| Show White House Jockey for 08 98 Lead Peter and Michael Finnegan Los Angeles Times Sen Sam Brownback is a conservative Methodist from Kansas a state not known for its diversity But Tuesday he was preaching to a choir far from his geographic an and political base headlining a aI I meeting of Jewish Republicans in n Midtown Manhattan Two blocks away NewYork New NewYork NewYork York Gov George E E. was cracking baseball jokes over breakfast in a hotel ballroom ballroom ballroom ball ball- room with New Hampshire GOP activists He was followed followed followed fol fol- lowed minutes later by Senate Majority Leader Bill Frist R- R R Tenn who reminded the audience of his frequent visits to the Granite State The appearances were part of an obvious subplot at this weeks week's Republican National Convention a story line playing playing play play- ing out in the back hallways of Madison Square Garden and hotel ballrooms across the city Vice President Dick Cheney who has suffered several heart attacks has told colleagues he has no intention intention intention tion of seeking the top job The presidents president's brother two- two term tenn Florida Gov Jeb Bush is skipping the convention and signaling that hes he's not interested in running in 08 And one of the party's biggest stars California Gov Arnold is forbidden from running by a constitutional constitutional constitutional requirement that presidents presidents presidents dents be born in the United States The 2008 mix has some som e household names such a as asSen s Sen John McCain of Arizona Arizon a and New York York Mayor Maim Mayori if l i U j ll lit MJ u ji H w Rudolph W. W Giuliani but also contains a growing number number number num num- ber of more obscure prospects For all involved the early jockeying requires a careful dance for hopefuls who dont don't want to appear as though they are putting their own ambitions ambitions ambitions ambi ambi- ahead of what remains a tight presidential race this year Frist wore a lapel pin bearing bearing bearing bear bear- ing the slogan New Hampshire A Proven Primary Tradition He told his audience what it wanted to hear that he supports letting letting letting let let- ting New Hampshire Hampshire- keep its status as the nations nation's first maryI mary I admire the town meetings meetings meet meet- ings the ability to interact personally Frist said saidI I it It makes respect politics fu fun n. n Hagel one of the lesser- lesser known of the potential 08 candidates was less coy Theres always implications implications implications anytime you drive through Iowa or New Hampshire that someone is preparing a presidential run run said Hagel a Vietnam veteran who bucked the GOP establishment establishment establishment in 2000 by supporting supporting supporting support support- ing McCain in the primaries against Bush Ive been very forthright on that point Ive I've said I will make a decision ona on ona future of these a political one days Hagel showered both the Iowa and New Hampshire delegations with flattery You shape and mold the process you shape and mold the outcomes from start to finish he told the New Hampshire group on Monday See continued on page 7 of i continued from page 3 Earlier in the day he told the Iowans lowans How you put your imprimatur at the front end of the process ly important and is critical critic al he said u 1 Massachusetts Gov Mitt Romney another White WhiteHouse WhiteHouse WhiteHouse House prospect got some key exposure in New Hampshire when he introduced Bush during during during dur dur- dur- dur ing a campaign stop Monday He addressed the Iowa delegation delegation del del- delegation Tuesday and will address the Republican Jewish Coalition Wednesday He also recently published a book Turnaround Crisis Leadership and the Olympic Games promoting his stewardship stewardship stewardship stew stew- of the 2002 Winter Olympics in Salt Lake City Brownback is one of themore the themore themore more obscure contenders but buthe buthe buthe he is a favorite of the party's religious conservative base Some GOP strategists say he heis heis heis is exploring the option of a presidential run On Tuesday he appeared before the Jewish Republicans as part of the Bush administrations administration's out out- i reach to Jewish voters But h he e was clearly looking to establish establish establish lish his credentials with a ke key y constituency He spoke of his recent tri trip p to Israel endorsed keeping keepin pg g Jerusalem as the country country's s undivided c capital pital an and anc sd d embraced moving the US U.S. Embassy there from Tel Aviv |
