The difference between Mr. Kerry and Mr. Gore "is the difference between a spruce tree and petrified wood," Mr. [X] said.

"Gore was petrified wood," he said. "He was stiff as a board, he didn't want to have these kinds of meetings. He didn't want to have meetings like this when he was vice president three years before the election. Kerry is much more open."
...

Mr. [X] said, "[Kerry] said he had an exit strategy [for Iraq], and that he's going to elaborate it," and added that he had not pressed Mr. Kerry for details.
...

Mr. [X] had nothing but kind things to say about Mr. Kerry.... He said he and Mr. Kerry had done a little reminiscing. Mr. [X] recalled inviting Mr. Kerry over for a meeting in 1971 after Mr. Kerry gave his searing testimony against the Vietnam War to the Senate Foreign Relations Committee...

"I've known him a long time," Mr. [X] said. "It's hard not to like a 27-year-old guy who comes back from the war and helps lead the antiwar movement."

Mr. [X] was almost effusive in his praise of Mr. Kerry. "I think he's very presidential," he said. "He has a very confident demeanor. I've noticed it on TV."

Mr. [X] made clear he had watched Mr. Kerry closely during the Democratic primary season. "He's an interesting politician. My sense of him is that the more dynamic the citizenry becomes, the more engaged voters become, the better a candidate he is. Compared to other candidates, who no matter what the citizens do they're in a fixed position."

For example, he added, "when people in town halls applauded him talking about getting tough with corporate power, he responded," by emphasizing the issue more. "Gephardt didn't," Mr. [X] said, referring to Representative Richard A. Gephardt, a Democratic also-ran.

Mr. [X] said what struck him about Mr. Kerry was not so much what he said but "the way he says it," adding: "That's important. You don't want to have someone with a squeaky voice."

Mr. [X] even went so far as to offer Mr. Kerry some campaign feedback, including a jab at Mr. Kerry's top political consultant. "The more he cuts the reins of his advisers, the better he's going to do," Mr. [X] said. "His own instincts are less cautious than Bob Shrum's. And after a while, you should be able to follow your own compass."

Mr. [X] also said he was taken with how at ease Mr. Kerry seemed in the meeting. Mr. [X] "thought he was much more relaxed than his associates."
"That was very visible."