“It’s been kind of eerie. He’s a real ballast for everyone. I’ve been struck by the fluency with which he moves from one issue to another. I remember one day he was briefed on the North Korea missile launch situation, then there was a meeting on GM and Chrysler, then a briefing on the Afghanistan policy, and there was another meeting on GM and Chrysler. And then (White House Chief of Staff) Rahm Emanuel came into my office and said Fargo (North Dakota) was under water and, at that point, it became a West Wing (former NBC TV show) episode.”