Informed Sources

Is Military Readiness Getting Tanked?

WASHINGTON -- President Clinton has said in the past that he won't let America's military readiness slip -- but it may be happening anyway. A key measure of Army combat preparedness is how many miles each tank is driven per year in maneuvers. According to a confidential report, Army tanks averaged only 588 miles last year, 75% of what's considered ideal.

Don't Call Us, We'll Call You ... Please

WASHINGTON -- Presidential staff members are fretting over a new Caller ID system installed on many of the phones in the White House, including Al Gore's and chief of staff Mack McLarty's. The system displays an incoming caller's number on a screen; some staffers are worried that the numbers could be tracked, perhaps even logged somewhere -- or used to investigate leaks. Says a congressional investigator of his recent contacts with the White House: "People say, 'Don't phone me."'