Bush resigns as Texas governor

By SCOTT LINDLAW

Associated Press

AUSTIN, Texas – An emotional George W. Bush resigned from the job that helped catapult him to the presidency today. Leaving the governorship behind, he walked out of the state Capitol and plunged into the business of promoting his national education program to Congress.

“I’ve cleaned out my office. It’s ready for occupancy,” Bush said, choking up as he waved farewell to hundreds of lawmakers and supporters in the state Senate chambers. His successor, GOP Lt. Gov. Rick Perry, was taking the oath of office later today.

Bush ticked off a series of gubernatorial accomplishments in a 4 1/2-minute resignation speech, including two that mirrored items on his White House agenda: improving public schools and lowering taxes.

“It’s an emotional moment, to leave a job I love for a state I love,” Bush told reporters as he left the statehouse. “There’s a lot of my friends sitting there, and people I admire. I hope I assured them that even though I’m changing addresses, Texas will always be home.”

After his public goodbye, Bush turned almost immediately to his job ahead, hosting 19 GOP and Democratic members of Congress for an education discussion at his soon-to-be-former house, the governor’s mansion.

On the agenda were Bush’s proposals to increase local control of schools and institute greater accountability.

Bush faces an uphill battle on Capitol Hill selling controversial elements of his education plan, including giving parents taxpayer-funded vouchers to attend private schools.

“He’s signaling today by meeting with legislators about education that education will be his top domestic priority,” said spokeswoman Karen Hughes, who will be White House counselor.

Education was also the subject of Bush’s meeting with Hispanic leaders around the country later today.

Bush, who won the presidency but lost the popular vote, met a day earlier with a racially mixed group of ministers as part of attempt to promote faith-based programs and heal a racial divide. The Texan lost the black vote to Al Gore by a 9-to-1 margin.

The gatherings “signal that he does intend to be the president of all the people,” Hughes said today. “He has done that through announcements that have showcased the diversity he intends to have in his administration and a series of meetings with diverse groups of people.”

Bush’s initial round of Cabinet and White House appointments included two blacks, two Hispanics, two women and three white men.

On a hurry-up schedule to fill out top jobs, Bush was also holding meetings today to weigh potential members of his administration, with the next announcement of Cabinet appointments possible on Friday.

He was poised to name Gov. Christie Whitman of New Jersey to the nation’s top environmental post and Wisconsin Gov. Tommy Thompson as secretary of Health and Human Services, though final decisions had not been made and the timing of any announcements was uncertain.

Bush’s top candidate for attorney general, Montana Gov. Marc Racicot, told the president-elect Wednesday night that he did not want the job.

The move upgraded the prospects of Oklahoma Gov. Frank Keating, a favorite of conservatives. Other candidates include outgoing Sen. John Ashcroft, R-Mo. and former Sen. John Danforth, R-Mo.

Virginia Gov. James Gilmore is Bush’s choice to become chairman of the Republican National Committee, senior GOP officials said. The party apparatus will play a key role, particularly in fund-raising, during the 2002 congressional elections and in any Bush re-election effort. Gilmore would complete his four-year term as governor, which expires in 2002.

Bush was moving quickly to build an administration with less than one month left before Inauguration Day.

His transition was truncated by the election recount deadlock in Florida – a state where he will vacation after Christmas.

After spending the holiday at his Texas ranch, Bush planned to visit the Florida Keys, likely Islamorada, a favorite fishing spot of his father’s. Bush’s brother, Jeb, is governor of Florida.

After about two days there, Bush was planning to travel to Washington for transition meetings.