ALL ALONE AT THE WHITE HOUSE
By DICK MORRIS
nypostonline.com
THE president dined alone.
On the evening of that historic day when Bill Clinton became
only the third president in the history of our republic to suffer an
impeachment inquiry against him, he was isolated, deserted.
His sole companion was his dog, Buddy. His only distraction
was his ubiquitous solitaire game, a metaphor for his current
predicament.
No family, no Friends of Bill, no Hollywood pals, no senior
aides, no wise men, no party loyalists - in fact, no one at all was
there to join him for dinner on that sad night, to cheer him up
and reassure him that everything would turn out OK. The
months of his audacious lying about his relationship with
Monica Lewinsky to his closest friends, his political allies and
his loyal staff had taken its toll. And now, Bill Clinton, the
ultimate sociable creature, had literally run out of people.
In the past, people were always Clinton's least scarce
resource. Throughout his career, he regularly discarded aides,
allies, even girlfriends when he was finished with them - like a
used Kleenex. Only if they knew something of potential
embarrassment to him in the future did he linger over them after
they had served his selfish purposes. Always surrounded by the
adoring, the opportunistic, the idealistic or the sycophantic, he
always had people. People to write for him. People to cover for
him. People to suggest ideas. People to front for him. People
to believe in him. But now, where have all the people gone?
The night of the impeachment vote, Hillary was out
campaigning. And on their 23rd wedding anniversary a few
days later, she had an urgent state visit to Bulgaria. Her staff
maintains the trip was long planned. But their anniversary date
was planned for far longer.
The White House is in disarray. While the administration spin
machine tries to create the illusion that all is well inside the
building, the reality is that White House morale has plummeted
to an all-time low - worse even than in the dark days after the
GOP victory of 1994.
The exodus of the disillusioned is in full swing. Chief of Staff
Erskine Bowles, who had planned to stay through the end of the
year, is leaving abruptly. Ever since Bowles learned that the
president was lying to him when he stared Erskine in the face
and self-righteously insisted that he had never had any kind of
sexual relationship with Monica Lewinsky, Bowles has known
that it was time to go.
Also headed out is George Stephanopolous' chosen
successor, Rahm Emanuel - the man who integrated politics
and policy. His staunch defense of his boss against Monica
Lewinsky's charges has left him embarrassed, red-faced and
at a loss for words. Mike McCurry, too, has jumped ship, likely
enraged that he was deliberately not told that Clinton had been
subpoenaed to appear before the grand jury - and so was left
to face the press empty-handed.
The original Arkansas team is long gone or facing prison. The
re-election group knew when to quit. Now the last batch of
professionals are leaving. Those who remain are besmirched
as well, they just haven't taken the hint and left. Who can take
Sydney Blumenthal seriously now that we know how Hillary
pulled his strings by piously if ridiculously insisting that her
husband was only ministering to a miserable young woman?
How effective can Paul Begala be, now that he has been so
often and so loudly wrong on the TV talk shows as he defended
the president's conduct, based on the president's word to him?
All the pros are gone. Yes, economic adviser Gene Sperling
remains - but Gene was always more Treasury Secretary
Robert Rubin's staff person than the president's. And Bruce
Reed, domestic policy adviser, hangs in, but how long will that
sensitive, sober soul stay in such seedy digs?
Even the lawyers are leaving. Former White House Counsel
Jack Quinn doesn't even do TV shows anymore. How long can
Paula Jones counsel Bob Bennett stay now that he has
admitted to the court that Clinton lied to him and that Monica
Lewinsky's affidavit - which Clinton let him peddle to the court in
ignorance of the facts - was plainly false and deceptive? When
the lawyers go, you know you're losing. The Clintons do still
have David Kendall - but to keep him they had had to sign
away their post-White House legal representation to his firm,
Williams and Connolly, which they have now promised to let act
as their agent for what they expect to be lucrative memoirs,
speeches and their other activities.
Back at the White House, they're down to the B Team. The staff
now only contains protegees - all the mentors have left. But
even among these minor league replacement players, there is
discontent. "I used to be proud to work at the White House.
Now my parents aren't even proud of me anymore," one young
staffer says. It's become time to line up at the Xerox machine
and print resumes.
Hillary has abandoned her West Wing office. Always too small
and too cramped, she is presumably moving to the more
commodious oval shaped room downstairs that has long been
more to her liking.
Still manning the barricades are Joe Lockhart and Ann Lewis.
Lockhart, the new press secretary, is the relief pitcher who
enters the game with the bases loaded, nobody out and the
home team down by five runs. In time he could grow into a
good press handler, but this assignment may be too tough and
his experience too limited. Ann Lewis, whose next new idea will
be her first, has finally ascended, via the Peter Principle, to the
level of her own incompetence as communications director.
Where have all the people gone? Bill Clinton, dining alone,
must wonder. Now Buddy has him all to himself. |
