Baer With US   

Don Baer , most recently assistant managing editor at U.S. News & World Report , now finds himself putting words in Bill Clinton 's mouth. As the president's new director of speechwriters, he becomes the second U.S. News staffer to leave for the White House in recent months. (The first was Editor at Large David Gergen , now a presidential counselor.) Lewis Lord , formerly in charge of special projects, succeeds Baer overseeing the opening "Outlook" section.

Clinton had been courting Baer, who practiced media law in New York before joining U.S. News in 1987, since last fall. Baer initially feared the job would demand too much time away from his wife and two young sons but changed his mind after two meetings in which the president reassured him. "I saw this as a rare opportunity to effect some positive change," Baer says.

U.S. News Senior Writer Jerry Buckley describes Baer as "probably one of the most popular guys on staff. He's smart, got good ideas and worked well with everybody."

Baer, 39, got to know Clinton while writing a profile of the Arkansas governor in 1991. After the article appeared, Clinton told the writer that "he felt like I got him so right..that it scared him."

Although Baer's office provides the speeches, Clinton plays a key role in shaping their messages. "He's a wonderful writer," Baer says. "His speeches are intelligent, lyrically worded and filled with a certain suppleness and gift for nuance."

Baer hopes to return to journalism but realizes news organizations "have to protect their credibility" and may not look comfortably on his resumé. U.S. News Executive Editor Peter Bernstein isn't so sure. "I think Bill Moyers , Jim Fallows and Pierre Salinger turned out to be pretty good journalists."