White House Week
What Cheney And Rumsfeld Learned From 'Deep Throat'
As official Washington obsessed last week about "Deep Throat" and the meaning of the Watergate scandal, some longtime White House insiders say one aspect has been overlooked: how Vice President Dick Cheney and Defense Secretary Donald Rumsfeld were affected. Rumsfeld became White House chief of staff for President Gerald Ford after Richard Nixon resigned, and Cheney later held the same post. "The lesson they learned was to keep everything closed--no leaks, no cooperation with Congress, no playing ball with the media," says a senior Republican who has served as an informal adviser to three GOP presidents. "It's ironic," says the adviser, that they would have seen what problems these tactics caused for Nixon but do the very same things. The difference, he adds, is that these guys don't condone breaking the law.
Back From the Ranch, More Brush to Cut
Having just returned from a long weekend at his Texas spread, President Bush finds himself in an increasingly tough spot. With his job-approval ratings below 50 percent, and facing rebellion from some congressional Republicans, White House officials say, Bush will keep pressing his agenda of Social Security overhaul, a development-friendly energy bill, and more conservative judges. But Republicans on Capitol Hill fear that the unpopular parts of the agenda--including private retirement accounts, the conflict in Iraq, and military base closings--might harm their re-election chances next year and jeopardize GOP control of the House and Senate. Now, even some Republicans are arguing (privately, of course) that Bush is stubborn and arrogant. "His act is wearing thin," says a top-drawer GOP adviser who is influential in Washington and on Capitol Hill. "It's always 'I'm right. You're wrong.' " Bush needs to respect other points of view, especially from those within his own party, says the adviser. "I don't mind people having convictions, but there is another side to every argument."
Surprise: Some Democrats Like Scalia
Democratic insiders concede privately that Associate Supreme Court Justice Antonin Scalia may have an easier time winning Senate confirmation as chief justice than their leaders are saying publicly. One thing Scalia has going for him, if Chief Justice William Rehnquist retires, is the record of his overwhelming confirmation by the Senate for the high court seat in 1986. It's possible, one Democratic strategist says, that as few as 20 Dems would oppose Scalia.
Powell Tells Rice, Been There, Done That
Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice may be getting rave public notices in her first months on the job, but she isn't flying solo. Rice stays in contact with Colin Powell, the man she replaced at Foggy Bottom, phoning him often and dining at his Virginia home with him and his wife, Alma. Among the diplomatic challenges they discuss: how to deal with strong personalities in the administration, especially Vice President Cheney and Defense Secretary Rumsfeld. While Powell lost his share of internal battles, some officials say Rice values his insights into Washington's unique kabuki drama.
With Kenneth T. Walsh Kenneth T. Walsh Kenneth T. Walsh Kenneth T. Walsh
This story appears in the June 13, 2005 print edition of U.S. News & World Report.