UNREST and dissatisfaction have spread wildly throughout the national media corps assigned to the White House. Editorials, columns, cartoons abound, and all harp on the lack of leadership emanating from the Oval Office.

Why the fidgety behavior from the press?

Let's face it, with two major international tours under his belt, President Bush has quietly illustrated that, while he may be a first-rate friend, he is definitely a second-rate leader.

Now that Bush is confronting the first major "crisis" of his administration, the hostage situation in the Middle East, his response has done nothing to improve his image.

After videotapes purported to show the hanging of an American Marine, Bush called on the "release of all the remaining hostages" and made preparations for "prudent steps." Strong words, these are not. And stronger actions do not seem to be forthcoming.

Satiric cartoons that have appeared in the press--like the one showing a terrorist keeled over laughing hysterically at Bush's words--illustrate the country's lack of confidence in the president.

Michael Dukakis failed to pin a label on Bush last year in his run for the White House, but Bush has managed to pin one on himself now. He is truly the "Wimp President."

BUSH will never be compared favorably in the same breath to many of the great figures in the world today. People like Mikhail Gorbachev, Francois Mitterand and Margaret Thatcher are able to overcome political pressures and force their agenda on the nations they lead and the world around them. Bush cannot.

This was all-too-painfully evident on Bush's trip to Europe two weeks ago, which brought to mind the lyrics of the song, "The Rainbow Tour," in the musical Evita. As Evita and President Peron are in the midst of a whirlwind tour of Europe, the people speak out at home:

Let's hear it for the Rainbow Tour,

It's been an incredible success.

We weren't quite sure,

We had a few doubts.

Would Evita win through?

But the answer is "Yes" and "No"