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Gephardt urges Gore to look elsewhere for running mate

July 15, 2000
Web posted at: 2:00 a.m. EDT (0600 GMT)

WASHINGTON (CNN) -- House Democratic leader Richard Gephardt is refusing to submit to a background check by the team conducting Al Gore's search for a running mate.

Gore and Gephardt
Democratic sources say House Minority Leader Dick Gephardt (left) has told campaign officials working with Vice President Al Gore they should look elsewhere for a Gore running mate  

Several Democratic sources said Gephardt had told the vice president he thought it would be best if Gore chose someone else to wage a vice presidential campaign.

Gephardt requested a private meeting with Gore last weekend after being approached again by former Secretary of State Warren Christopher - the man leading Gore's search. Gore and Gephardt had serious discussions about the Missouri Democrat joining the ticket. One of the sources said Gore told Gephardt he was the leading candidate.

But Gephardt noted his promise to try to lead the House Democrats to a majority in this fall's congressional elections, a source said.

"Dick told him, 'If in the end you are convinced beyond all doubt that I would be the best candidate, come back and talk to me, but this would cause me real disruptions in the House and disruptions in leading the campaign for the House and for that reason I don't think I would be your best person and you should look elsewhere,'" according to a prominent Democratic source familiar with the discussions.

Sources: Gephardt won't submit to background checks

One senior Gephardt adviser said his boss would not be joining the ticket.

"At the end of the day this is not going to happen. .. The door is shut. We are not going to do this," the adviser said.

Another top adviser, however, appeared to leave some wiggle room saying Gephardt had not given Gore a definite "no."

But both advisers said Gephardt told Gore he would not submit to the detailed background check being conducted on major prospects.

Other Democrats prominent on Gore's list include Sen. John Kerry of Massachusetts and former Sen. George Mitchell of Maine. Sen. Bob Graham of Florida and North Carolina Governor Jim Hunt also are contenders, sources said.

These and other sources told CNN the notion of a Gephardt candidacy has been actively promoted by three Gore aides with close ties to Gephardt: campaign manager Donna Brazile, campaign chairman Bill Daley, and media adviser Robert Shrum.

Gephardt would need to give up House seat

Two Democratic sources said Gore and Gephardt met last weekend at Gore's official residence to discuss the pros and cons of Gephardt joining the ticket. No offer was extended, but the vice president praised Gephardt as an experienced national campaigner and as an articulate spokesman on the issues Gore views as central to the election, these sources said.

Since the story began developing earlier this week, Democratic House members and donors have been calling Gephardt repeatedly to find out his intentions. Members of the Democratic caucus are said to be asking that Gephardt quickly signal whether he would want and accept the position if Gore were to offer it.

Labor leaders are among those urging Gore and his advisers to seriously consider asking Gephardt to join the ticket, several Democratic sources said.

Just considering Gephardt so prominently could help Gore make amends with labor.

"This is more than that - the vice president thinks he is an extraordinarily strong prospect," said one source, calling Gephardt someone "who has grown immensely as a national figure" in the past few years.

If Gephardt does join the presidential ticket, he would be required to give up his House seat to run. Missouri law does not allow candidates for federal office to run for two jobs at once.

 
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