John Ehrlichman

The Teutonic ring of the Ehrlichman name and the ever-widening boundaries of his power have made for a forbidding image outside the White House. But to men who work closely with him, he is a "very warm, very fine guy." Says Kenneth Cole, his closest assistant on domestic matters: "He's hard; he's fair. He's not afraid to say 'I don't agree,' not afraid to take a stand. But he has a wonderful way with people."

John Ehrlichman, 45, looks as approachable as a Junior Chamber of Commerce booster. His face settles quite naturally into a smile, while his waistline suggests a temporary breakdown in an otherwise vigorous selfdiscipline. Though he neither drinks nor smokes, Ehrlichman and his wife are fond of throwing family barbecues at their suburban Virginia home. Among friends, Ehrlichman displays a penchant for puns and a dry sense of humor. Last year he told the audience at a Women's National Press Club dinner that he works in the White House because it was the only way he could get off the Washington Beltway. Despite all this, Ehrlichman can be tough, even intemperate, when it comes to what he sees as disturbing trends in America. Last spring, in a meeting with leaders of the student Moratorium, he listened politely until the talk turned to violence. "Lawbreakers will be arrested," he said; when students raised the issue of massive disorders, he added grimly, "We can build the walls higher and higher."

Hiking Around Seattle. Raised as an only child in California and Washington State, Ehrlichman exudes the calm folksiness of the West. "I have never heard him raise his voice," says Cole. "He might say something like, 'Gee, I don't like the way that went,' but he never sounds excited." Friends concur, and one suggests that possibly his faith as a Christian Scientist has something to do with his steady optimism. The father of five and a dedicated family man, he has imbued his children with his own love of the outdoors, and before moving to the capital, frequently took them hiking around Seattle.

Before joining the Nixon campaign, Ehrlichman was a Seattle lawyer and an expert on zoning. Says his former partner Jack Hullin: "He was a tremendous worker, aggressive, competent, and he had all the attributes of a good trial lawyer." Friends remember him as being active in the P.T.A. and the local symphony, especially in the family-concert programs. Says his longtime friend James Cowles: "He is one of the cleanest-cut men I've ever run across, serious-minded, a really bright guy. I trust him, and I trust his judgment."

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