NYT: In Vigilant Hillaryland, Advisers Stay Devoted

[DeepModem Mom]

In Vigilant Hillaryland, Advisers Stay Devoted
By RAYMOND HERNANDEZ
Published: June 1, 2005


WASHINGTON, May 31 - As she prepares to run for re-election next year, and perhaps make a presidential run in 2008, Senator Hillary Rodham Clinton is counting on the counsel of a tight-knit group of advisers who possess a set of qualities that she may prize above all others: discipline and loyalty.

Leaks? Public skirmishes? None of this tends to happen in Hillaryland, as Mrs. Clinton's advisers call the inner circle, mostly because the people who have gained entry into this exclusive club have shown strict devotion to her through the years, including her darkest days in public life.

In fact, political strategists say they are struck by the similarities between Mrs. Clinton's inner circle and the team surrounding President Bush, who has placed a premium on loyalty since his days as governor of Texas and whose lieutenants are known for falling in lockstep behind him.

"Both operations make the papal conclave look like a bunch of free talkers," said Chris Lehane, a Democratic strategist, referring to the Bush and Clinton camps. "I mean that in a positive way, because that is the type of discipline it takes to win."

But perhaps as interesting is the fact that the culture that dominates Mrs. Clinton's political organization is strikingly different from the rollicking atmosphere that seemed to characterize her husband's administration, where turf battles were common and top aides frequently served up morsels of news to reporters to promote their agenda and consolidate power....


http://www.nytimes.com/2005/06/01/nyregion/01hilllary.html