Away They Go

Bye Bye, Body Man

Ken Herman writes for Cox News Service: "Add the president's 'body man' to the list of close aides leaving the building.

"After more than four years as President Bush's personal aide, Austinite Blake Gottesman will leave next month to head to Harvard Business School -- one of Bush's alma maters -- in the fall.

"Gottesman's official title is 'special assistant to the president and personal aide.' The more commonly used body man moniker derives from the fact that his job is to stick as closely as possible to the president.

"Since March 2002, he's spent about as much time with Bush as anybody on the staff....."He dog-sits Barney. He carries the hand cleanser. He keeps track of the president's schedule. And he has traveled the world with Bush."

Herman also describes Gottesman's propensity for practical jokes -- and wonders how exactly Gottesman got into Harvard Business School without an undergraduate degree.

Yes, that is unusual, but it happens. I did it. That's right: I have two master's and no bachelor's.