After meeting today with incoming White House Chief of Staff Bowles, House Republican moderates said they are more optimistic about working with the Clinton administration than they were under departing Chief of Staff Panetta.
"I don't think he's Leon Panetta. I think he's better," Rep. Wayne Gilchrest, R-Md., said as he left the hour-long session. Contended Rep. Mark Foley, R- Fla.: "He's non-political. He doesn't come into the job with a bias."
Several of the Tuesday Lunch Bunch moderates said while it was not impossible to work with Panetta, his experience as a House member led him to act more politically than they believe Bowles will. "[Bowles] really doesn't have any 'quote' political baggage," said Rep. Fred Upton, R-Mich., one of the three Lunch Bunch co-chairs. Added Rep. Nancy Johnson, R-Conn., also a co- chair, "I think he'll be more focused on substance." And while Panetta met only once with the group, the White House requested today's meeting and promised more. "I think this sets the stage for real bipartisan cooperation starting the 105th Congress," Upton said.
Bowles -- who was joined by Assistant to the President for Legislative Affairs John Hilley -- and the moderates discussed in general several issues they could work together on, including the balanced budget, Medicare, education, Superfund reform and campaign finance reform, members said.
Several moderates said they were most impressed with Bowles' commitment to a balanced budget. Rep. Michael Castle, R-Del., the third co-chair, said Bowles told them balancing the budget is his No. 1 priority and the top reason he returned to the administration. Bowles told them President Clinton is looking toward history -- a sign he genuinely wants a balanced budget.
In working toward that goal, House Oversight Chairman Thomas suggested to Bowles it may be possible to work together on adjustments to the consumer price index, Foley said. "I think we could approach it as an initial project," Foley said of the exchange. Johnson added Medicare reform is another area where the two sides could come together.
But the moderates also said they are not going to let the administration try to drive a wedge between them and the rest of the Republican Conference. "We don't want to be used in a sense to undercut [Speaker] Newt Gingrich and [Majority Leader] Dick Armey," Foley said. Castle and Johnson said the group is driven by issues and the members will not allow themselves to be split away from other Republicans for political reasons.
"I think that we're all wary enough that no one is going to be using anybody ... We're not going to change our stripe," Castle said.
NEXT STORY: News Briefs