Another politician looks homeward

by Beth Teitell
Thursday, April 25, 2002

WASHINGTON - Just hours after Karen Hughes, the influential presidential adviser, announced she was resigning and returning to Texas, President Bush said he too was homesick and moving back to the Lone Star State.

Bush's decision took many by surprise at the White House, where as president he has had a major role in the administration.

"He'll be missed by top leadership," Vice President Dick Cheney said.

Bush said he is leaving Washington and its hectic pace because he wants to spend more time with his family - a sentiment not neccessarily reciprocated by the family itself.

"What? Is he kidding?" said first daughter Jenna Bush, a student at the University of Texas. "That man is the last guy I want here. We're not going to be hanging out together. Someone should tell him that."

"Does he know that I'm not even in Texas?" asked Jenna's twin, Barbara, a Yalie. "I do go there sometimes to party with my sister," she added, "but that's about it. My life is in New Haven."

Bush's wife, Laura, could not be reached for comment, but she is known to have become attached to a D.C. hairdresser, and is not thought to be particularly eager to return to her home state beautician.

"You saw how she looked when she lived there," said a Capitol Hill observer.

In addition to making what he termed a "family-friendly decision," Bush was also said to be motivated by a desire to keep his long-distance phone bills to a minimum.

"When Karen announced she was leaving, Bush said that they'd talk every day on the phone," an adviser said. "A lot of those calls would be before 5 p.m. and the rates can be really high if you don't have the right plan.

"Plus, with the time difference, it would have gotten very confusing. If she said `Let's talk at 3 p.m. put didn't specify Eastern or Central time, that could have lead to problems. He might be working out in the White House gym or something, and missed her call."

In making his announcement, Bush stressed that his resignation was not a sign that sons of presidents can't balance a high-powered career and family life, although, of course, Washington observers are seeing it that way.

"I really think if you look at it, my career is an affirmation that sons of presidents can make their families a priority and still pursue their careers," Bush, the son of the 41st president, George H.W. Bush, said.

Even as the president made plans to move and rented a U-Haul, his aides stressed that although he was leaving town, he would not be out of the loop. Many of his advisers, including the powerful Karl Rove, went out of their way to praise Bush's contributions to his presidency.

"He had a lot of input," Rove said. "He knew himself as well as or better than anyone in the White House."