Hopes Quietly Rise Within Bush Camp

Gov. George W. Bush remained out of public sight inside the Governor’s Mansion Tuesday night as cheers erupted at his campaign headquarters downtown.

Bush has spent some time in recent days working on a victory speech that would sound a unifying note in hopes of bringing about a national reconciliation, aides said. If Vice President Al Gore concedes, they said, Bush will be ready to quickly announce an array of White House staff appointments.

As the import of the U.S. Supreme Court’s complex, late-night ruling crystallized, there was a cautious but growing sense of optimism here. Still, there were no claims of victory--or suggestions that the vice president should concede.

In Tallahassee, Fla., former Secretary of State James A. Baker III, the Texas governor’s chief envoy in Florida, said simply that Bush was “pleased and gratified” by the ruling.

Campaign officials indicated that there would be no further reaction--or any statement from Bush--until today.

So far, Bush has designated Andrew H. Card Jr., a former Transportation secretary in his father’s administration, as his White House chief of staff and Dick Cheney, his running mate, as his transition chief.

Among the expected senior White House appointments is Condoleezza Rice, an expert on Russia who worked for President Bush, as national security advisor. In addition, retired Army Gen. Colin L. Powell is expected to be named secretary of State.

In the Washington suburb of McLean, Va., Cheney learned of the court decision while watching television at home.

His spokeswoman, Juleanna Glover Weiss, told Associated Press that the former Defense secretary was pleased with the decision and viewed it as a major victory for the Texas governor.

Bush’s lawyers were still sifting through the court’s decision, but she said, “We believe it’s a major victory.”

Cheney’s schedule for today called for him to pay another visit to Republican lawmakers on Capitol Hill, but Weiss said she was unsure whether that might be postponed.

Bush never left the Governor’s Mansion on what was a drab and blustery day in Austin, with afternoon drizzle turning to sleet by Tuesday evening.

The governor had his daily 30-minute national security briefing in the morning and then held a series of telephone conversations, including talks with Baker; Cheney; Don Evans, his campaign chairman; and Clay Johnson, a senior aide working with Cheney on the transition.

Bush remained “very calm, taking it as it comes day to day,” said Mindy Tucker, a spokeswoman.

Because of the inclement weather, Bush sent his office staff home early. He also canceled his daily workout at the University of Texas. All over Central and East Texas, businesses and schools closed early in advance of the ice storm.

The bad weather was reminiscent of election night, exactly five weeks ago--a wet and bone-chilling evening.

One difference was that on Nov. 7, thousands of Bush supporters jammed the streets of downtown Austin. On Tuesday night, the same area resembled a ghost town.