Veep Show Pulls Into Illinois

Sen. Dick Durbin has met with the man who is leading Al Gore's search for a running mate, but the Illinois Democrat says he has no interest in seeking the No. 2 spot on the ticket.

Durbin described his meeting Wednesday with former Secretary of State Warren Christopher as a session seemed primarily designed to elicit advice from him along with other Democratic senators about what kind of person might make the best vice presidential choice for Gore. The meeting was held in Durbin's office and lasted about 20 minutes.

"Ninety-five percent of this had nothing to do with me," Durbin said.

Christopher asked who might help Vice President Gore - the Democratic presidential candidate - in Illinois, whether it was important that he choose an elected official, if a woman would increase his chances and other similar questions, Durbin said.

But Durbin added Christopher's formal demeanor and attorney's training made it difficult to tell whether he was being checked out.

Christopher did mention Durbin as a potential candidate. Durbin said he told him that while he would be flattered to end up on Gore's short list of potential running mates, he would be relieved to see the post go to someone else.

"I really like the job I have," Durbin said he told Christopher. "I'm not seeking any other position."

Durbin has never ruled out accepting the vice presidential nomination if it were offered.
But he insists he has no ambitions to higher office. Partly, he said he would be glad to see the speculation about his future and even the future of his Senate seat end.

And he and his wife have concluded that they prefer to keep the privacy and lifestyle they have able to go to the store and the park and other places without security and often without being noticed.

"We've really tried to lead an ordinary life," Durbin said. "That would of course change dramatically."

Durbin has a reputation as a deft politician, skilled at both behind-the-scenes wheeling-and-dealing and delivering sharply partisan rhetoric in public. Perhaps most importantly for Gore, Durbin is a Roman Catholic with a strong political network in a key Midwestern battleground state.

With 22 electoral votes, Illinois has the sixth-largest cache of any state.