Pataki In Bush's Corner

Shelving his own presidential ambitions, New York Gov. George Pataki threw his political muscle Monday behind Texas Gov. George W. Bush's all-but-declared run for the White House.

"He is an inclusive Republican who has reached out with his doctrine of compassionate conservativism and in the process built a party that has supported him with overwhelming votes from the Hispanic community, from women, from African-Americans across Texas," Pataki said.

The announcement, three weeks in the making, included a live satellite hookup with Bush, who told Pataki, "I'm honored to have you on my team."

Pataki told the GOP gathering, "Not just me, but New York State is going to work to make sure that the next president of the United States is my friend and the great governor for Texas, Gov. George W. Bush."

Sixteen other GOP governors have already lined up behind Bush and pressure had been mounting on Pataki, even from some New York Republicans, to follow suit.

The goal, reports Correspondent Judy Saunders of CBS affiliate WRGB in Albany, is to deliver New York early to position Pataki for the vice president's spot on the ticket.

Pataki had been seeking to raise his profile nationally with a series of out-of-state political trips. On one such trip to New Hampshire, Pataki had said he planned to consider running for the GOP presidential nomination. But the possibility of a Pataki presidential run seemed to generate little excitement.

Pataki is still a potential GOP vice presidential candidate for next year.

Speculation over what Pataki was going to announce included rumors that Pataki would seek the Senate seat now held by the retiring Democratic Sen. Daniel Patrick Moynihan.

Asked about the latter possibility Monday, Pataki said, "I've been in politics long enough to know you never say never but let me make it very clear I have no intention of running for the Senate."

He said he would back the Republican candidate, whether that would be Rep. Rick Lazio, who was invited to Monday's announcement, or New York Mayor Rudolph Giuliani, who was not. Pataki and Giuliani have had chilly relations and have clashed in recent weeks over a proposal to cut a city tax on suburban commuters.

On the Democratic side, Hillary Rodham Clinton is eyeing the New York Senate race.