Who's In, Who's Out, and Who's Waffling

DEMOCRATIC insiders say the party's potential presidential candidates in 1992 can be divided into three categories:

Likely to run

Paul Tsongas. Fortified by a $268,000 fund-raiser, he kicks off his campaign on April 30. His first trip will take him to Manchester, N.H.; Des Moines; Denver; Seattle; San Jose, Calif.; Los Angeles; and Tampa, Fla.

L. Douglas Wilder. The Virginia governor will probably decide on a campaign within 90 days.

Al Gore. ``He's thinking about it,'' an aide says. The senator is conferring with family members about a race.

May run

Mario Cuomo. The inscrutable New York governor knows a younger generation of candidates will be challenging party leaders in 1996.

Richard Gephardt. Insists he won't run, but House Speaker Tom Foley says: ``I don't know what decision he has made.''

Jesse Jackson. The presidential campaign is the biggest media event in America, and a top Democrat says that wherever the cameras go, ``He's always there.''

George McGovern. He'll bow out if Cuomo or Sen. Bob Kerrey run.

Lloyd Bentsen. Fund-raising is no problem. He could wait until autumn.

Unlikely to run

Sam Nunn. The Georgia senator insists Southerners don't issue Shermanesque statements, but he says: ``I have no plan or inclination to run.''

Charles Robb. The Virginia senator once eyed the White House, but he's less inclined now than when he was governor.

Bill Bradley. After a close call in his last Senate election in New Jersey, he will stick closely to legislative business.

Bob Kerrey. The Nebraska senator and Congressional Medal of Honor winner might be a perfect candidate for '92. He says he's not running, but adds: ``I would never close the door on anything.''

Bill Clinton. The Arkansas governor considered a race in 1988, but seems less interested now.

Paul Simon. During a tough Illinois reelection battle in 1990, the Senator promised not to try again for the White House.

George Mitchell. The Senate majority leader admits he wants to be president, but won't run until at least 1996.