Rove admits to opposing Cheney pick

WASHINGTON, March 26 (UPI) -- Former White House Deputy Chief of Staff Karl Rove said he opposed the selection of Dick Cheney as a running mate for former President George W. Bush.

CNN said Friday that Rove, who served under Bush and Cheney, urged Bush while he was still governor of Texas not to pick Cheney.

"He was set on Cheney for vice president, and I thought it was a bad idea," Rove said.

Rove said Bush did give him a fair opportunity to detail his case against Cheney.

"We didn't need to worry about, you know, the Wyoming's three electoral votes, and Cheney's voting record, and Cheney's health, and the fact he'd been Bush 41's secretary of defense -- and we were trying to develop a separate image for 43," Rove told CNN. "(Cheney) was a Texas oilman, like Bush was a Texas oilman, you know, you could caricature them both that way."

The reference to 41 was to George H.W. Bush, the 41st president, and 43 to his son, the 43rd president.

Rove said Bush ultimately chose Cheney as his running mate because Bush considered him a good partner and a strong presidential replacement should the need arise.