European Stars and Stripes (Newspaper) - July 26, 1993, Darmstadt, Hesse                                Monday july 26, 1993 commentary the stars and stripes Page 15 Sitt Sultan of spin. Clinton from morass now you see him now you Don t. Either Way White House Counselor David Gergen is a presence. This week he is earnestly Selling president Clinton s budget As a palliative for the country s shortages of Cash and Confidence. Never mind that the problems developed during previous regimes that also featured Gergen in significant roles. As he himself says mis takes were made. If you re going to get Well you be got to take some Medicine Gergen said during a week of intensive White House salesmanship to regional Media interest groups and democratic factions in Congress. When Gergen signed on with Clinton it was As if he had crashed through the political looking Glass. But then he s a Man of proven versatility. After service in three Republican administrations he be came a mainstream newsmagazine editor then represented the gop Point of View As a Tele vision commentator. The new new Gergen is a Pivotal Force in a democratic White House Al though his Job is hard to de scribe. He s like. Air. He s every where said White House press Secretary Dee Dee Myers. Even die hard partisans seem to consider that a Good thing. He has great ideas. I would t care if Rich Bond was sitting there giving me Good ideas if they were Good ideas said the. White House political director Joan Baggett referring to last year s chairman of the Republican party. Republicans annoyed by Ger gun s defection Are among his Foremost detractors. He also has his share of bund loyalists who think they see his stamp on everything Good coming out of the White House. Clinton aides say that what with the $200 haircut and the travel office firings things were so bad they were bound to get better with or without Gergen. Moreover Gergen came on just As Clinton started winning some congressional victories. But in less than two months by Many accounts Ger Jill Lawrence Gen has contributed to Clear improvements in White House strategy efficiency image and morale. He brings a moderate viewpoint reflected in his recommendations that Clinton drop Lani Guinier s nomination As assistant attorney general and choose Ruth Bader Ginsburg for the supreme court. He has a Broad sense of what the american people can accept said senior presidential adviser George Steph Nopoulos. Gergen also seems to know what americans want in a president. He suggested that Clinton Stop at flooded Des Moines on his Way to the Tokyo Summit. He helped Mold and then relentlessly extolled Clinton s leadership role at that Summit. And if nothing had been accomplished there Clinton had a Backstop at Ger gun s urging he had proposed an International jobs Summit for this fall. Gergen has convinced Clinton that he should be Nice to the Media and that he should not be late everywhere he goes. Moreover Gergen was Able to accomplish in 20 minutes something that sen. Daniel Patrick Moynihan a new York Democrat who is chairman of the Senate finance committee had been trying to do for Days get a Clear answer on what if any medicare cuts were acceptable to the administration. It came straight from first lady Hillary Rodham Clinton. Gergen pushes things along. He knows How to put the right people in a room to Force a decision said a senior administration official who spoke Only on Condi Tion of anonymity. He makes sure we re looking ahead. And when he Speaks people listen because they know Clinton respects him. Headline writers have labelled him whirling Gergen and the Sultan of  he has been de scribed As Clinton s Boswell a reference to the biographer some claimed had created English writer Samuel Johnson by publishing a Brilliant account of his life. Gergen is not so much creating Clinton As repackaging him. But then Clinton does t need a Boswell. Apparently what s called for is a Gergen. C the associated press caution required on Ginsburg s nomination sen. Arlen Specter appears to be the Only member of the Senate judiciary committee to approach the hearings on supreme court nominee Ruth Bader Ginsburg with a sense of restraint and a desire to thoroughly examine her record and  Pennsylvania Republican has been right to Flash a caution Light on her fast track to Confirma Tion because while Ginsburg is certainly a Moder ate in manner the paper from the grandchild was a Nice touch she is a Liberal in her judicial out look. Ginsburg an appellate judge was Correct when she said that judges must remember their place in society but then she indicated that that place was wherever the Public sentiment happened to be at a Given moment. In other words she sees the Law As the serv ant of the people not the reverse. Judges in her View determine what the people s Best interests should be. From this one idea flows a Stream of Legi prudence Law from the Bench not jurisprudence Law from the peo ple s representatives interpreted Accord Uig to certain unchanging principles set Forth in the Constitution. During the Reagan and Bush administrations judicial nominees were Sruti Cal Thomas sized for their academic writings even country club memberships and the num Ber of Blacks and or women on their staffs. Ginsburg has had no Black staff members but it appears she will be held to a different Standard. She explained that her academic writings on Roe is. Wade in which she said the supreme court ventured too far in the change it ordered were simply exercises and engagements in what  that defense did not help Robert Bork s candidacy for the supreme court or Lani Guinier president Clinton s failed nominee to head the Justice department s civil rights division. Academic writings did both of them in. The free Congress foundation has prepared an excellent critique of gins Burg s rulings and writings. In it Thomas l. Jipping director of the judicial monitoring project said her scholarly writ Ings reveal a strikingly activist judicial philosophy and an arguably moderate judicial style. On issues that really matter however her record belies any Modera Tion at All. Her politics drives her Juris  How anyone associated with the leadership of the american civil Liber ties Union during the 70s Ginsburg headed the Acle s women s rights project could be considered Moder ate is beyond me. The new Republic s Mickey Kaus wrote in the june 12 Issue when it comes to judging there Are Many species of moderation. One variety reflects a disciplined interpretation of the Constitution. Another reflects Mere Cau  around the House Ginsburg wrote Jipping believes the supreme court can and sometimes should change its interpretation of the Constitution based on a growing com prehension by jurists of a pervasive change in society at  she has writ ten approvingly of How pervasive social changes undermine the reasoning of undesirable supreme court precedents. And apparently she will determine which precedents Are undesirable and which Are not. Ginsburg also approves of the supreme court s creatively interpret ing " constitutional provisions to implement a modern vision of society. The love in on Capitol Hill for this Sweet sounding woman virtually Guaran tees her confirmation but Specter has been Correct in wanting to Mase sure Ginsburg s views and philosophy Are fully aired while he properly discharges his duties not As a rubber stamp but As a care Ful and thoughtful examiner of the Nomi Nee. C los a i yes time Syndicate