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Don't look for President Bush's next budget director to be either of the deputies now working under Office of Management and Budget Director Joshua Bolten, according to Bolten himself, who was in good humor last week at the Radio and Television Correspondents' Dinner.

OMB's deputy for management, longtime Bush friend Clay Johnson, is great at the "M" part of the enterprise, and will stay put, Bolten said. Deputy Director Joel Kaplan, a real talent at age 36, will be essential to the next director.

Incoming Chief of Staff Bolten admits he's not a rise-and-shine guy, barely making it in for those 7:30 a.m. meetings at the White House in service to a president who's decidedly a morning person. Current Chief of Staff Andrew Card starts his workday at 5:30 a.m.

"I know Andy gets here really early every day," the president told Bolten. "I don't know why he does that."

Bolten, who left the dining room with a small group that included old friend and Republican stalwart Bo Derek, hinted that the next budget director will have the political chops to satisfy Capitol Hill as well as the budget know-how any director needs.

COMMENTS

• Several thoughts. I read Bolten's statement indicating that "OMB's deputy for management, longtime Bush friend Clay Johnson, is great at the "M" part of the enterprise, and will stay put" and have to wonder how Johnson feels about that. Is this an incident where if you exhibit talent at a particular level or field, your superiors want to keep you there at your career's expense? Just wondering. I also read where Bolten barely makes it in for those 7:30 a.m. meetings at the White House in service to a president who's decidedly a morning person. Does that affect their relationship? How does Bolten deal with that? How does the president deal with that? Is that a possible topic for Management Matters to the rest of us when we're confronted with the same situation? Finally, I read where Chief of Staff Card comes in at 5:30 a.m. yet that doesn't seem to really make a significant impact to the president. "I know Andy gets here really early every day," the president told Bolten. "I don't know why he does that." I wonder if that's another possible topic for Management Matters. Is that something that matters to bosses? If so, why? If not, why not? And when our boss indicates it doesn't make that much difference to him/her, how do we discern when it really does? Food for thought. Richard L. Mallard Posted April 5, 2006 10:37 AM