Rude Awakening

Seldom has a President felt obliged after only seven weeks in office to deny publicly that his Administration suffers from "drift" and "malaise." But that is precisely what George Bush did at a press conference last week, reciting a list of accomplishments ranging from the savings and loans bailout to proposals for curbing air pollution. "I think we're on track," the President insisted, adding somewhat wistfully, "A lot is happening. Not all of it is good, but a lot is happening."

The biggest happening, and the worst for Bush, was the Senate's rejection of former Senator John Tower for Secretary of...