With Gore out of race, Daschle is one to watch.(Chicago Tribune)

Byline: Jeff Zeleny

WASHINGTON _ With Al Gore no longer in pursuit of the presidency, perhaps no prospective candidate bears watching more than Senate Democratic leader Tom Daschle.

Of the half-dozen Democrats weighing potential presidential candidacies, Daschle has been circumspect as he travels around the country. He has held private meetings with political advisers in New York, fundraisers in Chicago and union officials in Iowa in recent days as he weighs his White House ambitions.

Sens. Joseph Lieberman of Connecticut and John Kerry of Massachusetts each called news conferences Monday to signal plans to launch campaigns early next year. Sen. John Edwards of North Carolina scheduled an appearance here Wednesday and Gov. Howard Dean of Vermont is campaigning in Iowa this week.

Though he's been far more guarded on the subject, Daschle, the senior senator from South Dakota, is also strongly …