Sources: Gore campaign and Gephardt in 'serious' running mate talks

From CNN Senior White House Correspondent John King and Executive Producer Beth Fouhy

July 14, 2000
Web posted at: 6:08 p.m. EDT (2208 GMT)

WASHINGTON (CNN) -- Al Gore's presidential campaign and House Minority Leader Dick Gephardt are engaged "serious" discussions -- including at least one conversation between Gore and Gephardt personally -- about the possibility of Gephardt becoming Gore's vice presidential running mate, Democratic sources on Capitol Hill reported Friday.

Campaign officials for Vice President Al Gore (right) tell CNN that House Minority Leader Dick Gephardt (left) would be an extremely strong candidate as Gore's vice presidential running mate.

Sources told CNN the notion of a Gephardt candidacy has been actively promoted by three Gore aides with close ties to the House minority leader -- campaign manager Donna Brazile, campaign chairman Bill Daley, and media adviser Robert Shrum. The discussions have included "at least one" recent conversation between the two men.

While Gephardt has been keeping his own counsel on the matter, the sources said, he is fundamentally not interested in the position and hopes Gore will not ask him to take it. But because Gephardt is essentially a Democratic "team player," these sources could not say what he would do if Gore actually offered him the job.

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

Top union leaders are said to be among those urging Gore to choose Gephardt, who aligned himself with organized labor in opposition to Clinton Administration efforts to secure House passage of permanent normalized trade relations with China two months ago.

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

Gephardt has publicly said many times that his biggest political priority is to restore the House of Representatives to Democratic control. The Missouri congressman could become House speaker if the Democrats gained six seats in November. Members of the Democratic caucus are said to be urging Gephardt to make a decision swiftly so they can shift their strategy for winning back the House if necessary.

If Gephardt does accept the vice presidential nod, he would be required to give up his House seat to run. Missouri law does not allow political candidates to run simultaneously for two federal offices.