Kerry Has Secretive Meeting With Edwards

WASHINGTON - Sen. John Kerry held a brief, secretive meeting with potential running mate John Edwards on Tuesday, a spur-of-the-moment session in the Capitol that capped an unusual day of hurry-up-and-wait in the heavily scripted life of the Democratic presidential candidate. The two men met in the President's Room, whether they knew the name or not, an ornate sitting room just off the Senate chamber, and they declined to speak with reporters afterward. While the brevity of the session indicated it was less than a full-fledged vice presidential interview, it came roughly a month before the opening of the Democratic National Convention, and at a time when Edwards is frequently mentioned as a potential running mate.

"Senator Kerry has made clear that he wants that whole process to be quiet and confidential, which I think is the correct way to do it," Edwards told reporters earlier in the day. "Because of that I'm silent."

The meeting came on an unusual day for Kerry, who spent it not campaigning for votes in New Mexico, as originally scheduled, but in the Capitol. He had come, he said, to cast a vote to increase funding for veterans' health care. Republicans, eager to deny Kerry the moment he sought, maneuvered to prevent a roll call.

By evening, he bemoaned the delay in remarks on the Senate floor. "We have an opportunity to make a choice today. If we don't, then we'll continue to talk about this issue over the next months," the Democratic presidential candidate said. "And the American people will make a choice in November."

http://story.news.yahoo.com/news?tmpl=story&cid=694&ncid=703&e=7&u=/ap/20040623/ap_on_el_pr/kerry

behavior.