Exit Moderately

A rare quality in a politician is the ability to subordinate his own wishes and his own ambitions to someone else’s greater need. Former Sen. Howard Henry Baker Jr. of Tennessee is such a man. By accepting President Reagan’s appointment as the White House chief of staff at the height of the Iran-Contra mess, Baker gave up a long-held desire to become President himself.

At the White House, Baker did not live up to the unrealistic expectations of many of his fans that he would remake the executive department--and even make over the President--in his own moderate, agreeable image. That expectation failed to appreciate the role of a staff person as opposed to a principal. As chief of staff, Baker was much less visible than his predecessor, Donald T. Regan. That is the point. Baker was there to serve the President and the President’s best interests, not to be a prime minister or to advance his own agenda.

Baker quietly guided the White House through the heat of the Iran-Contra matter and helped the Reagan presidency regain some credibility. That is just what was needed from him. As he prepared to return to Tennessee, and eschewed interest in the vice presidency, Baker said, “Glory and power is a marvelous thing in moderation, and I’ve had all the glory and power I can handle for the moment.” A fitting exit line for a moderate public servant.