Boxer's mission will be to persuade Naderites, college students and other liberals that their real home should be in the Democratic party notwithstanding the dominance of centrists like President Bill Clinton, Vice President Al Gore and U.S. Sen. Joe Lieberman.

"I am very excited about joining the Leadership," Boxer said following her Dec. 4 appointment. "I look forward to working with my colleagues to advance the agenda of the people: improving education, creating a prescription drug benefit under Medicare, passing the (Sen. John) McCain- (Sen. Russell) Feingold campaign finance reform and a real patient's bill of rights and more." -- Donald H. Harrison