The Tower Predicament

John Tower, President Bush’s defense secretary-designate, has assured the Senate Armed Services committee that he has no drinking problem and that he is a man of “discipline” who now limits his alcohol consumption to the odd glass of wine. Ordinarily this would probably suffice to answer the charges, made most recently before the committee by one conservative witness, that Tower on occasion had been seen drunk in public. It might further be expected that the committee would give special weight to Tower’s denial since he is both a former senator and a former member of the same panel that must recommend on his nomination. Approval of Tower could still come fairly soon. For the moment, though, a vote has been deferred so that the committee can pursue “additional information.” What this suggests is that the Tower nomination may be in trouble.

The exact nature of any such trouble is open to speculation. Some committee members clearly remain bothered that Tower was paid more than $750,000 between 1986 and 1988 for giving advice to six companies that did a lot of business with the Defense Department. That lucrative consulting role followed immediately on Tower’s brief service as a delegate to the strategic-arms-reduction talks, raising concerns about the appearance--if not necessarily the fact--that he cashed in on insider information. Other members, as their public questioning showed, are disturbed about the allegations and rumors concerning Tower’s drinking and womanizing--the latter an accusation also made in divorce-court proceedings by his second wife.

Tower concedes that he was a heavy drinker in the past. In open session before the committee he says that he has put that behind him, adding that he is fully aware that the responsibilities of the defense secretary’s job make temperance essential. Certainly few members of the Senate would insist on abstinence as a qualification for high office. Certainly, too, Tower may indeed have overcome his earlier drinking problem through the self discipline he now cites. If so, he deserves respect.

At the same time, though, it is not just proper but imperative that the Armed Services Committee and the full Senate satisfy themselves that any doubts about Tower’s ethics, sobriety and behavior have been resolved. The importance and sensitivity of the defense secretary’s job leave no room for uncertainties; in times of crisis and stress the President and the armed forces must be able to expect that he will be reachable, clearheaded and effective. The time to learn about potential short comings is before a confirmation vote is taken. Afterward it may be too late.