The Once and Future Hillary

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Indeed, say staff members, the First Lady can understand these times. Far from being the standard-bearer of liberalism in the White House, says an aide, "she's a lot more conservative than she's made out to be in the media." To stress the point, the First Lady reminded an audience last week that she was brought up in a staunch Republican family and was a "Goldwater girl" in 1964.

From the changing hairstyles that have become a source of self-deprecating humor to what little information about her that can be divulged, Hillary Rodham Clinton remains supremely in charge of her self-image. And officials in the White House know to be careful about what they say, even privately. "That's a touchy subject," sighed a top adviser to the President when asked about Mrs. Clinton. Another official joked that it was too risky discussing the First Lady over a White House phone. "You want me to talk about Hillary?" the official asked with mock incredulity. "This is not a secure line." And then he earnestly claimed he had nothing to say.

With reporting by Ann Blackman/Washington

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