Critics will argue that the president's appointment of Rice and Gonzales could present problems because they are too close to the president. Already Sen. Jay Rockefeller, D-W.Va., has warned that Rice may lack the proper "independence" to be a good secretary of state. Such criticism is wrong-headed. We don't elect Cabinet members. They have no claim to independence from the presidents who appoint them -- which doesn't mean they are mere yes-men or women. Precisely because Rice and Gonzales have earned the president's complete trust, they can be free to speak their minds when they disagree with him, and he will listen.
President Bush has run a tighter ship than most recent presidents, clearly running policy from the White House rather than letting it devolve to the agencies. There's always a danger in every administration that political appointees will become insular and arrogant, but neither Rice nor Gonzales seem prone to those character flaws. Both come from humble backgrounds -- which may not be a perfect insurance policy against self-importance, but it helps.
Given the dangerous world in which we now live and the tough fight ahead, not only in Iraq but elsewhere in the war on terror, the president must be able to count on his top aides. He's chosen well for himself and the country in these first two important picks.