Bush Names Sununu Chief of Staff; Fuller Prompted to Quit Entourage

WASHINGTON — President-elect George Bush today named New Hampshire Gov. John H. Sununu as his White House chief of staff and announced campaign manager Lee Atwater as his choice to head the Republican National Committee.

The selection of Sununu prompted a decision by longtime aide Craig Fuller to leave Bush’s service. Fuller had served as the vice president’s chief of staff and made it clear he wanted the powerful White House post.

“John Sununu has the background and experience necessary to work not only with his former colleagues in the nation’s statehouses but also to build a constructive relationship with the U.S. Congress,” Bush said.

He said the outgoing three-term governor’s background as an engineer, college professor, small businessman and governor “will bring a refreshing new perspective that in my view is critical. He is the right man in the job.”

Sununu, credited with engineering Bush’s New Hampshire primary victory, brings to the job a reputation as an aggressive, hands-on manager. His appointment cheered conservatives but worried some on Capitol Hill as well as Jewish leaders. He was the only one of 50 governors who refused to back a statement denouncing a U.N. resolution that equated Zionism with racism.

Lebanese Roman Catholic

Sununu, who is of Lebanese Roman Catholic heritage, said he opposed the resolution because he did not believe it was proper for a governor to try to influence foreign policy.

Bush discounted the Jewish groups’ worries.

“I think overriding all that is his reputation for fairness, the fact that he was the architect of one of the strongest Middle East platform planks that the party has ever had and it is one that expresses my conviction about the importance of Israel in the strategic equation.”

He added that Sununu’s actions as governor would not affect his fairness in the White House when addressing Israel’s concerns.

Sununu said he will remain governor through his term, which ends Jan. 5. In the meantime, he said he will continue to consult with Bush’s transition team.

Fuller, in a telephone interview, said he told Bush in October that “I wanted to return to the private sector.” But he said he also told Bush during that conversation that “obviously, I would be eager” to serve as chief of staff, often called the second most powerful position in the White House.

Fuller, who served as Bush’s vice presidential chief of staff since 1985, denied that he had lobbied Bush for the top White House staff job, and said he was not bitter about Sununu’s appointment.

‘Good Break Time’

“Now, I think this is a good break time after eight years,” he said.

Fuller said he will resign when Bush’s transition is completed in January.

Bush praised Fuller and said he would like to find a way to keep him in Washington, but when asked why he chose Sununu over his longtime aide, the President-elect simply reiterated his litany of praise for the governor.

Atwater, an architect of Bush’s presidential victory, is the President-elect’s choice to succeed Frank Fahrenkopf Jr. as chairman of the Republican Party.

“He’s a friend; I’m proud of his accomplishments,” Bush said.