Baker squelches talk he'd take No. 2 job

Sen. Howard Baker of Tennessee, who dropped out of the Republican race for the presidential nomination, said Monday that he was not interested in becoming vice-president. Squelching speculation that he might be Ronald Reagan's running mate, he said he felt his mission was to work toward a Republican majority in the Senate and to work toward balancing the federal budget. He added that he was not interested in the vice-presidency, since, as he understands it, the job mainly entails inquiring about the health of the president.