If Joseph Califano was dismissed as Secretary of HEW because he was too independent, things may remain much the same under Patricia Roberts Harris, 55, whose colleagues at HUD consider her, with some admiration, every bit as "abrasive" and "pushy" as Califano. A strong-willed woman who fights hard within the bureaucracy for what she wants, Harris does differ from Califano in one important respect: if she loses a battle, she keeps quiet in public and joins in carrying out the Administration decision.
When she first came to HUD in 1977 Harris was widely criticized as inexperienced in housing matters, but she shook...