washington