This was the back-breaking straw - a Presidential confidant had decided that he would not lie to a grand jury.

"People say the trouble with Mega is knowing what she wants," a presidential confidant said acidly, using her popular nickname.

As a Presidential confidant, he is at the peak of his career, yet he talks to friends of escaping.

Still, Attorneys General have long since transcended their one-time role as Presidential confidants.

Vernon E. Jordan Jr., the presidential confidant, was a bit more cautious.

A Presidential confidant said of Mr. Clinton, "I don't think anyone feels worse about what happened than him.

Only a few presidential confidants as indispensable as Mr. Rove have ever been thrown overboard, and then reluctantly.

The alternative was the vague New Age-y faith of the Presidential confidant and critic of technological society.

While many of his predecessors served as Presidential confidants, Mr. Thornburgh has devoted more time to managing the department's budget and its 80,000 employees.

A certain amount of conformity was required of presidential confidants; Gray Bondurant was a nonconformist.