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Change Your Life! |
Bush still running without a running mate |
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News
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July 21, 2000
AUSTIN (AP) - George W. Bush said that he was on the verge of picking his running mate and suggested that a vice presidential candidate should pose little political risk to the ticket. "You want somebody who's not going to hurt you," Bush said. Twelve days before the opening of the national convention that will formally make him the Republican presidential candidate, Bush told reporters at an impromptu news conference Wednesday, "I will make up my mind soon." A number of Republicans are urging the Texan to sit on his lead in polls and make a "safe" pick, giving greater weight to a candidate's potential to do harm than his or her prospects for bolstering the ticket. Oklahoma Gov. Frank Keating and even Dick Cheney - head of Bush's search - have emerged as a favorite of the take-no-chances crowd, though Bush himself has not said whether either is a candidate. Others mentioned as potential running mates include Govs. Tom Ridge of Pennsylvania and George Pataki of New York; Sens. Chuck Hagel of Nebraska, and Fred Thompson and Bill Frist, both of Tennessee; and Rep. John Kasich of Ohio. The two-term Texas governor has winnowed his list and has shared his thoughts with a small number of advisers, all sworn to secrecy. He could announce his decision as early as Monday, though he has not ruled out waiting until the July 31-Aug. 3 Republican convention in Philadelphia. In an interview aboard his campaign plane Tuesday night, Bush openly ruled out two potential candidates - retired Gen. Colin Powell and Senator Connie Mack of Florida - but stopped and smiled when Cheney's name was mentioned. "I'm not going there," Bush said. Republican operative Rich Galen said of Cheney, "He'd be a smart pick, an elder with gravitas," adding that the former defense secretary's history of heart problems might be a factor. On the Democratic side, the most mentioned running mate prospects for Vice President Al Gore are House Minority Leader Dick Gephardt, Florida Sen. Bob Graham, Massachusetts Sen. John Kerry and former Maine Sen. George Mitchell. Warren Christopher, head of Gore's selection effort, has been asking Democratic lawmakers about the idea of picking Mitchell, party sources say. Bush, in a discussion about the history of vice presidential selections abroad his plane, said a running mate rarely helps a ticket because voters size up the presidential candidate, not his No. 2. On the other hand, a bad or controversial choice can hurt the ticket, he said. "You want somebody who can do the job, wants the job and is willing to work for you. You want somebody who's not going to hurt you," Bush said. Asked if history suggestd that a "safe" pick is the best route, Bush said yes. However, the Texas governor was careful not to apply that history lesson to his selection process. It wasn't clear whether or not he was tipping his hand or merely ruminating over political theories during an informal chat. He declined, for example, to say whether picking an abortion-rights candidate would be a political risk for his ticket. Ridge's abortion-rights stance and related feud with Catholic leaders in Pennsylvania has prompted many Republicans to consider him a risky - and increasingly - unlikely pick. Pataki, another abortion-rights Catholic, is not at odds with his church leadership, thus has seen his stock rise among Republican officials. Bush advisers say their boss could name an abortion-rights nominee, appealing to moderates, and still retain support of the party's conservative base. But with the governor holding his own against Gore, many Republicans say he doesn't need to take the risk.
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