IN NEW SEARCH FOR A DEFENSE CHIEF, NO CLEAR FAVORITE EMERGES

• Document Type: CREST
• Collection: General CIA Records
• Document Number (FOIA) /ESDN (CREST): CIA-RDP99-00418R000100310016-1
• Release Decision: RIPPUB
• Original Classification: K
• Document Page Count: 1
• Document Creation Date: December 22, 2016
• Document Release Date: May 10, 2012
• Sequence Number: 16
• Publication Date: March 10, 1989
• Content Type: OPEN SOURCE

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$1 Declassified in Part -Sanitized Copy Approved for Release 2012/05/10 :CIA-RDP99-004188000100310016-1
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ay Moseley
Chicago Tribune
WASHINGTON-Rebuffed
Thursday in his long battle to have
John Tower confirmed as defense
secretary, President Bush is under
heavy pressure to come forward
quickly with a new nominee, but
tthhere is no clear favorite for the
job.
Among the most prominent fig-
ura mentioned for the post are
National Security Adviser Brent
Scowcroft; former Ddeme Secre-
taries Donald Rumsfeld and James
Schlesinger; and Norman Au-
gustine, chairman and chitf execu-
tive of the Martin Marietta Corp.,
a leading defense contractor.
But there are major question
lmarks about nearly all of them,
and Bush has been besieged by
suggestions from White Housq
aides, members of Congras and
others as to whom lte should ap-
point.
The list alto includes former Na-
tional Security Advisers Zbigrtiew
Brzezinski and Gen. Colin Powell,
former Transportation Secretary
Drew Lewis, former Rep. Jack
Edwards (R., Ala.), Sen. William
Cohen (R., Me.), Sen. Jake Garn
(R., Utah), Rep. Dick Cheney (R.,
Wyo.), former Defense Secretary
Frank Carlucci, ex-astronaut and
former Eastern Airlines board
chairman Frank Borman and Paul
O'Neill, chairman and chief exeeu-
tive of the Aluminum Corp. of
America.
It is impossible to know how
many of these men are on Bush's
own Irst, or wrhether he is consid-
ering someone whose name has
not surfaced publicly. Earlier the
President said he would not ap-
point asitting member of the
House or Senate.
After the long, bruising fight
over the Tower nomination, Bush
may share the feeling of former
Presrdent Calvin Coolidge when
his administration was beset by
scandal. "I have to appoint human
beings to oflia," Coolidge lamen-
ted.
But Bush is under pressure to
move quickly on the nomination
ba;suse hrs administration is seven
weeks old and a number of urgent
matters are being held up by the
absence of a new team at the Pen-
tagon.
Interagency reviews of national
secunty policy have been ham-
pered by lack of Defense Depart-
ment representation. The adminis-
tration also needs a defense
secretary in plea to begin, making
difficult choices on spendutg at a
time of budget stringency, to deal
with reform of Pentagon pro-
curement practices, to appoint key
subordinates and to deflect critr-
cisrrt that the administration has
run adrift.
In recent days, press and con-
gressional speculation has focused
on Scowcroft as a possible defense
tary~ He replied "No" when
as d Thursday if he was in line
for the job, but that is unlikely to
still the speculation.
One source said Scowcroft can-
not be ruled out, despite his dis-
claimer, because he has privately
told friends that he consrders the
decision is up to the President.
Scowcroft would be an unusual
choice, however, since 6e is a for-
mer Air Fora general. Adminis-
trations traditionally have sought
to preserve the princi le of civilran
control over the military in fact
and symbol by keeping the defense
socr+etary's job in crvilian hands.
If this consideration prevails,
then Powell, who is on active duty
with the Army, also would be
nrled out.
esmaer.
t rn a ones career o government
the eatral Into ' ence Agencv,
ere who wo wt
Rums id, S, ors
gar+ded professionally but may be
politically unacceptable to Bush.
Rumsfeld, after briefly making a
run for the Republican presidential
nomination, wrthdrew in 1987 and
last year gave his support to Sen.
Bob Dok of Kansas in Dole's cam-
paign against Bush.
!L I
Th. wathirpton Post
The New York rim..
The Washington Time
TfN Wall Street Journal
TM Christian SCkincs Monitor
New York Oaly rV.ws _
USA Today
TM Chk;apo Tribune
t)ate
Bush also is said to blame
Rumsfeld for preventing president
Gerald Ford from naming Bush
as his vice presidential nominee
in 1976.
Busht will be tmindful of the need
to choose someone who has no
blegoiiahes on his' background, and
that wou!?d be a factor in
Rumsfeld's favor.
Rumsfeld held a number of im-
and Ford administra tons,[ in
chiding those of defense secretary,
White House chief of staff and
ambassador to the North Atlantic
Treaty Organization.
He is an adviser to a Chicago
investment banking firm and for-
mer president and chairman of
G.D. Searle dt Co., the Skokie-
based pharmaceutical manufactur-
er.
Augustine, S3, lacks the prom-
inence of any of these possible
candidates, but 6e may be on
Bush's short list because 6e is
widely known within the defense
industry and Coaaress as an exec-
utive who has recommended over-
haul of the scandal-ridden Penta-
gon procurement system.
Bush interviewed him early this
year, apparently for the No. 2 job
m the Pentagon, but friends said
Augustine advised the President
he would only be interested in the
secretary's job.
Augustine has had a highly suc-
cessful career at Malin Marietta,
O'Neill, the Alcoa executive, also
was interviewed by Bush for a
leading Pentagon job early in the
year, but ruled himself out by say_
trig he too would only be interested
in becoming defense secretary.
Some White House sources are
strongly tipping former Rep.
Edwards of Alabama for the job.
Now a Washington consLltant, he
has some defense clients, which
could raise questions about possi-
ble conflict of interest.
But he and his wife are said to be
close friends of the President and
First Lady Barbara Bush.
Tri6uae cornespond~ent Timothy
J. McNulty and rns~ier Mime
Baker contn7wted to this neporL
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h~ ~ Declassified in Part -Sanitized Copy Approved for Release 2012/05/10 :CIA=RDP99-004188000100310016-1 . ~,~ ~~~ ,~