Danforth, Bush Held Secret Meeting for V.P Spot

July 22, 2000 -- ABCNEWS has learned that former Missouri Sen. John Danforth has joined former defense secretary Richard Cheney on Texas Governor George W. Bush’s final short list of possible vice presidential running mates, after the two men staged a secret meeting in a Chicago hotel suite.

On Tuesday at the Sheraton in Chicago, Governor Bush met alone for several hours with Danforth, his wife, and Cheney, who is leading Bush’s search for a running mate. Secrecy for the meeting was so tight that most of Bush’s traveling aides were prevented by the Secret Service from even getting close to the meeting room.

One source described the meeting as a “get to know each other” session. After the four of them met, Cheney left the room and allowed Bush and the Danforths to meet privately. Cheney is said to have participated in the meeting in his role as the head of Bush’s selection effort, not as one of the final candidates.

Mrs. Danforth’s presence is notable, given that Danforth took himself out of the running in June, saying that he and his wife were enjoying their private life. But lately, friends of the couple say, Mrs. Danforth has “softened” her opposition to her husband joining the ticket. In addition, this is the first known instance of Bush meeting with the spouse of a potential vice presidential candidate.

Asked last Sunday by ABCNEWS how well he knew Danforth, Bush said that he barely knew the former senator. Indeed, although Danforth is a close friend and long-time associate of former President Bush, Gov. Bush and Danforth had never spent much time together before last Tuesday.

‘A Good Discussion’

Meeting over coffee and soft drinks, Bush and Danforth had what one source who has talked to both men called a “good discussion of their shared experiences.” And Bush is said to have been “impressed” with Danforth.

Danforth had been appointed by Attorney General Janet Reno to lead-up an independent investigation into the 1993 siege of the Branch Davidian compound in Waco, Texas. On Friday, as the special prosecutor announced the release of his report, he suggested that the timing of the announcement was not purely coincidental.

“In May, an unexpected political possibility was sort of thrust my way,” he told reporters, “and at that time, it was clear to me that if there was any chance of that coming to pass it would mean I would have to step down as special counsel — and I didn’t want to step down as special counsel without taking responsibility for the work product.”

But Danforth quickly changed the subject when reporters asked him to elaborate. “I’m not going to say anything more about politics than I have already said,” he noted. Reached by phone by ABCNEWS, Danforth said this afternoon when asked about the vice presidency, “I don’t want the job.” It was not clear, however, if he would take it if Bush offered it to him.

Although he is retired, Danforth still has high name recognition in Missouri, which campaign strategists for both Bush and Vice President Gore say is one of the two or three most important battleground states in the fall. Danforth earned a reputation for absolute probity and bipartisan comity during his days in the Senate; and both of these are themes Bush is stressing in his campaign.

The revelation comes as much of the speculation has been centered on Cheney, On Friday. Cheney traveled from Texas to Wyoming, where he served as a congressman for 11 years, to personally change his voter registration. That development, which removed a possible constitutional barrier to a Bush-Cheney ticket, stoked already furious speculation that Cheney was being considered as a possible running mate.

Served Under George W.’s Father

Cheney, 59, served as White House chief of staff under President Reagan and secretary of defense under President Bush, the Texas governor’s father. ABCNEWS has learned that the senior Bush has been recommending for weeks that Cheney join his son on the GOP ticket. President Bush was also instrumental in tapping the former cabinet secretary to head-up the hunt for a vice presidential nominee — a move that was initially thought to lessen the chances of him being chosen to fill the slot.

When contacted by ABCNEWS, Cheney refused to answer questions about his vice presidential prospects. “He’ll make his decision this week,” he said of Bush.

Bush has said often that the two most important qualifications for the person he’ll ask to run with him are a willingness to work as a loyal No. 2 and the ability to serve as president. Cheney, a highly respected party elder with vast experience in both the executive and legislative branches, would certainly fit the bill on both accounts.

Reports of Cheney and Danforth being on Bush’s final short list have allowed the governor to get somewhat back in control of the media firestorm surrounding the process, which for two days was dominated by press attention focused on Republican efforts to promote Arizona Sen. John McCain, Bush’s main rival during the primaries, as the vice presidential nominee.

Bush has met privately recently with several other Republicans who sources have said were under consideration at some point in the process, including Pennsylvania Governor Tom Ridge and New York Governor George Pataki. But none of these meetings were shrouded in secrecy, or were even publicly announced before or after the fact. Bush has pledged to make the much-anticipated decision by the end of the weekend.

“I’m going to think long and hard about the vice presidential selection,” he told reporters at his ranch in Crawford, Texas on Friday. “The days of speculation are over.”

ABCNEWS’ Mark Halperin and Ann Compton contributed to this report.