The President's Sounding Board

By Janice Castro

Who has the President's ear? ROBERT TEETER, his chief political strategist, is emerging as first among equals on the campaign staff. An Ann Arbor, Mich., pollster and longtime Bush adviser, Teeter was largely frozen out of the inner circle during the past three years by ex-powermeister John Sununu. But lately he has revived an old alliance with the new White House chief of staff, Sam Skinner. One reason they get along: Teeter's strategic skills complement Skinner's managerial strengths. Both men enjoy unlimited access to Bush. Teaming up on nearly everything, the two meet nightly for 90 minutes to talk policy and plan the next day's activities. "By the time this campaign shakes out," says one insider, "it's going to be the Big Two: Teeter and Skinner."

With reporting by Wendy Cole