Inman Opts Out : The colorful former admiral withdraws with an intense flair

Bobby Ray Inman’s startling announcement that he has withdrawn as President Clinton’s nominee for secretary of defense presents the sad story of a highly qualified person who has decided to pass up one of the most important government posts rather than face the close scrutiny that, for better or worse, those who would hold high office must now expect.

For what prompted the retired admiral to step aside was not, evidently, any policy difference with the President--”there is no daylight between the two of us at all”--nor any concern that his nomination would receive less than overwhelming Senate approval. It was instead, he indicated, his feeling that after 30 years of highly praised public service, most of it in uniform, he did not feel that he had to defend anew his character, conduct or skills before those who might question them.

Inman identified two potential critics, Senate Republican leader Bob Dole and William Safire, a columnist for the New York Times. Offering no supporting evidence, Inman charged the two had struck a deal.

Inman alleged that Safire, who has had run-ins with Inman, would keep giving the President a hard time over the unanswered questions concerning the Clintons’ Whitewater investment if Dole would ensure that Inman was subjected to rigorous questioning during his confirmation hearings.

Frankly--and we say this believing that Inman was an excellent choice for defense secretary--we find this notion far-fetched. Certainly Safire needs no quid pro quo from Dole if he believes the full Whitewater story has yet to be told. And certainly Dole, as toughly partisan as anyone in Congress, doesn’t have to be in cahoots with a columnist to keep a story that could embarrass Clinton in the public eye.

Our early guess is that Bobby Ray Inman, who was never really eager to be secretary of defense, answered Clinton’s call out of duty rather than overwhelming conviction, and that in the end his real feelings dictated the dramatic action he took. Not unique among those tapped for high office, Inman may have decided that the game just wasn’t worth the candle.