December 16, 2002

Sen Don Nickles, second-ranking Republican in Senate, is first Republican senator to call for his colleagues to consider replacing Trent Lott as majority leader; no other Republican senator goes as far as Nickles, but several do agree that they must meet quickly to confront controversy that has engulfed Lott; some say there should be reevaluation of whether he sould serve as Senate's Republican leader; Nickles, who has long had designs on Lott's job, says he is concerned that Lott has been weakened enough to jeopardize his ability to enact Republican agenda; says he accepts Lott's apology for remarks he made at Sen Strom Thurmond's 100th-birthday party that have touched off examination not only of his record on civil rights but also of party's history on subject; controversy that has engulfed Lott has not subsided despite his numerous apologies; photos (M)

Transport Workers Union says it is continuing negotiations past strike deadline because progress is being made in contract talks; 34,000 subway and bus workers in New York City are poised to walk out when Ed Watt, secretary-treasurer of Local 100, reports movement in talks in noneconomic areas of 'dignity and respect' for members; there is no immediate comment from Metropolitan Transportation Authority, which runs city's buses and subways as well as Metro-North and Long Island Rail Road; subway and bus workers have long complained that MTA's disciplinary system issues far more citations each year to them than it does to workers of Metro-North and LIRR; union officials say it remains unclear that settlement would be reached, with wages remaining key stumbling block; Mayor Michael R Bloomberg and Gov George E Pataki publicly warn union of severe penalties if it carries out its strike threat; photos (M)

Chicago Bears defeat New York Jets, 20-13; photos (M)

Pres Hugo Chavez of Venezuela says he would consider resigning if Venezuela becomes ungovernable, but claims his government is bringing crisis under control; two weeks of broad-based national strikes aimed at ousting him have closed banks, stores and factories, and nearly shuttered oil industry that provides 14 percent of petroleum that United States imports; waves of generally peaceful demonstrations against Chavez are drawing hundreds of thousands of people to streets of Caracas; he claims continued support among poor and vows to outlast opponents, who vow to maintain strike until he agrees to early elections and resigns; he has rejected such calls; opponents describe him as authoritarian ruler who is taking Venezuela on path to economic ruin; photos (M)

Al Gore says he will not run for president in 2004; decision will recast coming contest among half-dozen Democrats seeking to take on Pres Bush; Gore, appearing on 60 Minutes, says he believes Bush could be defeated but suggests he might not be strongest challenger, because of way he lost to him in 2000; says rematch between him and Bush would inevitably focus on past; says he views his decision as effectively ending his career in elective politics; he is 54 and has devoted nearly half his life to trying to become president; many Democrats see him as strongest candidate for 2004, if only because he is so well known and enjoys wide support among Democratic primary voters; his decision clears way for Sen Joseph I Lieberman, his running mate in 2000, to run; Gore's career recalled; photos; time line (M)