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May 24, 2012
Jeff Jacoby: The peace process battered Israel's reputation
Michael Muskal: 'Pro-choice' position hits record low, according to poll
Chris Farrell: Are We in a Tech Bubble?
The Kosher Gourmet by Penelope Wall: PHILLY CHEESE STEAKS --- hold the steak!
May 23, 2012
Tony Pugh: More private colleges offering tuition discounts
Mary Beth Franklin: How to Choose the Right Annuity for You
Tina Susman: The wig wasn't enough: Man gets 13 years for posing as his dead mom
The Kosher Gourmet by Emma Christensen:A simple way to do fish right
May 22, 2012
Warren Richey: Can US group challenge overseas surveillance act? Supreme Court to decide
Thomas M. Anderson: Walking Away From a Mortgage
The Kosher Gourmet by Megan Gordon: Enjoy a celebration of the most rich and layered flavors: Black bean, sweet potato and quinoa chili
May 21, 2012
Mark Clayton: Cybersecurity: How US utilities passed up chance to protect their networks
Howard LaFranchi: NATO summit: Who will foot the bill for long-term Afghanistan security?
Chris Farrell : Earn Dividends in Emerging Markets with This WisdomTree ETF
Stephen Whiteside, Ph.D. : Mayo Clinic Medical Edge: Social anxiety disorder --- or just shy?
Guy Jackson : Victim's father regrets death of Lockerbie bomber
The Kosher Gourmet by Mario Batali: Famed chef's veal shoulder farsumagru: A festive meat course for late spring
May 18, 2012
Rabbi Berel Wein: Striving: The People of the Book's Book for (All of) the People
Steven Goldberg: 5 Great Stock Picks and the Exchange-Traded Fund that Owns Them
Mary Pickett, M.D.: Ask the Harvard Experts: Don't be forced into gluten-free lifestyle based merely on a doctor's false-positive test
The Kosher Gourmet by Carolyn Malcoun: DIY healthy lunchbox treats: HOMEMADE FRUIT BARS for kids and brown-bagging adults alike
May 17, 2012
Warren Richey: Teacher fired for being unwed and pregnant can sue religious school, court rules
Josh Mitnick: Netanyahu's 'centrist' coalition is already proving it's anything but
Steven Goldberg: Earn Dividends in Emerging Markets with This WisdomTree ETF
Amina Khan: Research links coffee to lower death rates
The Kosher Gourmet by Faith Duran : Cheesy Potato Breakfast Casserole with Cheddar and Sun-Dried Tomatoes
May 16, 2012
Carmen Terzic, M.D., Ph.D. : Mayo Clinic Medical Edge: A variety of exercises can help improve balance
Melissa Healy: National strategy on Alzheimer's disease aims to halt it by 2025
The Kosher Gourmet by Joyce White : GOODNESS GRACIOUS: GREENS! 4 winning recipes that are no longer just for down-home folks (Includes expert tips & techniques)
May 15, 2012
Kristen Chick: Obama administration resumes arms sales to Bahrain despite serious unresolved human rights issues. Activists feel abandoned
Pat Mertz Esswein: Homes are now affordable again and mortgage rates are low. What you need to know before you buy
Kathy Kristof: Our Practical Investor Fights Inflation with These 6 Investments
Sue Hubbard, M.D.: The Kid's Doctor: Lactose intolerant young child? Check again
The Kosher Gourmet by Kathy Hunt: Spread a Little Excitement with EXOTIC CONDIMENTS (4 RECIPES)
May 14, 2012
Lisa Gerstner: How to Protect Your Identity, Finances If You Lose Your Phone
Harvard Health Letters: Heart disease and dementia
The Kosher Gourmet by Megan Gordon: MANGO COCONUT OAT MORNING MUFFINS are a bright but hearty delight
May 11, 2012
Jessica L. Anderson: Get the Best Deal on a Used Car
Jett Stone: Forget face-lifts and fake knees. Scientists have seen the fountain of youth --- and it's broccoli
The Kosher Gourmet by Chef Mario Batali: The famed chef's vegetable dish that tastes true to the season: FAVAS AND SUGAR SNAP PEAS WITH POTATOES AND TARRAGON
May 10, 2012
Sergei L. Loiko: Putin sends warning to U.S., NATO in Victory Day speech at Red Square
Mary Rourke: How being a 'mentch' got Vidal Sasoon his start and fighting in Israel's War of Independence provided him with confidence and a strong sense of his own identity
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The Kosher Gourmet by Betty Rosbottom: Gleaming with its golden, crimson, and snowy white hues, this silken smooth and creamy STRAWBERRY ORANGE TRIFLE looks impressive, but is easy to prepare
May 9, 2012
Sharon Palmer, R.D. How you can reduce your risk -- or delay -- chronic diseases associated with aging
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Jewish World Review
August 28, 2007
/ 14 Elul, 5767
Lessons learned: Presidents will be tempted to surround themselves with familiar faces, but the urge can prove disastrous
By
Carl P. Leubsdorf
http://www.JewishWorldReview.com |
In due course, President Bush will pick a respectable replacement for the inadequate and inept Alberto Gonzales and restore order to a dysfunctional Justice Department.
