WASHINGTON, Oct 31 (AFP) - George W. Bush has counted on a small group of advisers throughout his political career as governor of Texas and president.
Here are brief profiles of the major players:
Laura Bush, 58, First Lady
Mother of their 22-year-old twin daughters Jenna and Barbara, Laura Bush downplays her political influence or involvement but clearly has the president's ear. She softens some of the rough edges of the president and has been known to tell him when to calm down, such as the time when he declared he would capture Osama bin Laden "dead or alive."
Andrew Card, 57, White House chief-of-staff
A top adviser to former president George H.W. Bush, Card is the gate-keeper for the president with the final say over his daily schedule and responsibility for running the enormous machinery of the White House. Always at the president's side.
Dick Cheney, 63, vice president
A veteran of four Republican administrations, Cheney, a former congressman from the western state of Wyoming, served as defense secretary under former president George H.W. Bush. A chief architect of the war on Iraq, he is seen as the mentor of a president who entered the White House without foreign policy experience. Stepped down as chief executive officer of oil services giant Halliburton to join the administration.
Don Evans, 58, commerce secretary
A Texan like Bush, he is one of the president's oldest friends and a trusted adviser. He shares the same religious beliefs and frequents the same evangelical Christian circles as the president.
Karen Hughes, 47, campaign strategist
A former journalist, Hughes has been a close adviser to the president since his 1994 election as governor of Texas. Bush pays close attention to her political instincts and she is one of the campaign's most effective spokesmen.
Condoleezza Rice, 49, national security adviser
In charge of coordinating the foreign policy of the administration, Rice, a Russian specialist and former dean of Stanford University, has had the difficult job of juggling the views of strong personalities such as Vice President Cheney, Secretary of State Colin Powell and Defense Secretary Donald Rumsfeld.
Karl Rove, 53, senior advisor
Bush's political guru is a master political strategist and the architect of his 2000 presidential election victory. Villified by the opposition Democrats, Rove has been the subject of Bush-bashing books with titles such as: "Boy Genius: Karl Rove, the Brains Behind the Remarkable Political Triumph of George W. Bush."
10/31/2004 02:53 GMT - AFP