Women Candidates for Cabinet Getting a Closer Look : Nominees: Clinton reacts to complaints about choices so far. Men still favored for agriculture, education jobs.

Responding to complaints that too few women had been appointed to the Cabinet, President-elect Bill Clinton and his advisers are looking more closely at the posts of attorney general, U.N. ambassador, secretary of education and secretary of agriculture, transition aides said Sunday.

But despite the 11th-hour effort, aides also said that former Gov. Richard W. Riley of South Carolina--a longtime Clinton friend with widely acknowledged education expertise--remains the top candidate for the education post. And Rep. Mike Espy of Mississippi, a longtime Clinton supporter and member of the House Agriculture Committee, remains a strong contender for the agriculture job.

Announcements are expected today, Tuesday and Wednesday on Clinton’s choices for the remaining posts. Clinton has scheduled a press conference at noon PST today..

The President-elect has said that he hopes to have nominees for about 25 top jobs, including all 14 Cabinet posts, by Christmas. So far six Cabinet and eight sub-Cabinet appointees have been named.

Separately, Clinton’s top domestic advisers delivered briefing papers to the President-elect which recommend that he concentrate on welfare and government reform, campaign finance issues and a new national service program.

Unlike the recommendations from his economic advisers, which urged Clinton to shift his focus from spending programs and tax relief to a greater emphasis on deficit reduction, these papers generally stick close to the Clinton campaign platform, aides said.

In his campaign, Clinton called for the government to require welfare recipients to work after two years, while giving them training and other assistance. He has called for a series of campaign-finance reforms, including limits on “soft money” contributions, or donations funneled to candidates through political parties.

He has urged a restructuring of government and creation of a national service program in which, for example, Americans could serve their country in exchange for some benefit, such as financial aid for college.

But Clinton is not expected to turn his attention to the option papers until he has made more progress in selecting his staff, aides said.

Among the top women candidates for the four key posts is Ruth Harkin, wife of Sen. Tom Harkin (D-Iowa), for agriculture. Ruth Harkin was general counsel at the Agriculture Department during the Jimmy Carter Administration and is now an attorney in the same law firm as transition chairman Vernon E. Jordan Jr.

Madeline Albright, a foreign policy specialist at Georgetown University, has been mentioned for the post of U.N. ambassador, as well as for senior sub-Cabinet jobs at other agencies.

The candidates for attorney general include Judge Judith S. Kaye of the New York Court of Appeals and Brooksley E. Born, a Washington lawyer.

Rep. Dave McCurdy of Oklahoma, who was reported earlier as a candidate for defense secretary or director of central intelligence, said Sunday that he has not talked with transition officials about either job.

McCurdy said he is interested in the defense post but not the intelligence agency.

Clinton was asked after a morning jog Sunday whether he had completed decisions on his Cabinet. “No, but I’m close,” he replied.

Clinton later went to church, attended a Girl Scout ceremony at the governor’s mansion and received guests at Christmas parties.

Clinton told reporters his throat problems have been an allergic reaction to Christmas greenery that now fills the mansion.

Staff writer Ronald Brownstein contributed to this story.