But, with less than 17 months to go in this administration, the more significant question is whether the large field of presidential hopefuls learns from the unsuccessful tenure of a man, who was the latest in a series of close, home-state friends who were poor choices as top presidential advisers.
From President Jimmy Carter's Georgians to George W. Bush's Texans, the urge by chief executives to surround themselves with familiar faces has often proved disastrous, regardless of the intrinsic merits of the individuals involved.
It's been a special problem in choosing key members of the White House staff, appointments that often prove more important than the more publicized choice of Cabinet officers. That's because, in this age of big and sprawling government, presidents necessarily rely more on those with whom they spend every working day.
It's been a problem for those like Carter, Bush and Bill Clinton, who came to Washington directly from outside and sought to replicate what worked in the totally different milieus of the state capitals where they served as governor.
It's instructive that the most successful recent president, the late Ronald Reagan, passed over longtime California aide Ed Meese and picked someone relatively unknown to him, James Baker, as his first chief of staff.
Some administrations have proved more adept than others in their staffing. Here are some examples:
Nixon administration: John Mitchell, a bond lawyer and Nixon's law partner, became his campaign manager and then attorney general. He succeeded at the former but was a disaster at the latter, ultimately serving 19 months in jail after being convicted of conspiracy, obstruction of justice and perjury in the Watergate scandal. Nixon's chief of staff, H.R. Haldeman, an advertising man without Washington experience, ended up in jail on similar charges.
Ford administration: Upon entering the White House, Gerald Ford did something smart: He sidetracked most of his congressional staff and brought in a new group headed by Don Rumsfeld, a former congressman who had been in the Nixon administration.
Carter administration: He surrounded himself with Georgians, many not up to the job, and resisted for some time the idea he needed some experienced Washington hands. One Georgian who was successful was Griffin Bell, a former federal appeals judge who served as attorney general, and one who grew in the job was press secretary Jody Powell.
Reagan administration: Mrs. Reagan and Michael Deaver, a longtime California adviser, persuaded the president-elect to name the wily and knowledgeable Baker instead of Meese as chief of staff. Many Californians who held key posts, like Defense Secretary Caspar Weinberger and political adviser Lyn Nofziger, were capable advisers who worked well with Reagan. Later, he suffered from aides like his second chief of staff, Don Regan, who didn't know him well.
George H.W. Bush administration: Baker, who was secretary of state, and many White House aides were able and experienced, benefiting from their Washington experience during his vice presidential years.
Clinton administration: Clinton was so fixated on naming a Cabinet that "looks like America" that he gave short shrift to his White House staff. It showed. His first chief of staff, fellow Arkansan Mack McLarty, was unequipped for the job, but his successor, former Rep. Leon Panetta, was much better.
George W. Bush administration: While he picked experienced Washington hand Andy Card as chief of staff, the Texans led by Karl Rove controlled the White House. Rove proved not as smart about Washington as about politics, the early departure of Karen Hughes really hurt, and Gonzales was a yes-man with little background for his job as counsel. More recent appointees from counselor Ed Gillespie to Defense Secretary Robert Gates bring valuable Washington experience, but it's very late in the day.
Even before the November 2008 election, the two presidential nominees need to start thinking about who should serve them if they win the presidency. The case of Alberto Gonzales should stand as a warning of the kind of person they should not pick.
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