The masterminds of the Bush, Gore, McCain, Bradley and Nader presidential campaigns will gather this weekend at the Institute of Politics (IOP) for a three-day conference to rehash the details of the 2000 election.

Participants in the conference--including political journalists and analysts--will pick apart the nuances of the election for political junkies fascinated by campaign strategy.

A transcript of the panel discussion will be gathered into a book; since 1972 the IOP has published a similar transcript after every presidential election.

"It's useful because everyone has been given some time and distanace after the campaign," said Richard L. Berke, a political journalist for the New York Times. "And this one will be particualrly interesting because it was such a contested race and the unusual circumstances surrounding the election."

Participants will include Theresa Amato, Donna Brazile, Rick Davis, Gina Glntz, and Karl Rove, campaign managers for Ralph Nader, Al Gore '69, John McCain, Bill Bradley and George W. Bush, respectively.

ABC Broadcaster Mark E. Halperin '87, who attended the last conference in 1996, said even for an esperienced reporter like himself, the conference will offer unique insights.

"Almost without any analogue, it's the best record of what the campaign managers have been doing out of the view of the public and out of the view of the media," he said. "Even if you're a reporter like me, that covers the campaign day to day, there are ceratin things that that campatin managiers hold back, and certain connections that no one can really mke until after the fact, with everyone sitting in the same room."

Boston Globe columnist David Nyhan '62 will make remarks at tonight's formal dinner in the posh Loeb House, the official opening of the Campaign Decision Makers Conference.