A Swipe Averted

By John F. Dickerson

Newt Gingrich's recent criticism of Colin Powell and the Department of State for bungling the diplomacy before and after the Iraq war continues to keep Washington buzzing. But how does President Bush feel about it? TV viewers missed a chance to find out during his interview with NBC's Tom Brokaw three weeks ago. A Bush friend tells TIME that the President "wanted to take a big swipe" at Gingrich during the interview--but Brokaw never brought up the subject. According to an Administration aide, Bush's remarks were going to consign the former Speaker to the cohort of "babbling, divisive people" who have criticized the war. "He wasn't going to mention [Gingrich] by name," says the aide, "but it was going to be very clear." --By John F. Dickerson