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Subject: Clinton Interviews Cabinet Prospects; President-Elect Near Decision on 'a
Date: Thu, 26 Nov 92 10:44:02 EST
Message-ID: <50.1992Nov26.104402@AmeriCast.com>
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Clinton Interviews Cabinet Prospects; President-Elect Near Deci-
sion on 'a Few'; Transition Pace Quickens<By Lynne
Duke<Washington Post Staff Writer< LITTLE ROCK, Ark., Nov. 25 -
President-elect Clinton intensified transition activity today
with a series of interviews with potential Cabinet appointees and
the unveiling of the officials who will take an audit of the
federal government in advance of the inauguration.

Clinton met with former Arizona governor Bruce Babbitt (D) and
Rep. Bill Richardson (D-N.M.). The visits followed meetings Clin-
ton had here Tuesday with Sens. Lloyd Bentsen (D-Tex.) and
Timothy E. Wirth (D-Colo.) and investment banker Robert E. Rubin.
Bentsen and Rubin are believed to be under consideration for
Treasury secretary; Wirth, Richardson and Babbitt are thought to
be contenders for Energy or Interior.

Clinton told reporters that he was close to a decision on "a few"
Cabinet appointees. With the first appointees likely to be
members of his economic team, spokesman George Stephanopoulos
said, "He's always said that he wants to come out with his
economic team first and I think that still holds."

Clinton has said that he sees the Energy Department as part of
the economic hierarchy of his administration.

Also today, Clinton announced the leaders of "cluster groups"
that are to study the structure, budget and personnel of major
federal agencies. Clinton, who has said his administration would
"look like America," selected seven men and three women, among
them six whites, three blacks and one Hispanic, to lead the
groups. (Story on Page A27.)

Stephanopoulos said the cluster groups would prepare briefing
books on the agencies for Clinton, Vice President-elect Gore and
prospective Cabinet secretaries. The cluster leaders will neither
make policy nor recommend candidates to head federal agencies,
but they will consult with their counterparts in the policy clus-
ters.

He said the appointment of the cluster leaders "was not intended
to signal one way or the other on whether or not they'll have
significant positions" in the administration.

The cluster leaders are subject to the same ethical guidelines
outlined on Nov. 13 by transition director Warren M. Christopher,
who today announced additional transition officials for his team
as well.

Although Clinton had said that ethics guidelines for his new ad-
ministration would be announced a few days after the transition
guidelines were in place, Stephanopoulos said that process "is
taking longer than we first expected" because the president-elect
has been spending most of his time on Cabinet appointments.
Stephanopoulos said the staff hopes to have the guidelines in
place before the end of the year.

Despite the comings and goings by the recognizable politicians,
Clinton and his aides remained tight-lipped about personnel deci-
sions, which are being managed by Christopher.

Stephanopoulos said that Clinton "wanted to discuss the economy
and other issues with Bentsen and he wasn't able to see him last
week when he was in D.C. With Wirth, he's helped a lot on the
campaign and I think he wants to cover a lot of issues that are
in the senator's area of expertise. And I would say the same for
Governor Babbitt and Congressman Richardson."

Bentsen, who met last week with Christopher in Washington, has
been at the top of the list of speculation about the Treasury
post. He Despite the comings and goings of recognizable politi-
cians, Clinton and his aides remained tight- <lipped about per-
sonnel decisions.<

>

has indicated that he would be happy to remain as chairman of the
Senate Finance Committee, where he has power and independence,
but would consider an offer from the president-elect.

If Bentsen were to join the administration, Sen.  Daniel Patrick
Moynihan (D-N.Y.) would move up to chair the Finance Committee.
Clinton took time for a checkup at his doctor's office, emerging
after an hour to tell reporters, "I'm healthy," but that he need-
ed to lose another 10 pounds. "I've lost a lot," he said.

Clinton, who will spend the Thanksgiving holiday with family
here, is scheduled to travel to California Friday for a Los
Angeles visit with former president Ronald Reagan and a weekend
vacation near Santa Barbara.

Stephanopoulos described the Reagan meeting as "a courtesy call"
by an incoming president who can learn from one who held the job
before.<Staff writer Dan Balz in Washington contributed to this
report.<02:38 11-26C9999-----

Copyright 1992, The Washington Post.  This story is from the
Washington Post's Capitol Edition On-Line and is not to be ar-
chived or redistributed.

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