Inside Washington Gergen in Eclipse?

Clinton aides observe with some irritation that DAVID GERGEN was slow to defend his boss last month as the Whitewater and Arkansas-trooper stories gathered force. With the arrival of tough New York lawyer Harold Ickes as deputy chief of staff and his designation as leader of the Whitewater damage- control team (of which Gergen is only a member), Gergen now has a strong rival. Gergen himself was finally out front last week, giving speeches, appearing on TV chat shows and generally defending Bill and Hillary Clinton.