Hart claims new support after Kennedy bows out

Sen. Gary Hart, frequently mentioned as a potential 1984 presidential candidate, said he is picking up ''considerable'' political support from some Democrats in the wake of Sen. Edward Kennedy's surprise decision not to seek the presidential nomination.

The Colorado Democrat said he has received ''numerous'' phone calls from Kennedy backers since the announcement. He added that he will be aggressively trying to ''earn'' what he referred to as Senator Kennedy's ''broad-based'' political support.