Of course, the first 100 (or so) days are the most critical, because they set the tone for the next four years. At this point in 1977, the President’s Brother whom Clinton is most often compared to–Billy Carter–was appearing as the star attraction at a truckers’ and citizens band radio convention, in line with his clear short-term goals (get into the papers as much as possible) and longterm objective (cash in). Roger seemed to have mastered these lessons early on, signing a $200,000 recording contract with Atlantic Records and planning music videos, books and a 40-city speaking tour for up to $10,000 on the subject of “turning your life around.” But then last week, having told a Post reporter that he was going shopping for a Jerry Garcia necktie at Bloomingdale’s, he reportedly called a guard to chase away the photographer who met him there, showing how much he has to learn about the etiquette of the President’s Brother photo op. Billy Carter would have charged Bloomingdale’s a minimum of $1,000 to buy a tie there.

Roger feels a kinship with Billy Carter, especially the post-1980 Billy, who, while dying of cancer, traveled the country counseling terminally ill patients. Before that, though, he hugely embarrassed his brother by taking $220,000 as a “good will” representative for Libya, a country the United States had to bomb not long afterward.

Fortunately, Roger, whose Secret Service code name is Headache, is a less calculating sort than Billy; unfortunately, he’s also more impetuous and hot tempered. He “radiates well-intendedness,” says a friend. “He is as nice as he is out of control sometimes.” Earlier this year, when a supermarket tabloid alleged that Clinton had gone back to using cocaine-a drug that landed him in jail in 1984-a senior White House official checked the report and concluded it was untrue. Still, the president is keeping an eye on Roger’s career, with the help of his designated minder, Hollywood director and Clinton friend Harry Thomason. The First Family, said one friend, regards Roger “the same way you would if he was your brother. You love him, and hope he’s not going to be in a car wreck.”