ROANOKE TIMES
Copyright (c) 1996, Roanoke Times
DATE: Friday, November 8, 1996 TAG: 9611080073
SECTION: NATIONAL/INTERNATIONAL PAGE: A-4 EDITION: METRO
DATELINE: WASHINGTON
SOURCE: Cox News Service
President Clinton formally accepted the resignation of Secretary of State Warren Christopher on Thursday as the White House cleared the way for the new term.
In a brief ceremony Clinton heaped warm praise on the dapper, 71-year-old Christopher, who has logged more than 700,000 miles on diplomatic missions - said to be a record for any secretary of state over four years.
``The cause of peace and freedom and decency has never had a more tireless or tenacious advocate,'' Clinton said.
The announcement of Christopher's departure, long expected, came as yet another cabinet member, Transportation Secretary Federico Pena, sent the signal that he will be leaving.
That brings to five the number of definite vacancies - including Defense Secretary William Perry, Commerce Secretary Mickey Kantor and Energy Secretary Hazel O'Leary - with more expected, including Labor Secretary Robert Reich.
Clinton has called a cabinet meeting for this afternoon to discuss the shape of the next administration, and he promised to discuss details at a news conference scheduled afterward.
His first order of business, the president has said, will be to name a new White House chief of staff to replace Leon Panetta, who also is leaving. A close Clinton friend and former aide, Erskine Bowles, is seen as the top candidate.
The choice for secretary of state could take longer. Clinton vowed to ``cast a wide net for his successor,'' a remark taken by some to mean he would consider naming a Republican, such as Sen. Richard Lugar of Indiana, to the post.
One possible choice came under attack Thursday, as Senate Foreign Relations Chairman Jesse Helms, R-N.C., sent a blunt warning to Clinton. ``I suggest that he not send the name of Strobe Talbott for secretary of state,'' Helms said. The senator has complained about Talbott's criticism of Israel when he was a Time magazine staff member. In fact, Talbott is more often mentioned for the post of national security adviser, should Anthony Lake leave that position.
Other names mentioned to replace Christopher include U.S. Ambassador to the United Nations Madeleine Albright and former Senate Majority Leader George Mitchell, D-Maine..
Retiring Sen. Sam Nunn, D-Ga., also has been mentioned for either secretary of state or defense.
As other cabinet members were bailing out, Attorney General Janet Reno was making efforts to stay on board for the second Clinton term.
``If the president wanted me to stay, I would be honored to do so,'' Reno told reporters at her weekly news conference.
Responding to reports that some White House staffers question whether she is enough of a team player after approving a record number of independent counsels to investigate the administration, Reno said, ``Nobody has been critical to my face.''
``I have been supported in trying to do what I think an attorney general should do, which is call the issues based on the evidence and the law, and give the best legal advice that she or he can,'' Reno said.
The White House was silent on her future. However, Reno's public declaration makes the decision difficult for Clinton. If he decides to push her out now, he could draw charges that he wants to choose an attorney general more beholden to him as Whitewater and other probes continue.
Reno announced Thursday that she has just taken under advisement two more sensitive questions. One is a formal complaint lodged against Whitewater special counsel Kenneth Starr, accusing him with partisanship. The other is a call for a special counsel to investigate allegations of illegal fund-raising conducted by the Democratic National Committee.
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