Senator: Gore May Be Seeking Vice Presidency Under Bush

© 2000 Christopher Ruddy Monday, Dec. 4, 2000

Congress is abuzz with a story that may have seemed fanciful a month ago, or even a week ago, but – as Al Gore continues to battle for the Oval Office – congressional Republicans fear it may be true.

There is a growing fear among Republican leaders and the Bush camp that Al Gore, if he fails to wrest the presidency from Bush, may attempt to become vice president.

On Saturday, I spoke with Sen. Bob Smith, a Republican of New Hampshire.

He confirmed to me that both Democrat and Republican lawmakers are talking about a Bush-Gore presidency.

Here’s how that might happen:

If Gore wins one or more of his legal efforts, and the Florida Supreme Court backs up his claims that he won the popular vote in Florida, Gore will claim the presidency.

At the same time, the Florida Legislature will select and designate Bush’s set of electors to vote on the Dec. 18 Electoral College date.

Two sets of electors for Forida will vie for status in the Electoral College, and the dispute will be resolved by the new Congress, which will be seated on Jan. 5 of next year.

There is little doubt that the Republican-controlled House of Representatives will endorse Bush, certify his Florida electors, and end Gore’s quest for the presidency.

Then the action turns to the Senate, which has the consitutional duty to select the vice president. As it stands now, the new Senate will be evenly divided, 50-50, between the Republicans and Democrats. With Al Gore as vice president and president of the Senate until Jan. 20, the Senate will technically be controlled by the Democrats.

Gore and the Democrats will select the new vice president.

Smith says that under existing law, only four people can be chosen by the Senate to be vice president: Bush, Cheney, Gore or Lieberman.

But if the Senate Democrats select Lieberman, they will lose control of the Senate. He is currently a sitting Senator from Connecticut. If he leaves the Senate, the Republican governor of Connecticut will chose his replacement.

Gore will have a good argument to take the vice presidency for himself. He will also be emboldened by claiming to have won the popular vote nationally, the popular vote in Florida, and the Electoral College.

Smith says he does not foresee Gore’s claims accepted by the Bush administration. "Vice President" Gore would not be part of the administration or the Cabinet, but would simply keep his constitutional duty as president of the Senate.

Still, "Vice President" Gore would have a valuable platform to prepare for another presidential run in 2004.

It is widely believed that if Gore loses to Bush he will be finished politically. However, this novel twist, with Gore assuming the vice presidency, gives him political viability.

Far-fetched? Smith doesn’t think so and said anything is possible if the Electoral College dispute lands in the hands of Congress.

Asked if he thinks the matter will go before Congress, Smith said, "I definitely think so.”

Concerns about Gore or another Democrat trying to have the new Democrat-controlled Senate steal the vice-presidency from Dick Cheney are being taken very seriously.

Bush camp sources tell me that the Bush campaign sees an effort by the Democrats to take the vice presidency a very real possibility.

Already the Bush campaign is planning a strategy of getting one or more Democratic senators to defect to the Republican camp.

Bush’s phone call to Democratic Sen. John Breaux of Louisiana is one indication the Bush camp wants to avert a showdown in the Senate, and some key Democratic Senators may be offered Cabinet positions to keep Gore or Lieberman from the vice presidency.

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-- Anonymous, December 04, 2000