Inside Washington

Worried White House operatives are cranking out executive policy options that, they hope, would allow President Clinton to stay a nimble step ahead of Speaker-presumptive NEWT GINGRICH's government-trimming, voter-pleasing butcher's knife. Proposed initiatives -- none of which the President has yet agreed to -- include merging the Interior and Energy departments and abolishing Commerce altogether. While neither step looks likely, Commerce Secretary RON BROWN is already maneuvering to keep his bailiwick intact.