Prior to Gergen's arrival, the Clinton White House was facing a variety of organizational problems.

It was like "watching eight-year-olds play soccer in that nobody had a position, whatever the issue was, everyone gravitated towards that," says Mark Shields, a personal friend and frequent liberal opponent of Gergen on the "MacNeil/Lehrer NewsHour."

Shields, the moderator of CNN's "The Capital Gang," suggested that Gergen turn down the job offer from President Clinton.

"I urged him not to [accept the job]. I said, 'You go in and everybody on the right will say that he was a closet liberal all along, and the liberals will never accept you... they'll see you as coming in to pick up the prize," he says.

Gergen didn't listen.

"To his credit," Shields says, "Gergen said, 'I don't think the country or the office can survive another failed presidency and if I can make any kind of a difference, I feel I have an obligation to do so.'"

Joined by adviser-turned-author George Stephanopoulos and former presidential chief of staff Mack McLarty, Gergen formed what Newsweek called "the triumvirate that runs the White House."

One administration aide credited him with being "a big part of our comeback," joining the administration as it addressed Filegate and Travelgate.

While Gergen says he appreciated his time as a member of the Clinton administration, he is currently enjoying life outside of the White House.

"I worked for [Clinton] a year and a half, and I've been trying to get my life back on track ever since. I feel privileged to have served, though."

Today, Gergen shies away from being characterized as a political "insider."

"There was a time in my life when I spent 150 percent of my working hours in Washington, in the life in Washington, the politics, the arena," Gergen says. "In recent years I've had a growing interest in teaching."

His past colleagues disagree.

"He is the consummate insider with the skills to speak with the outside," says former White House press secretary Michael D. McCurry, now working for a Washington think tank.

According to McCurry, Gergen's work is a reflection of his commitment to others.