Raleigh, N.C. ? After leaving the Democratic race for president wide open with his Sunday announcement to not run, former Vice President Al Gore said Monday he would probably endorse a candidate for the 2004 Democratic presidential nomination but gave no hint that he would choose U.S. Sen. John Edwards of North Carolina over other Democrats prepping for the race.

Gore, in North Carolina for a stop on his book tour, recounted his decision to bail out of the presidential race during a news conference and said he hadn’t included or excluded anyone as possibly receiving his blessing.

“I’ll probably endorse someone,” Gore said during his first appearance since pulling out of the race Sunday. “I have communicated directly,” he said, with Edwards, Sen. Joseph Lieberman of Connecticut and Sen. John Kerry of Massachusetts.

Gore narrowly picked Lieberman over Edwards for a running mate in 2000 and, though in Edwards’ home state, carefully avoided complimenting him more than other candidates. He cautioned that it is too early to start listing candidates’ strengths and weaknesses. He referred to Edwards, who telephoned Monday morning, as a “great guy,” but quickly added: “I’ll say the same about the other candidates.”

Edwards “has acquitted himself extremely well in the United States Senate,” Gore said. “Time will tell for him and for Senator Kerry and for Senator Lieberman.”