Gore, Bush float Cabinet names
By The Associated Press
While the nation's highest court
considered who will serve in the
nation's highest office, advisers
for George W. Bush and Al Gore
this weekend are floating names
of candidates for two Cabinets
— only one of which will ever
see the light of day. Prospects of
a Gore presidency dimmed
somewhat Friday, with separate court rulings in Florida
against immediate recounts and against holding a new
election in Palm Beach County, where some voters said
they were confused by a ''butterfly'' ballot. A senior Gore
adviser acknowledged it was a bad day for the vice
president. Still, Gore isn't letting Bush hog the limelight
when it comes to assembling the presidency's next
Cabinet.
U.S. Supreme Court hears arguments
Florida rulings a double defeat for Gore
General roundup
Gore campaign chairman William Daley is in line for a
top White House job if Gore wins, most likely chief of
staff if he wants it, according to several Gore advisers.
Housing Secretary Andrew Cuomo also is a candidate
for chief of staff, according to two senior Gore advisers
who have discussed the potential transition with the vice
president. The two sources also say:
Labor Secretary Alexis Herman is a candidate for
several Cabinet posts, though some friends are
urging her to go into the lucrative private sector.
Former Senate Majority Leader George Mitchell
and Richard Holbrooke, the U.S. representative to
the United Nations, are the leading candidates for
secretary of state.
Former Sen. Sam Nunn, D-Ga., and Sen. Bob
Kerrey, D-Neb., are under consideration for defense
secretary, as is the current Pentagon chief, William
Cohen, a Republican. Retired Joint Chiefs of Staff
Chairman John Shalikashvili has been mentioned as
a possibility, though the officials said Gore is
unlikely to put a former military leader in the
Pentagon's top civilian post.
Treasury Secretary Larry Summers might keep his
post if Gore wins, but the vice president also is
looking at former budget chief Franklin Raines. He
has asked transition chief Roy Neel to include GOP
businessmen in his search for candidates.
Detroit Mayor Dennis Archer has emerged as a
candidate for attorney general.
For Gore and Bush, the talk of transition is a political tool
designed to give voters the impression they are ready to
serve. Bush hopes to cement the perception he is most
likely to prevail in Florida, while the vice president is
trying to fight back with his own leaks and transition team
photo ops.
A poll conducted for the Pew Research Center showed
the percentage of Americans who think Bush will be the
next president rose from 58% last week to 66% in polling
conducted since Sunday. The percentage of Americans
who believe Bush won and Gore should concede
increased from 36% to 45% in the same time frame.
White House Chief of Staff John Podesta met with top
aides to Gore and Bush, agreeing to put in place a process
allowing both camps to work with the FBI on background
checks for potential appointees.
While Gore is devoting most of his time in search of a
quick legal victory, Bush is making more progress on his
transition.
He has already settled on two Cabinet posts — retired
Gen. Colin Powell as secretary of state and Condoleezza
Rice as national security advisers. Andrew Card would
be his chief of staff.
Senior Republicans are circulating scores of other
candidates, both to tip Bush's hand and to pad his list with
women, minorities and Democrats for political purposes.
Just on Friday the top Republicans said:
Montana Gov. Marc Racicot is the top contender for
attorney general, though other possibilities include
two female lawyers who have worked for Bush:
Harriett Miers and Terry Lacie.
Kay James, who worked in the administration of
Bush's father, is a prospect for the Health and Human
Services posting. Wisconsin Gov. Tommy
Thompson also is under consideration.
Rep. Jim Talent, R-Mo., who lost a bid for Missouri
governor, has been mentioned as a potential
transportation secretary. Some Bush advisers say Gov.
Tom Ridge of Pennsylvania is a top candidate for
defense secretary, but others minimize his chances.
None of this matters unless the courts uphold Bush's
winning margin in Florida.
''Why should the federal judiciary be interfering in what
seems to be a very carefully thought-out scheme'' for
electing people in Florida, asked U.S. Supreme Court
Justice David H. Souter — his just one in a series of
questions about the high court's jurisdiction.
The scene outside the courtroom in Washington was less
solemn. Hundreds of people from both camps
demonstrated alongside those hoping for a taste of history
or a dose of attention. Anti-abortion groups, feminists, the
Falun Gong religious group — all sharing the street scene
with a man dressed as Uncle Sam. Darth Vader was there,
too, rubbing elbows with a Roman soldier.
Then there was the man who drove past the menagerie,
yelling out his car window: ''No president! We don't need
no president!''
And yet, the courts labored long to find one — the closest
White House racin 100 years was the subject of 42
lawsuits in Florida alone.
The biggest one is in the courtroom of Circuit Judge N.
Sanders Sauls, who is holding a hearing Saturday on the
Gore petition to overturn Florida's results. Secretary of
State Katherine Harris, a Bush partisan, has certified the
Texas governor winner by 537 votes out of 6 million cast.
Florida's 25 electoral votes would give Bush one more
than the 270 needed to claim the White House. If Gore
wins in the courts, GOP state lawmakers were preparing
to call a special session to appoint a slate of Bush
electors.
Gore wants Harris ordered to accept manually recounted
ballots in three Democratic-leaning counties, where he
hopes to pick up votes.
Gore's team was preparing allies for a potential defeat at
the U.S. Supreme Court, circulating word that the real
battle is in Sauls' court. If Gore loses there he will
certainly appeal, Democratic lawmakers on Capitol Hill
were told, and the nation's highest court could get another
crack at the case.
Aides said the vice president plans to lie low this
weekend while the legal proceedings dominate the news.
His surrogates are being primed to step up criticism of
Bush's brother, Florida Gov. Jeb Bush, and the Florida
Legislature. Gore hopes to convince Americans the Texas
governor is using his brother, his party and his legal team
to delay the vice president's appeal and ensure a victory
regardless of how the courts rule. |
