Team's Status

Attorney General Bobby Kennedy said last week that he had agreed to stay on in the Johnson Administration at least through the November elections. This indicated that Johnson would have the active help of the Kennedy political apparatus, which is strongest in the big cities and industrial northeast --where Johnson figures to be weakest. It also aroused speculation about the future of other John Kennedy intimates. Some educated guesses: > Appointments Secretary Kenny O'Donnell will remain, though he probably will move his base of operations from the White House to Democratic National Committee headquarters. He knows the big cities' bosses, will be helpful to Johnson's campaign. > Legislative Liaison Aide Larry O'Brien will stay, but switch to strictly political duties later this year. O'Brien is eager to quit his role as middleman between the White House and Capitol Hill, and with Johnson in the driver's seat it is easy to see why. >Speechwriter Ted Sorensen will depart, probably before year's end, to write his close-in, intimate view of the Kennedy Administration.

> Press Secretary Pierre Salinger, who seems to have become a Johnson favorite, will be around indefinitely. > Special Assistant Arthur Schlesinger Jr. will bow out, perhaps in March.

> Special Assistant McGeorge Bundy is finding it difficult to adjust to Lyndon after working so closely with Kennedy, may stay through 1964, though that is not certain.

> Democratic National Committee Chairman John Bailey will remain.

> Presidential Military Aides Captain Tazewell T. Shepard Jr. of the Navy and Brigadier General Godfrey T. McHugh of the Air Force will leave soon, Shepard to take command of a ship, McHugh to retire. Johnson wants to cut the number of presidential aides from three to one, will keep only smart, genial Army Major General Chester V. Clifton, the ranking aide.

This file is automatically generated by a robot program, so reader's discretion is required.