Bush brushes aside Christian right on vice presidential decision

WASHINGTON - George W. Bush said Sunday that his vice presidential selection would be based on factors other than the candidates' views on abortion, despite the urging of conservative Christians that he pick an anti-abortion running mate.

Bush was responding to James Dobson, the president of Focus on the Family, who recently said the likely Republican nominee, ''cannot and will not'' be elected president if he ''does not energize his base'' of conservative Christians by picking a person who opposes abortion. The Texas governor said he gets ''all kinds of interesting advice.''

''I'm going to pick somebody who can be president of the United States and somebody with whom I can get along,'' he told ABC's ''This Week'' in a rare talk show appearance. ''I'm going to take a lot of factors into consideration: obviously issues matter, a person's voting record matters, where they're from matters, their gender matters.''

Pressed, Bush would not say whether he thinks picking a running mate who supports abortion rights would hurt his chances in November. Each time he was asked about abortion, he repeated that his criteria were simply qualifications and chemistry, along with political considerations.

He added that he hadn't ruled anybody out from selection, including Govs. Tom Ridge of Pennsylvania and Christine Todd Whitman of New Jersey, who support abortion rights.

Bush said he had not yet decided if he would announce his running mate decision before or during the party convention in Philadelphia starting July 31.

Vice President Al Gore, his Democratic opponent, repeated his belief on NBC's ''Meet The Press'' that Bush would take away a woman's right to choose whether to get an abortion.

''I will protect a woman's right to choose. Governor Bush has sworn to take away a woman's right to choose,'' Gore said. ''He has told (evangelists) Jerry Falwell and Pat Robertson that he will make appointments that will be very pleasing to them. That's not difficult to interpret.''

Gore said he opposes parental notification, which would require teen-agers to get a parent or guardian's permission before getting an abortion.

The Democrat brushed aside questions about whether consumer advocate Ralph Nader, nominee of the Green Party, is cutting into his support, saying voters eventually will want to pick ''between two stark choices'' - Gore or Bush.

''I think in the final analysis, it is likely that most people will see this as a two-person contest and cast their vote on that,'' Gore said. Recent polls have suggested Nader could hurt Gore in important states like Michigan and Pennsylvania.

Nader said Sunday on CBS' ''Face the Nation'' that he was not concerned what effect he might have on other candidates.

''I wouldn't be running if I were worried about taking votes away from Al Gore or George W. Bush,'' he said. ''Nobody is entitled to votes. They have to earn them.''

On other issues:

-Bush countered Gore's criticism about a projected $610 million shortfall in the Texas budget by noting that the state is running a surplus that could run as high as $1 billion, and there is plenty to cover any needed adjustments.

-Bush reiterated his belief that every person put to death in Texas was guilty. Gore said he supports the death penalty, but thought Illinois' Republican Gov. George Ryan made a wise decision in calling for a moratorium after errors were found in that state.

-On Social Security, Gore said he would encourage people to invest retirement savings in the stock market in addition to a core Social Security fund that lawmakers could not touch. Bush said people should have the option to invest their Social Security funds in the stock market.

-Bush said he would expand research on an anti-ballistic missile system. Gore was more cautious, saying the decision was still President Clinton's, but that, ''It's only responsible to investigate whether or not it's possible ...''

-Responding to criticism that his administration mishandled $33 million in federal school lunch money, Bush said that, in fact, Texas was ''higher than the national average'' in signing up poor children for subsidized meals.

-Gore defended his administration's 1996 campaign fund-raising tactics, saying he still believes a California event he attended at a Buddhist temple was not a fund-raiser. ''There was no request for funds. No money changed hands,'' he said. Gore has denied knowing anything about the $60,000 in illegal donations that followed his appearance at the temple.

On the question of Bush's running mate, Senate Majority Leader Trent Lott, R-Miss., and House Majority Leader Rep. Dick Armey, R-Texas, conceded Bush may pick a candidate who does not oppose abortion.

But Reform Party candidate Pat Buchanan, a former Republican and staunch opponent of abortion, said any discussion of Bush choosing a running mate who favors abortion rights was just talk.

''Mr. Bush is blowing smoke,'' Buchanan said on CBS' ''Face the Nation.'' ''He would have an explosion at his convention.''