With the margin in Florida at a razor-thin 229 votes, Democratic Party officials and supporters are coming down hard on the campaign of Socialist Party Presidential candidate David McReynolds. Democrats claim that had Mr. McReynolds not run, the 618 votes cast for him in Florida would have gone to Mr. Gore, assuring the Democratic Party Presidential candidate Florida's 25 electoral votes and, therefore, the U.S. Presidency.

"He had better never show his face again at any event we have anything to do with," said a member of Al Gore's team as the campaign's media centre was being slowly dismantled at the Sheraton hotel yesterday. "He cost us the presidency and he's never going to be forgiven for that."

"David McReynolds cost Al Gore a clean victory," said Senate minority leader Tom Daschle.

Senator Joseph Biden, a Democrat, put it in more polite terms: "David McReynolds is not going to be welcome anywhere near the corridors. McReynolds cost us the election."

William Daley, Mr. Gore's campaign chief, issued this very clear warning to Mr. McReynolds: "David McReynolds, don't expect your socialist ideas to get a fair hearing from Democrats in Washington anytime soon. Democrats may have listened in the past, but because of what your campaign has done to this party, they will shun you now."