Oklahoma is next door to Texas.......what are the drug connections between Oklahoma, Arkansas, etc. etc.?? David Goldman XXXXX DRUDGE REPORT XXXXX THURSDAY JUNE 29 2000 10:56:07 ET XXXXX BUSH ZEROS IN ON VP MATE; ACTIVITY FOCUSES ON KEATING **Exclusive** Texas Governor George W. Bush is on the verge of selecting his running mate for the race to take the White House. Now, the DRUDGE REPORT, which was first to report that Sen. Dole had chosen Jack Kemp in '96 [beating CNN's Bob Novak by 48 hours], can reveal: Okalahoma Governor Frank Keating is Bush's current choice for the slot! While other names continue to swirl around Bush, Keating has emerged as not only the front-runner, but he is now considered by campaign insiders to be the de facto nominee. Bush has told his running mate sleuth Dick Cheney that he would "feel most comfortable" with Keating, according to three sources. [Cheney, on speaker phone, has threatened staffers within an inch of their lives to keep quiet about the activity surrounding Keating and described it as "just part of the process with all the potentials."] Sources warn that Keating is not a guarantee for vice president. Repeat. Sources warn that Keating is not a guarantee for vice president, even though there are strong indications that Bush has found his man. One driving force behind the Keating choice - Bush's wife Laura. Says one insider: "She thinks he would be not only be an incredible campaigner, but also a loyal vice president." Bush advisers have tested Keating's "State of the State 2000" address with focus groups of 5-10 people. The response is said to have been off the charts. "The speech was as powerful a political address as has been given by anyone this cycle," said one insider. Keating negatives: *He urged Mr. Bush to answer completely questions about possible past drug use. *Keating is known for his sharp public comments that have angered teachers, Democrats, fellow Catholics and even his own wife. His solution for dealing with the state teachers union? "Homicide," he quipped. His take on a school shooting at Fort Gibson, Okla.? "A call to arms." One factor has apparently knocked Pennsylvania Gov. Tom Ridge out of the running: His physical presence! Ridge is too physically large. Standing next to Bush, he may appear overbearing, says a source. Bush advisers now believe, based on internal polling data, that Sen. John McCain is not needed to secure independent voters. Bush may announce his running mate before the Republican convention in Philadelphia to thwart any possible McCain momentum. "From green country in northeast Oklahoma - the Tall Grass Prairie, to the sparkling granite mesas of southwest Oklahoma - Quartz Mountain, this is a fabulous land," Governor Keating said early this year in a speech. "From the high plains of the northwest - Alabaster Caverns, the highest place in our state - Black Mesa to the ridge-lined, tree-lined wonderment of the southeast, the blue water of Beavers Bend. This is one of God�s natural beauty places." It may also soon be the home of the new vice presidential candidate. ------------------------------------------------------------------------ Free @Backup service! Click here for your free trial of @Backup. @Backup is the most convenient way to securely protect and access your files online. Try it now and receive 300 MyPoints. http://click.egroups.com/1/5668/6/_/475667/_/962298728/ ------------------------------------------------------------------------
