Path: bloom-picayune.mit.edu!enterpoop.mit.edu!snorkelwacker.mit.edu!americast.com!americast.com!americast-post Newsgroups: americast.twt.news From: americast-post@AmeriCast.Com Organization: American Cybercasting Approved: americast-post@AmeriCast.com Subject: Bentsen called to Little Rock Date: Wed, 25 Nov 92 16:20:05 EST Message-ID: Lines: 150 \SE A \HD Bentsen called to Little Rock \SH Senator may get Treasury post \BY Frank J. Murray \CR THE WASHINGTON TIMES \DT LITTLE ROCK, Ark. LITTLE ROCK, Ark. - Texas Sen. Lloyd Bentsen emerged as front-runner in the Treasury secretary sweepstakes yesterday during an unannounced closed-door session with President-elect Bill Clinton. Mr. Clinton, who met with two other possible Cabinet contenders in meetings that aides tried to keep secret, also announced a Dec. 14-15 economic summit in Washington to put "meat on the bones" and make good on expectations for budget proposals due to Congress by Feb. 1. Mr. Bentsen's visit with Mr. Clinton was the first known to involve a Cabinet contender with the president-elect. Last week, Mr. Clinton's top talent scout interviewed Mr. Bentsen, chairman of the the Senate Finance Committee and the Democratic vice presidential nominee in 1988. "This does not rule him in or out, one way or the other," Clinton press secretary Dee Dee Myers said in confirming reports that the influential senator was at the Arkansas Governor's Mansion, arriving there unseen by reporters who accompanied Mr. Clinton to a ceremony at his daughter's school. After Mr. Bentsen departed, Mr. Clinton met in similar secrecy with outgoing Sen. Tim Wirth of Colorado, who may be a candidate for energy secretary, and Robert Rubin of the Goldman Sachs investment banking firm. Miss Myers, who stuck to her practice of confirming private meetings only after reporters learn of them, said they were held "to discuss a broad range of issues relating to the transition and the new administration." Mr. Wirth, 53, who has shown intense interest in issues involving management of energy, natural resources and land management, is quitting the Senate in January after one term. He is chairman of the Senate subcommittee on energy, conservation and regulation. He also served 12 years in the House. With the transition pace quickening, former Arizona Gov. Bruce Babbitt, who has been mentioned for jobs ranging from White House chief of staff to secretary of either the Interior or Energy department, checked into a Little Rock hotel and was expected to meet with Mr. Clinton, the Associated Press reported. As economic news continued to improve, Clinton aides walked a political tightrope, trying to portray next month's summit as vital and relevant to the Clinton economic plan without acknowledging that Mr. Clinton might have lacked the information about the linchpin issue on the presidential campaign trail. "Not at all, but the economy is fluid - it changes all the time - and we want to get an up-to-the-minute assessment," communications director George Stephanopoulos said when asked if Mr. Clinton confronted new economic realities after Election Day. "We'll continue these meetings even after the package goes to Congress," said Mickey Kantor, Clinton-Gore campaign chairman, who was named conference coordinator. When asked if the economy had not been discussed to death, Mr. Kantor said, "We hope to discuss it to life." "He's not talking about renegotiating his campaign promises," Miss Myers said of the economic meeting being organized by Mahlon Martin, former director of the Arkansas Department of Finance and Administration. More than 1,000 people have written or called in requests to attend the economic conference, which is expected to be held at the Arkansas State House and limited to slightly more than 100 people with no elected officials. Asked if Mrs. Clinton will participate in the policy-shaping session, Mr. Stephanopoulos said, "I wouldn't rule it out." Yesterday, Mrs. Clinton drove her own car and went separately to watch Chelsea, 12, inducted into her school's Beta Club, an honor society recognizing scholastic merit. Mr. Bentsen's visit was managed under secrecy tight enough that some in the senator's Washington office did not know of it until it was in progress. Once it leaked out, aides conceded that Cabinet jobs would be discussed but would not confirm a specific offer to Mr. Bentsen. Texas Gov. Ann Richards already called Mr. Clinton "to warn that the GOP may take Bentsen's seat if he resigns, due to a lack of strong [Democratic] candidates," the Political Hotline reported Friday. A Treasury Department secretary is expected to be the first Cabinet official named by Mr. Clinton, perhaps next week, as a way to underscore action on his campaign promise of economic relief. Mr. Bentsen confirmed his name came up as a candidate during a meeting in his Senate office with transition director Warren Christopher last week. "Yes, it did, and I told them I was not seeking any post and that I'm happy where I am," Mr. Bentsen said then in a statement taken by some to rule himself out. Yesterday, an aide to the senator said that was a mistaken interpretation. "He definitely hasn't ruled it out and he's not seeking it either," said Bentsen spokesman Seth Goldman, who added that the senator's vigor belies his age of 71. Mr. Bentsen has been in the Senate since 1970, when he defeated then-Rep. George Bush for the job. He served three terms in the House from 1949 to 1955. Between those two congressional tenures, he owned Lincoln Consolidated, a financial holdings institution in Texas. Until yesterday, Mr. Clinton and his aides insisted the president-elect did not personally interview any Cabinet candidates. Now they are saying he has not made any Cabinet decisions. During his vice presidential search, Mr. Clinton said he wanted to keep personal interviews to an absolute minimum so he could avoid making those not selected appear as losers. On other issues: * Mr. Stephanopoulos predicted a return to the use of fetal tissue in research programs when Mr. Clinton takes office, noting that Mr. Clinton had been supportive of vetoed legislation to provide fetal tissue. * The transition appointed as counsel James Hamilton of Swidler & Berlin in Washington to oversee legal aspects of the confirmation process; James M. Lyons, a Denver corporate lawyer, to supervise legal work at the Little Rock office; John M. Quinn of Washington's Arnold & Porter law firm to oversee legal affairs at the Washington office; and Mary Anne Sullivan of Washington's Hogan & Hartson to deal with issues of ethics, conflicts of interest and disclosure forms. Mr. Clinton planned to name the leaders today of 10 transition "clusters," teams that will define issues and staffing needs at the 14 Cabinet agencies and other agencies with Cabinet rank. The Arkansas governor will make a "courtesy call" on former President Reagan on Friday, during a weekend trip to California. The Clintons, who will spend Thanksgiving Day in Little Rock, will take the rest of the holiday weekend relaxing in Santa Barbara. This article is copyright 1992 The Washington Times. Redistribution to other sites is not permitted except by arrangement with American Cybercasting Corporation. For more information, send-email to usa@AmeriCast.COM