European Stars and Stripes (Newspaper) - August 16, 1991, Darmstadt, Hesse                                Friday August 16, 1991 a the stars and stripes a Page 13 Jill Lawrence commentary wanted candidates who hunger for presidency if a re or k ski Irry a a a _ one is concerned about his family another frets about his allergies a third says he feels unprepared. You can picture them As friends neighbors sons in Law a but can you see them in the Oval office a there Are times you could wonder whether Alan Alda is the person who is running for the democratic nomination a said Republican strategist John Buckley. A this sensitive Guy stuff might not be exactly what the voters of America Are looking  in this years protracted pre Campaign season with Many possible democratic candidates but Only one declared the spotlight is on the decision process. Prospects Are contemplating. Mulling. Weighing. Musing. Agonizing. Sen. Albert Gore jr., d-tenn., is still in the pondering stage. A if politics were the Only Factor in my decision i would already be a candidate a he said in a recent letter to several thousand past and future supporters. A however. Family concerns Are critical to me. 1 am a United states senator but i am also a father with four Young  sen. Jay Rockefeller d-w.va., once looked like a sure thing. But he also talked an awful lot about the toll a National Campaign  on his family. And when he bowed out earlier this month he sounded an unusual note. A no not yet a he said. He Wasny to up to the task. He Hadnot had enough time to think about being president. Then there Are the perpetual mixed signals emitted by new York gov. Mario Cuomo. He says ethnic candidates Are too threatening his state has too Many problems he s not running. Still he a out there on the hustings As if to say a a Here show i would do it Here show it should be  Arkansas gov.  is moving Ever closer to actual candidacy but he did express some concern last week about his Quot a Quot Quot Ley Are Aggra be extremely pressure in the Spring and fall to make sure ill continue to relate in a Normal Way and to function at a High level a he said in Little Rock. Are they apprehensive about president Bush a postwar popularity looking for Leslie h. Gelb excuses to sit out �?T92? trying to get a health problem out in the open Early seeking support from the allergy prone whatever the reason its enough to make a old fashioned Guy wince. A this is just Amateur week a said Clai Boule Darden an outspoken democratic pollster based in Atlanta. A you got one of. Them with his Hay fever. Another one with the pressure of the family car Pool. It just cracks your  Mark Mellman another democratic pollster said he understands Why a people say it looks like the democrats Are weak and vacillating. But on the other hand it is a big decision to make. And getting the nomination really changes a lot of these kinds of perceptions. Its not going to be a  for better or for worse presidents often profit by appearing larger than life. President Carter projected the image of a common Man with Normal human uncertainties and the country reacted by electing Ronald Reagan a then reveling for a Good Long time in the resolve and pomp of his administration. The democrats May have valid concerns about a presidential race but a when you share them with the Public it makes you look smaller than you need to look a said Republican Doug Bailey publisher of a daily compilation of political news called hotline. To appear ready for the White House Bailey said a you make this irrational decision very firmly and there Are no doubts no Small Petty questions that get in the Way. The perception is that leaders decide and they act boldly. Even As these folks come into the race. They done to come in boldly. They come in after considerable  some democrats say voters identify with that kind of indecision and done to mind seeing politicians grapple with the same issues Ordinary people face at Home and on the Job. But others no doubt Are wondering As Buckley put it a whatever happened to overweening ambition where Are the people who would drive Over their grandmother to be president a c the associated press Small group solutions to world s big problems never since world War ii have so few had so much control Over the making of american foreign and defense policy. And though the professionals in the state Ana defense departments grumble about being excluded never in the last 40 years has the National Security bureaucracy known such Harmony. The obvious part of this Story is the passing of most Throat cutting cold War issues and president Bush a skill in getting his Trio of senior aides a Secretary of state James a. Baker Iii defense Secretary Dick Cheney and the National Security adviser Brent scowcroft a to work together without the legendary bloodletting that devastated their predecessors. But a largely a commented upon and unusual part of the Story has to do with the inner teams assembled by Baker and Cheney. These new second tier officials who receive Little publicity Are Young generally without prior experience in top departmental jobs of diverse ideological backgrounds and almost totally untainted by Ivy league educations. They along with several key National Security Council staffers Wield unprecedented Power inside their organizations. And they alone Are privy to the innermost thinking of their Bosses. Like Bush Baker has his own inner Trio Robert Zoellick the undersecretary of state for economic affairs Dennis Ross director of the policy planning staff and Margaret Tutwiler assistant Secretary for Public affairs. All three worked closely with Baker in the Reagan administration before he took them to state. Zoellick 38, runs foreign economic policy but he also fills what had been two other separate top jobs a Counselor and chief of staff. Every piece of paper going to and from Baker passes his desk. Ross 4j, is the key policy maker for East West relations and the Middle East. Tutwiler 40, is the political confidante. Cheney also has his Trio Paul Wolfowitz the undersecretary for policy Pete Williams the assistant Secretary for Public affairs and Sean of Keefe the comptroller. Some might also include David Addington 34, the Cheney special assistant and gatekeeper Wolfowitz 47, and the Only member of the inner Circle not tied to Cheney a past is the big think Man for issues such As the persian Gulf War and arms control. Williams 39, sits in on most discussions. Of Keefe 35, oversees defense programs and spending a after Gen. Colin l. Powell chairman of the joint chiefs of staff and the military services make their proposals. Cheney and his Trio Are even fiercer than the Baker crowd in keeping other agencies out of their business. Even the White House largely leaves the Pentagon alone. And Dick Cheney tends to share fewer White House secrets with his aides than Baker does with his Trio. All these inner aides can be described As technocrats with certain leanings a with the exception of Wolfowitz who is Well established in conservative foreign policy circles. Of Keefe and Williams also Addington Are More political operatives than policy advisers and their politics run to a moderate conservative republicanism. Ross and Zoellick play the role of grand strategists and their strategies have a moderate Liberal cast. None of the inner aides carries the baggage of a personal policy bibliography and that has proved of enormous advantage. Most key officials in recent administrations such As Richard Perle and Richard Burt under Ronald Reagan took to the pen to offer policy ideas and slay opponents which made them constant targets themselves once in office. The new crowd came to Power without a track record and without enemies. What the two trios did bring with them As did their Bosses was a distrust of the bureaucracy. Yes they in. Elude senior departmental officials on certain subjects. But for the most part they meet with their Bosses alone and Tell their colleagues Only what they want them to know. The military and foreign service professionals Are not Happy with this lot. They used to rebel when Given such treatment by allying with Friendly legislators and leaking to the press. Now the professionals quietly March along because much to their Surprise they like and respect Bush administration policies. Not a bad accomplishment for Bush and his Trio and their trios. C the now York times the opinions expressed in the columns and cartoons on this Page represent those of the authors and Are in no Way to he considered As representing the views of the stars and stripes or the United states government