Posted on 04/19/2006 7:32:13 AM PDT by LouAvul
WASHINGTON - White House Deputy Chief of Staff Karl Rove is giving up his policy portfolio and press secretary Scott McClellan is resigning, continuing a shakeup in President Bush's administration that has already yielded a new chief of staff.
A senior administration official, who spoke on condition of anonymity because the president had not yet made the announcement, said Wednesday that Rove is giving up oversight of policy development to focus more on politics with the approach of the fall midterm elections.
Just over a year ago, Rove was promoted to deputy chief of staff in charge of most White House policy coordination. That new portfolio came on top of his title as senior adviser and role of chief policy aide to Bush.
But now, the job of deputy chief of staff for policy is being given to Joel Kaplan, now the White House's deputy budget director, said the official.
The move signals a possibly broad effort to rearrange and reinvigorate Bush's staff by new chief of staff Joshua Bolten. Bolten moved into his position last week; Kaplan was his No. 2 person at the Office of Management and Budget.
At least for the time being, the promotion of Kaplan would leave Bush with three deputy chiefs of staff: Rove, Kaplan and Joe Hagin, who oversees administrative matters, intelligence and other national security issues.
Appearing with Bush on the South Lawn, McClellan, who has parried especially fiercely with reporters on Iraq and on intelligence issues, told Bush: "I have given it my all sir and I have given you my all sir, and I will continue to do so as we transition to a new press secretary."
Bush said McClellan had "a challenging assignment."
"I thought he handled his assignment with class, integrity," the president said. "It's going to be hard to replace Scott, but nevertheless he made the decision and I accepted it. One of these days, he and I are going to be rocking in chairs in Texas and talking about the good old days."
McClellan was named press secretary in June 2003, not long after the United States invaded Iraq and had first been a deputy to Ari Fleischer in the job — a White House position with daily visibility rivaling virtually everyone there except the president.
Ater the announcement, Bush and McClellan walked across the lawn together and boarded Marine One, but a problem with the helicopter's radio kept it grounded. The president and his staff were forced to take a motorcade to Andrews Air Force Base, Md., where Bush was scheduled to depart for Alabama.
Who cares about that? I have dibs on his weather machine.
I bet Scott is a nice guy, but his position demands a smart. knowledgable, not so nice guy to dual with a hostile America hating press...and he wasnt well suited for that role.
Man, I would have thought this thread would have been at 200-300 posts by now. So many have voiced disgust in McClellan.
Man, I would have thought this thread would have been at 200-300 posts by now. So many have voiced disgust in McClellan.
Thank GOD!
It's about 2 years late in coming, IMHO.
You did your part. :-)
Doesn't matter who the White House spokeman is, as long as we have a republican as President, the MSM will be like a hungry hound after a T-bone steak. Scott McClellan did the best job he could, and he weathered a hostile press better than most could have. Mr. Bush should hire a real SOB to handle the MSM retards, and dish it back to 'em!
I hope there will be a series of acting press secretaries to see who can handle the job. It is a huge job. Scott seemed to be a nice person, but his meek demeanor was all wrong for the job, IMHO.
mark.
I always thought that he was in over his head and a poor choice for the job but I was never 'disgusted' by him. Disappointed but not disgusted. I wish him well in his new endeavors and am glad to see him move on.
Tony would be wonderful in that position! I know it would be quite a pay cut, but I hope he takes the job.
I wish him well and its about damn time.
Exactly...time to work over the whitehouse press corps. Diplomacy has failed with them, and it's obvious they've no desire in reporting the truth. So, let's treat them like the lying treasoness b-tards they are.
I agree, McClellan was in a no-win situation. The WH press corps are a bunch of spoiled little children who think they have a God given right to do as they want. They are so hell bent on making the news, that they couldn't find their asses with both hands in the dark. McClellan did the best he could. I don't think his personality let him go after these idiots. Here's hoping the President hires a real a-hole to deal with these clowns now.
http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-chat/1617650/posts
Interesting information the Admin Mod moved to General/Chat (can't wait fot the next "News" story about a dog playing the harmonica)
I can play with a computer does that count?
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