George W. Bush is facing multiple challenges, but his most important job is a simple matter of leadership.
The nation, reeling from this week's terrorist attacks, needs to see its president in control, ready to make
tough decisions for the right reasons. Expressing determination to punish the people who organized the
assaults on the World Trade Center and the Pentagon is important, but not nearly enough.

The administration spent much of yesterday trying to overcome the impression that Mr. Bush showed weakness
when he did not immediately return to Washington after the terrorists struck. That is not the issue that most
concerns the American people. If the Secret Service felt the president would be safer somewhere else, the
country is prepared to accept that and move on. What matters now is what Mr. Bush plans to do next. The
disturbing part of the administration's performance on Tuesday was the refusal of the president or any member of
his cabinet to field questions about the fast-moving and frightening events. For most of the day, while the nation
watched pictures of the World Trade Center towers toppling, the only visible figure in Washington was Karen
Hughes, counselor to the president, who declined to take questions.

The fact that Mr. Bush has begun to visit the attack sites is welcome news. The president has always been good
at connecting with average Americans, and his rightful place now is lending support to the people who have lived
through these catastrophes. This is particularly true in New York. There has never been much love lost between
the city and this chief executive, but New Yorkers need to see, in this crisis, that he is their president too.

Mr. Bush has already called for a new tone in Washington, comparable to what a nation summons in wartime. The
president has frequently committed himself to a bipartisan approach in government, and now is the time to honor
that pledge. Some wartime presidents broadened their cabinets to include members of the opposition. Mr. Bush
need not reshape his government, but he does need to reach across the aisle to Democratic Congressional leaders
for ideas as well as support. The challenges, after all, may include a rethinking of priorities on defense and
security, something that cannot be carried out without transcending partisan politics.

In the days ahead, Mr. Bush may be asking the nation to support military actions that many citizens, particularly
those with relatives in the service, will find alarming. To lead well, he must convince the nation that his decisions
are both smart and principled. The nation relies on him to be above a personal impulse for revenge. Being angry is
a luxury reserved for the public, which counts on the president to exercise more measured judgment.

He must also show that he knows what he is doing. Mr. Bush came to the White House with as little preparation
in international affairs as any modern president. That does not suggest he will be unable to rise to the occasion.
But it does mean that the nation will be watching him somewhat nervously, in need of assurance that he is making
wise decisions. The best way he can earn the country's confidence is by appearing frequently in public, and by not
being afraid to answer questions. In the last two days, Mayor Rudolph Giuliani and Gov. George Pataki of New
York have tirelessly made themselves available to an uneasy public that needed reassurance. Often it was enough
to see them acknowledge that they did not know all the answers.

On the economic front, the attacks this week obviously came at a fragile moment. No president can use words to
change basic economic trends. But both Bill Clinton and Ronald Reagan understood that a president can help to
generate confidence by statements and actions. Mr. Bush should summon business leaders and economic experts
to show that he will do what is necessary to restore that confidence and help the nation's financial center get back
on its feet.

Mr. Bush remains an untested figure in the eyes of many Americans. His words have shown that he well
understands the dimensions of the challenge that he now faces. He can best find his voice, and lead, by actively
and visibly engaging and sharing his thinking and his confidence in the future. Americans are more than ready to
rise up and give him their support.