Bush, Gore sound out potential Cabinet members

Vice President Al Gore Monday offered an image of a man sounding out potential Cabinet picks as he lunched at his official residence with Treasury Secretary Lawrence Summers--one Clinton administration official Gore is widely expected to ask to stay if Gore wins the presidency. Meanwhile, Sen. John McCain, R-Ariz., said he is ready to back Texas Gov. George W. Bush's assertion that he has won, but he does not want a position in the Bush administration. Bush's Cabinet, however, may include another Arizonan--state transportation director Mary Peters, the Arizona Republic reported. Peters said she was contacted before Election Day by the Bush campaign to gauge her interest in becoming Transportation secretary, but she has not heard from the campaign since then. White House Press Secretary Jake Siewert said White House Chief of Staff John Podesta had a "cordial conversation" on the telephone Monday night with Andrew Card--named by Bush as his chief of staff--and agreed to schedule daily transition meetings in the event that Bush assumes the presidency. "They will certainly get the same briefings as provided back to the Truman administration," Siewert said.