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By Ryan Thornburg
Washingtonpost.com Staff
Monday, February 22, 1999

Governors considering a presidential run had a chance to check out the White House drapes this weekend at a Washington meeting of the National Governors' Association. A bid by Texas Gov. George W. Bush (R) was touted by just about every Republican governor – except Wisconsin Gov. Tommy Thompson, who told governors that he still liked the idea of moving to 1600 Pennsylvania Ave.

"If you have a Bush-Dole ticket, or a Pataki-Dole ticket, why not Hillary for vice president?" – Former New York governor Mario Cuomo (D). (The Boston Globe, Feb. 22) .

Both potential bids got a boost from former California governor Pete Wilson, who said today he would not seek the Republican presidential nomination.

• Wilson Says He Won't Run for President in 2000 (Los Angeles Times, Feb. 22)
• 'More Inclined to Run': But Thompson Says He Lacks Money for Presidential Bid (Milwaukee Sentinel-Journal, Feb. 19)
• Governors on Stump for Bush (The Dallas Morning News, Feb. 22)
• Rowland Doesn't Beat Around Bush At Meeting (The Hartford Courant, Feb. 22)
• Bush Lining Up Team to Raise Money for Possible 2000 Bid (The Dallas Morning News, Feb. 20)

If Bush does run for president, Republican Sen. Kay Bailey Hutchison, who gained prominence during Clinton's impeachment trial, may run to replace him in the governor's mansion.
• Governor Talk Hinting at Hutchison (The Dallas Morning News, Feb. 21)

Washington Gov. Gary Locke (D) said he is not interested in being Vice President Gore's running mate in the 2000 presidential campaign.
• Locke Rules Out Run for Vice President, Senate (Seattle Post-Intelligencer, Feb. 19)

While Republican governors tried to pick a presidential candidate from among their ranks, Democrats – and independent – governors touted other issues during the NGA meeting.
• Davis Piques Washington's Curiosity (Los Angeles Times, Feb. 19)
• Ventura Grabs the Spotlight in D.C. (The Star-Tribune, Minneapolis, Feb. 21)
• Governors Speak About Importance of Education (Foster's Daily Democrat, Dover, N.H., Feb. 22)

Ryan Thornburg can be reached at ryan.thornburg@washingtonpost.com