Cautions for new White House staff: Bush warned his new staff on the 1st Monday morning in
office
to watch how they conduct
themselves as long as they are employed by his administration, using their morning swearing-in ceremony
to tell them they had
received the "honor of a lifetime. We must remember the high standards that come with high office,"
Bush said, with his wife Laura,
Cheney, and White House Chief of Staff Andrew Card seated behind him. "This begins with careful
adherence to the rules. I expect
every member of this administration to stay well within the boundaries that define legal and ethical
conduct. He urged the staff
members to consult White House Counsel Al Gonzales on ethical matters. And he called on them
to confront colleagues if they see
questionable behavior. "No one should hesitate to confront me as well," Bush said.
Vice President Cheney sounded a fatherly but stern warning to the staff: "You've all taken
up some serious responsibilities ... You
serve the president and you serve the White House and the government. But most of all, you serve the
American people. In the final
analysis, it's important to remember only one man put his name on the ballot," Cheney said, with
a nod to Bush. He'll be held
accountable for your performance."
Bush said he wanted, at the end of his term, for the American people to know his administration had
kept its promises: "Everyone
will know where we stand. Everyone will know where we're headed," the new president declared.
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h7-52e) 4Om H3(c) The Staff