===========RUMOR MILL NEWS AGENCY===========
May 2, 2000
To Insure a Win -- Will Gore Pick McCain as His Vice President?
Sunday April 30 10:50 PM ET http://dailynews.yahoo.com/h/ap/20000430/el/gore_running_mate_2.html
Veep on Veeps
By SANDRA SOBIERAJ, Associated Press Writer
ABOARD AIR FORCE TWO (AP) - In his most extensive public comments yet on his top-secret search for a running mate, Vice President Al Gore (news - web sites) said Sunday he is looking for someone unlike himself and hasn't ruled out tapping a Republican.
``It's most unlikely, I don't want to mislead you,'' Gore said. ``But I don't completely rule it out.''
He was asked about the possibility during a discussion with reporters about bipartisanship - the campaign theme these days of Republican rival George W. Bush (news - web sites) - in which Gore said, ``My natural instincts are to reach out and create bipartisan coalitions.''
Gore has insisted on keeping silent about who will be No. 2 out of deference, he's said, to the candidates who will be vetted by former secretary of state Warren Christopher, who is heading up Gore's search.
But on a campaign flight from Boston to Washington, Gore, who ventured into the press cabin to trumpet his meeting with Republican Sen. John McCain (news - web sites) earlier in the day, entertained an expansive musing about what he's looking for in a running mate.
He said he is forcing himself to get past what he called a ``natural tendency in human nature'' to seek out someone like himself and he disagreed with grumblers in political circles who say the pool of obvious Democratic candidates - particularly minorities and women - is pretty shallow.
``You ask the question is the person the best person to take over as president would that become necessary,'' Gore said.
He discounted speculation that his choice would be affected by who Bush selects as a running mate. The Republicans National Convention where Bush and his running mate will be nominated comes two weeks before the Democrats convene on Aug. 14.
``The conventions are so close together that whether or not (my choice) is announced, it will be effectively made before then,'' Gore said.
As for the process, Gore said he has spoken with Christopher on how to proceed but ``I have not given him a list of names.''
Would McCain turn up on that list? ``He will be supporting Bush,'' Gore replied. ``That's no surprise to anybody but that doesn't mean he and I can't work together'' on campaign finance reform and other issues.
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"Even Gore concedes he might be interested in balancing the Democratic ticket with a Republican runningmate."
http://abcnews.go.com/sections/politics/onbackground/onbackground.html
Monday May 01
McCain at a Moments Notice
By Ann Compton
W A S H I N G T O N, May 1 —
A face-to-face meeting with former presidential candidate John McCain may take weeks of pre-summit preparation for the Republican Bush campaign, but Democratic rival Al Gore grabbed McCain for a private meeting Sunday on just a moment’s notice.
In fact, McCain met with Gore on the grounds of the official vice president’s residence in a secure, park-like setting where both had made Sunday morning television talk-show appearances. Aides to McCain say the two men strolled around the grounds for 15 minutes or so, talking about Vietnam,foreign policy, and McCain’s hallmark issue, campaign finance reform.
McCain's Favorite Subject
“We talked a little bit about how we can build support in both parties for campaign finance reform,” Gore told reporters later with obvious pride at easily beating Bush to the punch on a meeting with McCain. Gore called the Arizona Senator “a friend,” and acknowledged that McCain now says he will enthusiastically endorse George W. Bush even if the two Republicans do not completely agree on campaign finance. “But that doesn’t mean he [McCain] and I can’t work together,” Gore insisted, adding “I plan to talk to him further.”
If elected, Gore says the first legislation he’ll send to Capitol Hill will be the campaign finance reform package that bears McCain’s name as chief sponsor. McCain has been highly critical of Gore’s own past fund-raising conduct, especially solicitations at a Buddhist temple in California that later came under intensive legal scrutiny.
Scoping Out Future Home?
In perfect spring sunshine, McCain got an unusually good look at how the world looks from the vice president’s residence on the hilltop grounds of the Naval Observatory,which offers a sweeping view of the Washington skyline. But McCain’s staff says the senator is not tempted and he’s still not interesting in living in the vice president’s home. “Despite the fact that he found the grounds of the vice president’s official residence quite beautiful,” spokesman Todd Harris says, “his feelings toward the job have not changed.”
Too bad. Even Gore concedes he might be interested in balancing the Democratic ticket with a Republican runningmate. “It’s most unlikely. I don’t want to mislead you,” Gore warned reporters. “But I don’t competely rule it out.”
Wading in the Veep Pool
Gore says he has yet to send an initial list of prospects to Warren Christopher, the former Secretary of State and veteran California Democrat who is heading the veep search, and who helped President Clinton surprise the party by choosing Gore eight years ago. Gore told reporters last night he is fighting what he calls a “natural tendency in human nature” to select someone like yourself. Gore also disagrees that the pool of minority and female candidates is as shallow as some Democrats claim. Gore even suggested he “might well” ask former Joint Chiefs Chairman Colin Powell to consider a job within a Gore administration. Powell, an African-American Republican, says he won’t run for elective office, including the vice presidency, but Powell said he’d listen if any president or president-elect wanted to offer a cabinet-level position.
Additional Article: McCain And Gore Discuss Campaign-Finance Reform http://dailynews.yahoo.com/h/nm/20000501/ts/gore_mccain_2.html
