Friendship with First Family Fortifies Franks. (Political Notebook)

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Tommy Franks is not the most colorful of generals. A reluctant press briefer during the best of times, he saw no reason to spend time cultivating a relationship with journalists when there was a media onslaught in early November over his handling of the war in Afghanistan. He told his subordinates he had better things to do than engaging in self-promotion.

Galvanized by a carping Seymour Hersh article in the New Yorker magazine accusing the general of being "clueless," the media pack launched into Franks, arguing that he was failing to live up to the gusts and gusto of Desert Storm hero Norman Schwarzkopf. Pentagon naysayers hinted that Franks was for the chop and reporters started drafting the general's service obituary, convinced that the lack of sound bites coming from the man must be a career-ender.

Of course it was all too, too …