Their message, according to dozens of interviews, is blunt: They want the top talent now, they have no interest in sharing it, and they will remember those signed on early — and, implicitly, those who did not. The aim is not just to position Mr. Bush as a formidable front-runner for the Republican nomination but also to rapidly lock up the highest-caliber figures in the Republican Party and elbow out rivals by making it all but impossible for them to assemble a high-octane campaign team.
Robert B. Zoellick, a well-known foreign policy expert, told friends he intended to advise multiple candidates, like Gov. Chris Christie of New Jersey and Gov. Scott Walker of Wisconsin, in the early stages of the race. Mr. Bush wanted something else, asking for his “sole support,” Mr. Zoellick said. A surprised Mr. Zoellick granted it, ending his relationships with everyone else.
Caught off guard, advisers to Mr. Christie, who had identified Mr. Zoellick as their own adviser when talking to supporters, bristled last week when Mr. Bush delivered a speech containing Zoellick-inspired language similar to what Mr. Christie had employed in the past.
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