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Colin Powell headed to Bush ranch for talks©Associated Press © St. Petersburg Times, published November 30, 2000 AUSTIN, Texas -- Retired Gen. Colin Powell prepared to join George W. Bush at his Texas ranch, where Bush worked to assemble a national security team that he could announce as early as next week. Powell was expected to get the job of secretary of state if Bush overcomes court challenges to his presidency. The Bush high command on Wednesday courted top members of Congress, hoping to lay the groundwork for bipartisan legislative cooperation. Vice presidential running mate Dick Cheney, meanwhile, announced the opening of a Bush transition office in the Washington suburb of McLean, Va. The office is being financed by private contributions because the Bush campaign was denied federal office space and $5.3-million in taxpayer funds earmarked for the presidential transition. The General Services Administration held off from releasing the space and the money because Vice President Al Gore's court challenges remain unresolved. The Bush campaign plans to raise $3.5-million in contributions of no more than $5,000 to pay for the transition. Cheney, who is heading the transition planning, told reporters that he and Powell would travel to Bush's ranch today. The three will be "talking about the transition, talking about how you might put together your national security team for the prospective Bush administration." Powell, who was chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff in the administration of Bush's father, was expected to be among the first appointments made by the Texas governor. But, Cheney cautioned: "We do not plan to make any Cabinet announcements this week." Still, it was clear officials wanted to showcase the Powell meeting to illustrate Bush was moving forward to form a government as well as to marshal increasing pressure on Gore to drop his challenge. On his personal health, Cheney said he had a follow-up visit with doctors who treated him for a mild heart attack last week. "It went very well," he said, saying he received "a clean bill of health."
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