No Clear Choice To Replace Brown

Top White House adviser Mack McLarty has withdrawn as a possible replacement for Commerce Secretary Ron Brown, leaving a wide open field without an obvious front-runner.

But administration officials said Thursday that Clinton was in a hurry to replace Brown, who died in an April 3 plane crash, and could settle on a choice as early as this week.

“He will find a replacement for Secretary Brown and do so rather swiftly,” press secretary Mike McCurry said.

The spokesman also suggested that McLarty had told Clinton he wanted to remain as White House counselor, an ambiguous but influential title he took in 1994 after being bumped as White House chief of staff.

An official close to McLarty, speaking on condition of anonymity, confirmed that the former Arkansas businessman passed on the chance to replace Brown because he wanted to be involved in Clinton’s re-election campaign.

Other aides said McLarty also feared a bruising battle with Republicans, though the official close to the Arkansan denied that.

Sen. Larry Pressler, R-S.D., chairman of the Senate Commerce Committee, said Thursday he thought highly of McLarty and didn’t expect a fight over any potential Clinton nominee.

He also praised Stuart Eizenstat, the chief domestic policy adviser under President Carter who is well-liked by Clinton, but an administration official said it didn’t appear he would get the job.

Still, the official did not rule out Eizenstat as the nominee. Clinton apparently is interested in another candidate, whom the official would not identify.

Officials say Clinton was interested in finding an official from the high-tech industry.